Predoctoral Training at the Interface Chemistry and Biology

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Project Summary/Abstract The broad mission of the predoctoral Chemistry/Biology Interface Training Program (CBITP) is to educate, train, and develop early-career scientists of diverse backgrounds to be thought leaders, role models and innovators at the Chemistry/Biology Interface for the greater benefit of humanity. The overall objective of the program is to train scientists who will make strong contributions to the chemical biological sciences leading to a sustained impact, ultimately benefitting society. During their supported training period in years 2 (5 students) and 3 (5 students) of the overall CBITP, students will: 1) Develop broad background knowledge of modern chemical biology research; 2) Develop strong background knowledge of detailed methods used in the chemical biology field; 3) Demonstrate advanced knowledge in specialized areas of chemical biology, including critical evaluation of molecular structure, function, (bio)synthesis, reactivity, and application in basic cellular/ organismal physiology; 4) Design, perform and communicate original, high-quality, rigorous (robust controls and statistical analysis), and ethically-conducted research upon critically examining previous scientific knowledge in chemical biology; 5) Express self-efficacy and professionalism to navigate the biomedical science career landscape; and 6) Develop professional oral and written communication skills. As large pharma internal Research & Development (R&D) efforts have decreased, job opportunities within the growing biotech/biopharma sector have increased. The founding of new biopharma ventures, by definition, involves a combination of chemistry and biology. The rationale for the training of students at this interface will not only help supply the workforce in the biotech/biopharma sector but will also produce the next generation of faculty and entrepreneurs to promote science and technology innovations and maintain U.S. leadership in these areas on the world stage. The program takes advantage of the very deep and diverse chemical, biological, and biomedical sciences applicant pool at Yale University as well as the extraordinary research strengths of the associated faculty. We have established a rigorous CBITP core curriculum with new and intensive half credit modules, which allows the students more flexibility in matching instruction and coursework with their educational and research needs. We have also established an assortment of CBITP-specific hands-on research (e.g., high-throughput screening, genomics, proteomics, etc) and career (e.g., internships with biopharma, alternative careers in bioscience, etc) workshops in addition to chemical biology symposia and conferences to promote overall student and program successes. To evaluate the efficacy, training outcomes, and career outcomes emerging from our existing and new programmatic activities, in addition to exploring the experiences of our trainees, we will employ a data-driven mixed-methods approach for continuous refinement. Collectively, we propose to modernize our successful 20-year CBITP for this new, next generation CBITP.