Molecular Biophysics Training Grant

描述(申请人提供)：本申请请求继续支持分子生物物理学博士培训计划，该计划目前已进入第十个年头。这项建议中的培训教师主要在两个关系密切的系--生物化学和生理学与生物物理学--中任职。通过必修课和选修课，参加研究研讨会和讨论小组，最重要的是，通过个人研究，学员发展进行分子生物物理学独立研究所需的技术技能和关键能力。培训包括三到四年的个人研究，通常是在联合指导下，在完全由课程和实验室轮换组成的第一年之后。每个学生的课程作业和研究训练都受到该项目指导委员会的密切监督。在指导委员会的指导下，培训教员和受训人员定期举行会议，所有受训人员都参加核心课程，以确保方案的凝聚力。该计划为学生提供了宝贵的分子生物物理学培训机会，因为该研究所在两个领域都有出色的教师和设施，该计划提供了无与伦比的机会。这些研究包括同步加速器和激光光谱分析。由国家同步加速器光源医学院运营的光束线设施包括学生接触最先进的蛋白质结晶学、X射线吸收光谱、X射线足迹和红外显微光谱技术。此外，学院的激光设备包括几个实验室，拥有最先进的飞秒到微秒时间分辨仪器，用于研究蛋白质折叠和学生研究的动力学。培训者实验室中特别强大的研究领域是结构生物学，包括蛋白质和核酸折叠的大分子核磁共振和结晶学时间分辨研究和蛋白质动力学；金属蛋白质、金属酶和酶的结构功能关系；以及大分子的同素相互作用。该计划目前每年为6名博士前学生提供培训；这项提议建议增加到每年7个名额。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application requests continued support for a Ph.D. Training Program in Molecular Biophysics, which is currently in its tenth year of existence. The training faculty in this proposal primarily have appointments in two closely allied departments, Biochemistry and Physiology & Biophysics. Through required and elective courses, participation in research seminars and discussion groups and, most importantly, through individual research, the student trainees develop the technical skills and critical ability necessary to conduct independent research in Molecular Biophysics. Training consists of three to four years of individual research, often with joint mentoring, after a first year that consists entirely of coursework and laboratory rotations. Both the course work and research training of each student are closely monitored by the Steering Committee for the program. The cohesiveness of the program is assured by regular meetings of the training faculty and trainees under the guidance of the Steering Committee as well as by Core courses taken by all trainees. This program provides valuable training opportunities for students in Molecular Biophysics due to the outstanding faculty and facilities that exist at the Institution In two areas in particular, the program provides unparalleled opportunities. These include synchrotron and laser spectroscopy research. Beamline facilities operated by the College of Medicine at the National Synchrotron Light Source include student access to state-of-the art protein crystallography, x-ray absorption spectroscopy x-ray footprinting, and infrared microspectroscopy techniques. Also, the laser facilities of the College include several laboratories with state-of-the art femtosecond to microsecond time-resolved instrumentation for the study of protein folding and dynamics for student research. The research areas that are especially strong in the trainer's laboratories are Structural Biology, including macromolecular NMR and crystallography time-resolved investigations of protein and nucleic acid folding and protein dynamics; structure function relationships of metalloproteins, metalloenzymes, and enzymes; and allostenc interactions of macromolecules The two departments involved in this proposal are currently attracting excellent trainee candidates and have trained numerous students in the past who have excellent outcomes. The program currently provides training for six pre-doctoral students in each year; this proposal suggests an increase to seven slots per year.