Academic Career Development in Botanical Dietary Supplements

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The main objective of this Academic Career Development Award is to enable the candidate, Dr. Z. Jim Wang, to develop an academic career in botanical dietary supplements (BDS). The UIC/NIH Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements Research (ODS/NCCAM/ORWH grant P50 AT00155), under the leadership of Professor Norman R. Farnsworth, is already a leader in the research and information about the use of natural product supplements, particularly for women's health. Currently, the Center associated Pharmacognosy graduate program is undergoing substantial overhauls to revamp curricula to reflect the changing field. Dr. Wang will take on the tasks of developing curricula in natural products pharmacology. Dr. Wang will also teach in these courses. The new curricula in BDS will be offered to both graduate and health professional students, and will also be made available to health care professionals on the University of Illinois medical campus. The candidate will also develop pharmacological research programs for the studies of BDS, with an emphasis on CMS and receptor-based bioassays. Working closely with Dr. Farnsworth, Dr. Susan Goldman (Education Consultant), and other colleagues, the candidate will specifically achieve the following career development goals during the award period: 1) develop research programs in botanical dietary supplements; 2) develop curricula in natural products pharmacology; 3) improve teaching skills; 4) develop leadership skills. The specific research proposal will develop novel receptor-based bioassays, which will then be applied to study the molecular mechanisms of BDS used in women's health. The proposal takes advantage of the candidate's training background, while offering opportunities for career development including training in responsible conduct of research. The award is ideally suited for the candidate, as it will provide protected time and clear and achievable goals that will allow the candidate to become an academic leader, fulfilling the dual mission of education and research in the field of botanical dietary supplements.