IMMUNITY AND INFECTION

描述（由申请人提供）：传染病仍然是世界范围内死亡的主要原因，在美国排名第三，仅次于心脏病和恶性肿瘤。此外，最近国内外发生的生物恐怖主义事件，突出了我们对受过微生物学和免疫学训练的研究人员的需求。对传染病和生物恐怖主义威胁的持续努力需要两个主要组成部分：1)多学科方法结合流行病学，发病机制分子和细胞基础的基础研究，对宿主免疫反应的透彻理解，以及药物和疫苗开发的实际研究；2)训练有素的新调查员的稳定供应。这个培训项目满足了这些需求，并且非常适合提供这些资源。我们的目标是培养免疫和感染领域的博士预科生。在巴尔的摩的马里兰大学，它在传染病和免疫学研究方面有着丰富的历史，我们从七个参与单位聚集了一支优秀的培训和资源教员。所有教员都在微生物学和免疫学系担任主要或次要职务。我们将继续使用一个强大的和建立的研究生博士课程的框架，包括一个强大的细菌学，病毒学，寄生虫学和免疫学的核心课程，选修课程，期刊俱乐部，研讨会，年度专题讨论会和研究报告日。学术工作将与严格的实验室训练相结合，通过实验室轮转和论文研究在培训计划教师的指导下。学生是从高素质和稳定的申请者中挑选出来的，并在负责任的研究行为方面接受培训。正在作出具体努力，从代表性不足的少数民族中征聘受训人员。该项目由一名合格的培训项目主任和国际公认的科学家指导委员会指导。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Infectious diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide and rank third in the United States behind only heart disease and malignant neoplasms. In addition, recent bioterrorism events both here and abroad, have highlighted our need for researchers trained in microbiology and immunology. A sustained effort against the threats of infectious illness and bioterrorism require two major components: 1) a multidisciplinary approach combining epidemiology, basic studies of the molecular and cellular basis of pathogenesis, a thorough understanding of host immune response, and practical research on drug and vaccine development; and 2) a steady supply of well-trained new investigators. This training program addresses these needs and is well suited to provide these resources. Our objective is to train pre-doctoral students in the field of immunity and infection. At the University of Maryland, Baltimore, which has a rich history of infectious diseases and immunology research, we have assembled an outstanding training and resource faculty from seven participating units. All faculty hold primary or secondary appointments in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. We will continue to use the framework of a strong and established graduate doctoral program that includes a strong core curriculum in bacteriology, virology, parasitology, and immunology, elective courses, journal clubs, seminars, annual symposia, and research presentation day. Academic work will be combined with rigorous laboratory training through laboratory rotations and dissertation research under the direction of the Training Program faculty. Students are selected from a highly qualified and stable applicant pool and are trained in the responsible conduct of research. Specific efforts are in place to recruit trainees from underrepresented minorities. The program is guided by a well-qualified training program director and Steering Committee of internationally recognized scientists. PARTICIPATING FACULTY: The 44 training faculty include 24 professors, 10 associate professors, and 10 assistant professors. 8 of the training faculty are women. All of the faculty are at the University of Maryland. The majority of the faculty have currently active funding on which they are the Principal Investigator. The primary areas of research include: bacteriology, immunology, parasitology, virology, and cell biology. There is good evidence of collaboration among the faculty, including joint publications. The program faculty have varying degrees of experience as mentors to predoctoral students. FELLOWS: This training program is requesting support for six predoctoral students in year one, seven in year two, and eight in years three through five. Trainees are selected by the Steering Committee from the Graduate Program in Microbiology and Immunology and must have passed their qualifying exams. Prior trainees have been supported for a period of two years by this training grant. RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT: The resources available to the training faculty are outstanding. Extramural support is primarily NIH funding. The research environment at The University of Maryland is collaborative.