Resource in Education in Microbiology and Immunology

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的长期目标是培养来自代表性不足的少数群体的受训者，使其成为生物医学界杰出的研究科学家和领导者。这一培训方案将提供微生物学和免疫学方面的研究和教育机会，这些研究和教育与许多严重影响少数民族和医疗服务不足群体的健康问题（例如关节炎、癌症、心血管疾病、糖尿病、艾滋病毒和其他性传播疾病以及呼吸系统疾病）直接相关。该项目将建立一支具有共同科学兴趣和经验的高度凝聚力的学员骨干队伍，并将利用罗切斯特大学临床和转化科学研究所创造的优秀培训环境，以及微生物学和免疫学领域的多个博士前T32奖项。受训者还将受益于计划扩大免疫学和传染病领域的研究机会，并受益于对这一既定和成功的PREP方案的强有力的机构支持。该计划有三个具体目标。首先，将创造一个支持性的、富有成效的和令人兴奋的环境，在这个环境中，学员将在微生物学、免疫学和病毒学方面进行杰出的研究，同时在项目教员的监督下作为全职实验室技术人员工作。这将通过汇集一个高度互动和经验丰富的团队来实现，这些团队由资金充足的教师组成，他们关注未被充分代表的少数民族受训者的发展，他们的研究兴趣跨越了各种各样的主题，他们的实验室使用了广泛的实验方法。该计划的第二个目标是提供高质量的教育机会，为未来的博士研究做好准备。为此目的，每个受训者将在教师导师的监督下进行一个独立的研究项目。此外，将为每位学员制定个人学习计划，专门为其量身定制，以满足其独特需求。这将包括少量精心挑选的课程，旨在(a)提供所需技能/领域的指导，(b)展示博士研究的学术准备，以及(c)获得罗切斯特大学博士学位的学分。该计划的第三个目标是提供一个高度丰富的学习环境，并提供强大的同伴支持。充实活动将包括科学生存和沟通技巧的指导，参加国家科学会议，参加年度专题讨论会和GRE备考课程，以及选择、邀请和会见校外研讨会演讲者的机会。最后，将建立一个学员社交网络，学员将与同行导师相匹配，以获得合作、合作和支持。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of this proposal is to prepare trainees from underrepresented minority groups for careers as outstanding research scientists and leaders in the biomedical community. This training program will provide research and education opportunities in microbiology and immunology that are of direct relevance to many of the health problems that disproportionately affect minorities and medically underserved groups (e.g., arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, HIV and other STDs, and respiratory diseases). The program will create a highly cohesive cadre of trainees with shared scientific interests and experiences, and will leverage the outstanding training environment created by the University of Rochester (UR)'s Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute and multiple predoctoral T32 awards in microbiology and immunology. Trainees will also benefit from a planned expansion of research opportunities in the area of immunology and infectious diseases, and from strong institutional support for this established and successful PREP program. This program has three specific objectives. First, a supportive, productive, and exciting environment will be created, in which trainees will conduct outstanding research in microbiology, immunology, and virology while working as full-time laboratory technicians under the supervision of a program faculty member. This will be achieved by bringing together a highly interactive and experienced group of well-funded faculty concerned with the advancement of underrepresented minority trainees, whose research interests span a diverse range of topics, and whose laboratories use a wide array of experimental approaches. The second aim of the program is to provide high quality educational opportunities that will prepare trainees for future doctoral studies. To this end, each trainee will perform an independent research project under the supervision of a faculty mentor. In addition, an individual plan of study will be developed for each trainee, tailored specifically to meet the unique needs of that individual. This will include a small number of carefully selected courses, designed to (a) provide instruction in needed skills/area, (b) demonstrate academic preparedness for doctoral studies, and (c) gain academic credit towards the Ph.D. at the University of Rochester. The third aim of the program is to provide a highly enriched learning environment, with strong peer support. Enrichment activities will include instruction in scientific survival and communication skills, attendance at national scientific meetings, participation in an annual symposium and a GRE preparation course, and the opportunity to select, invite and meet with extramural seminar speakers. Finally a trainee social network will be created, and trainees will be matched with peer mentors for collegiality, collaborations and support. Individuals from underpresented minorities will gain the education and training that will allow them to acquire the essential academic credentials and research skills needed to allow them to enter and complete Ph.D. programs at select institutions. With these degrees they will be able to become productive research scientists in areas that address reducing health disparities.