Methods and Logic in Molecular Biology Training Program

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The Methods and Logic in Molecular Biology training program (MLMB) at Princeton University educates carefully selected individuals for the research, teaching, and advocacy needs of the nation. The MLMB brings together the multi-disciplinary life science community at Princeton with 54 training faculty. Our program is highly collaborative and trains students to acquire the skills to become leaders in any field they choose. The MLMB training faculty represent 7 academic departments and 3 research institutes, including 33 from Molecular Biology, 4 from Chemistry, 5 from Chemical & Biological Engineering, 2 from Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 3 from Computer Science, 2 from Physics, 2 from Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, 1 from the Lewis Sigler Genomics Institute, and 2 from the Neuroscience Institute. The faculty provides expertise in diverse biological model systems, offering training in genetics, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, biochemistry, biophysics, cancer, cell biology, development, microbiology, immunology, and neuroscience. All faculty are themselves rigorously mentored, undergoing annual mandatory mentoring training, and assessed by the MLMB Committee. The MLMB is administratively supported by the Department of Molecular Biology (MOL) and selects its students from the pool of MOL graduate students. The MLMB is the only training grant that supports MOL students. The MOL graduate program receives over 400 applications per year, attracting some of the best students in the country. Research is performed in well-equipped laboratories with support from state-of-the-art core facilities. The training program consists of inter-disciplinary, skill-building oriented course work, laboratory rotations, a general exam, thesis research, thesis committee meetings, Individual Developmental Plans, and an array of MLMB specialized courses and activities that provide students with science communication, leadership, and managements skills, in conjunction with diverse career development opportunities. Trainees gain teaching experience and receive intensive training in scientific rigor/reproducibility and responsible conduct of research. Our Mentorship Program further helps all students with issues such as work/life balance and career development. We have a successful Diversity and Inclusion Program to help recruit and retain students from groups that are under-represented in the life sciences. Our gender and racial demographics have matched those of the nation for over a decade. Routine internal and external assessment of the MLMB Training Program evaluates both faculty and students and enables us to identify needs for new courses, policies, and activities that keep the program fresh. Our success is best judged by the productivity and success of our graduates. Students who graduated in the past 10 years had an average of 4.1 publications per trainee and 95% are still engaged in science-related careers. Our MLMB program thus nucleates the vibrant multi-disciplinary research community at Princeton and delivers scientists broadly trained with the interdisciplinary skills they need to solve tomorrow’s challenges. Support for 12 trainees for their 2nd and 3rd years (24 slots) is requested.