Chemistry-Biology Interface Predoctoral Training Grant

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PROJECT SUMMARY Twenty-five years ago, the University of Massachusetts launched a training program at the interface of chemistry and biology. The program built on existing strengths and harnessed our commitment to building bridges between the physical and life sciences. Since then, the University of Massachusetts has undergone a complete transformation in the life sciences. Massive investments in state-of-the-art core facilities and research buildings coupled with the hiring of over 50 new faculty has revolutionized the research capacity on campus. By establishing a collaborative community and interdisciplinary curriculum, the Chemistry-Biology Interface (CBI) training program has been at the center of this growth. The 31 CBI Training Faculty now train a total of 162 talented students, 54 of whom are eligible for support from the CBI training grant. CBI students come from five participating graduate programs: Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Microbiology, Molecular & Cellular Biology, and Polymer Science & Engineering. The CBI curriculum is designed to complement the requirements of these programs, to achieve four objectives: 1) to provide fluency in both chemistry and biology concepts, tools, and opportunities; 2) to communicate and collaborate effectively with scientists from diverse chemistry and biology research backgrounds; 3) to follow best practices in performing rigorous and reproducible research; and 4) to increase awareness of career opportunities and build the appropriate skills to network effectively in order to take advantage of these opportunities. Robust participation of ~ 60 CBI student members who complete the curriculum, regardless of funding, demonstrates the perceived high value of this training. In this proposal, we seek to enhance the training capacity of the CBI program by requesting twelve trainee slots, which will be matched with four slots annually from UMass. Over the next five years, the cohort of CBI trainees will participate in several innovative training activities, including a revised curriculum incorporating the principles of rigor and reproducibility, specialized laboratory modules designed to introduce trainees to new concepts and techniques, and a biennial Alumni Symposium where current trainees will have the opportunity to connect with our network of 143 alumni. Equipped with this comprehensive skillset, graduates from our CBI program will be well-prepared to solve frontier problems in biology and biomedicine.