Training Program in Chemistry-Interface with Biology

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The School of Chemical Sciences (SCS) at Illinois seeks an additional 5 years of funding to build upon the initial success of its Chemistry- Biology Interface (CBI) Training Program. The program's objective remains the same - to further cutting-edge training at the interface of these disciplines. This will be accomplished by training a cadre of chemists, chemical and biomolecular engineers, and biologists who will share a common language and skill set and who will leave Illinois well-prepared to assume positions in a variety of settings including industry, government, and the academy. Ten trainees per year (5 2nd + 5 3rd year graduate students) would be directly supported by the funds sought from NIH. These trainees will share experiences in the classroom and at the bench. They will join a larger group of CBI trainees (approximately 30-40 at any given time) supported by their research mentors or other funds. Trainees will spend time together in CBI core courses and electives and at monthly meetings featuring trainee research presentations. They will interact with prominent guest speakers presenting CBI seminars and the keynote address at the CBI's annual symposium. Career preparation will include internships and an annual Career Day featuring Ph.D. speakers employed in various settings. More than 30 faculty drawn from the SCS' two departments - Chemistry, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering - and from four departments in the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology - Biochemistry, Microbiology, Cell & Developmental Biology, Molecular & Integrative Physiology - comprise the current training faculty. Talented students admitted to the SCS and MCB doctoral programs will form the candidate pool for half of the available trainee positions each year. The remaining positions will be filled by a special competition among 2"" and 3"* year trainees nominated by CBI faculty. Doctorates are conferred by the home departments after trainees complete departmental and CBI requirements in about 5 years. Underrepresented minority students will be recruited through campus programs and through summer research opportunities funded by the CBI. Roger Adams Lab, Chemistry & Life Sciences Lab, Noyes Lab, and Institute for Genomic Biology house faculty labs, seminar rooms, and shared facilities (NMR, Mass spec, etc) PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Trainees work on projects with great public health potential - among them are research on naturally occurring antibiotics to treat infectious diseases, designing of individualized treatments for cancer, modifications of influenza and other viruses at the molecular level to render them harmless, detection/amelioration of harmful germ warfare agents like anthrax, and detection/remediation of environmental toxins/contaminants.