Genetics and Genomics Training Grant

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The University Program in Genetics and Genomics (UPGG) has a nearly 40-year history of training graduate students at Duke University. The program has maintained its status over the years as an elite graduate training program by co-evolving with changes in experimental and analytical technologies, scientific culture, career development, and student demographics. Currently, the UPGG is a degree- granting program of approximately 50 students and 90 faculty with appointments in departments across the School of Medicine, School of Engineering, and Arts & Sciences. UPGG students have the opportunity to train in a broad range of fundamental research questions including chromosomes, nucleic acids, and gene expression; developmental genetics, population and evolutionary genetics; model systems genetics, human and mammalian genetics, plant genetics; and microbial and viral genetics. Our faculty train students in experimental and quantitative/analytical approaches across a variety of biological systems from microbes to plants to humans. This intellectual diversity, coupled with Duke’s highly collaborative culture, has created a truly interdisciplinary training environment. Our UPGG alumni populate a breadth of career paths from traditional academic research and teaching to industrial/government research or regulatory affairs, and small startup companies to big pharma. Our current trainees come from a variety of scientific, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. This diverse population participates actively in their own training by organizing some of our signature programs, such as the annual student retreat, distinguished lecture series, and community outreach efforts. Additional programmatic offerings such as our Tuesday Seminar Series serve as a focal point for bringing together the entire Genetics and Genomics community together at Duke. In the coming grant period, we seek to leverage the current strengths and successes of the UPGG along with developing new programmatic and curricular offerings that support the intellectual and career development of our trainees. Our objective is to utilize the backdrop of genetics and genomics research at Duke to produce independent scientists who are well trained in the fundamental technical, leadership, and operational skills necessary for them to thrive in a range of scientific career paths. As part of our focus on student training, we will develop mechanisms for improving the mentoring skills of our training faculty who play a critical role in the intellectual development of our trainees. Finally, we will ensure that our training environment continues to be one in which all of our students can flourish.