Training in Environmental Toxicology

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Funds are requested to support the Rochester Toxicology Training Program. There are pressing societal demands to identify and evaluate the impact of an ever-increasing array of environmental chemical, physical, and social stressors on human health. The overall objective of this Program is to provide pre- and postdoctoral training for the next generation of talented, independent toxicologists and environmental health scientists with critical thinking skills who will conduct novel research and actively transform their findings, and findings from others, into new information. This information will then be translated for use by scientists, public health and medical professionals, governmental and other agencies, and the public to improve overall human health and well-being. This Program is distinguished by its exceptional environment for training in toxicology, as evidenced by the success of prior trainees, the remarkable collegiality and extensive collaborations amongst faculty and trainees, a broad base of research support, and its strong leadership and institutional commitment. The Program is dedicated to meeting the needs of trainees from diverse backgrounds and supporting their individualized goals for careers in academia, government, and industry. The Program’s framework is based on the philosophy that training for the future workforce requires multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches, close working relationships between trainees and their mentoring teams, and a culture that supports diversity, autonomy, and career development. The Program takes advantage of extensive expertise and resources that are available at a major academic medical center by reaching beyond a single department. The Program is housed in the Department of Environmental Medicine, yet the 31 faculty mentors come from 13 basic science and clinical departments and divisions within the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Faculty research spans the entire spectrum of toxicology, from molecular mechanisms and cellular processes to whole animals and human populations. There are 7 keystone research areas (Neurotoxicology and Behavioral Toxicology, Pulmonary & Cardiovascular Toxicology, Developmental & Reproductive Toxicology, Immunotoxicology, Musculoskeletal Toxicology, Dermal Toxicology and Endocrine Toxicology) that are rooted in contemporary themes that include particles and air pollution, molecular-genetic modifiers of toxicity, developmental origins of health and disease, epigenetic regulatory systems, and social determinants of disease. The Program is also tightly integrated with other training programs, as well as research and professional development support centers at the University. During the current cycle of this training grant, refinements to the didactic curriculum were adopted, new environmental health research expertise was added, equity and diversity initiatives were launched, and strategies to recruit and retain trainees from diverse backgrounds were revised. Continued support of the Rochester Toxicology Training Program will ensure that a reliable stream of exceptionally well-prepared PhD- level toxicologists will be ready to meet the growing demands of the today’s health science workforce.