Predoctoral Training in the Genetics of Development, Disease and Regeneration

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PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT The advent of genome editing and induced pluripotent stem cell technologies now provide hope for creating therapies to treat and cure many developmental diseases. However, incomplete knowledge of the genetic regulatory mechanisms that guide cell differentiation and function stands as a significant barrier to progress. Overcoming this barrier will require a workforce with a training foundation that integrates a strong base in genetics, a deep knowledge of developmental, cellular and molecular mechanisms, and the ability to apply basic concepts to the translational potential of stem cell biology. The Genetics of Development, Disease, and Regeneration Training Program seeks to foster a broad foundation of interdisciplinary knowledge and career development that empowers a diverse population of students to apply their training to the study and treatment of developmental diseases. To achieve this goal, the GDDR Program is grounded in five training fundamentals: 1) knowledge base, 2) research skills and innovative technology, 3) hypothesis-driven research, 4) communication skills and 5) professional and career development. The GDDR Program will create a unique training environment by combining the broad and interdisciplinary research interests of our faculty with a training plan that integrates genetic principles and mechanisms into the study of development and stem cell biology. Thirty well-funded and accomplished Training Faculty drawn from 10 basic science and clinical departments create a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment. The breadth of our training environment will provide trainees with a diverse menu of labs for thesis training, while maintaining a supportive community and facilitating beneficial interactions between the GDDR Program and other T32-funded programs at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. We will take full advantage of these interactions to develop courses and training activities that involve multiple programs. Thus we will broaden the exposure of our trainees to different knowledge, technologies, and career opportunities, and extend the impact of our training program to benefit a larger population of students and researchers at CU AMC. Based on the quality and size of our student pool and Training Faculty, we propose to support six trainees per year, which will permit us to be highly selective while building an interactive group of trainees. Our trainee recruitment plans are structured to attract highly talented students from diverse backgrounds, thereby contributing to a rich setting for training and accomplishment.