Training in Molecular and Mechanistic Toxicology

描述(由申请人提供) 这份申请是为了继续在马里兰大学(UM)的毒理学培训计划。其目标是培养神经毒理学、细胞损伤和致癌学、分子流行病学和水生毒理学方面的研究生和博士后研究员，特别强调尖端技术在毒理学研究中的机制和应用。这项建议汇集了一批资金充足、工作效率高的教师导师，他们来自密歇根大学系统内的不同地点，包括医学院(SOM)和切萨皮克生物实验室。导师形成一个有凝聚力的计划，旨在为学员在毒理学和环境健康科学领域的研究生涯做好准备。主要优势之一是让学生接触到毒理学基础研究的翻译方面。化学风险评估和制定治疗和/或预防由毒物引起的疾病状态的对策取决于对这种毒物作用机制的确定、治疗干预目标的确定以及新的毒性测试方法、模型、工具和技术的特点。因此，导师的选择是因为他们对应用于金属、植物雌激素、二恶英和杀虫剂等环境毒物的基础、临床和生态研究有共同的兴趣，兴趣从基础研究到临床和环境研究。这一选择为受训者提供了一个独特的机会，使他们有机会在一些领域获得经验，这些领域在确定环境毒物的作用机制和环境毒物对包括敏感发展阶段在内的易感人群的影响方面发挥着重要作用。毒理学研究生培训结合了UM全系统毒理学计划和SOM药理学和实验治疗学部(毒理学轨道)的资源，包括教学课程工作、实验室轮换、研讨会、研究和参加国家会议。博士后计划包括最先进的毒理学研究培训，教学经验，以及参加研讨会和国家会议。该计划的广度足以使重点放在四个主要领域：神经毒理学轨道提供关于环境毒物引起的神经退化的分子机制以及化学和基因治疗方式的开发的培训。细胞损伤和致癌途径提供了关于自由基作用、钙稳态、铅和二恶英毒性机制、雌激素生物合成和致癌的训练。分子流行病学跟踪提供了识别暴露和易感性生物标志物的培训，以及确定环境化学品暴露与疾病之间关系的流行病学方法方面的培训。水生毒理学课程提供关于重金属、二恶英和其他污染物毒性的病理生物学、免疫毒理学和分子机制方面的培训。

DESCRIPTION (provide by applicant) This application is for continuation of a toxicology training program at University of Maryland (UM). The objective is to train graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in neurotoxicology, cell injury and carcinogenesis, molecular epidemiology and aquatic toxicology, with special emphasis on mechanisms and application of cutting-edge technologies to toxicological research. This proposal brings together a cadre of well funded, highly productive faculty mentors from different sites within the UM System, including the School of Medicine (SOM) and the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory. Mentors form a cohesive program designed to prepare trainees for research careers in toxicology and environmental health sciences. One of the major strengths is the exposure of the students to translational aspects of basic research in toxicology. Chemical risk assessments and the development of countermeasures to treat and/or prevent disease states induced by toxicants depends on the determination of the mechanisms by which such toxicants act, on the identification of targets for therapeutic intervention, and on the characterization of new assays, models, tools, and technologies for toxicity testing. Thus, mentors have been selected for their common interest in basic, clinical and ecological research applied to such environmental toxicants as metals, phytoestrogens, dioxins, and insecticides, and interests span from basic to clinical and environmental research. This selection provides trainees with a unique opportunity to gain experience in fields that play a major role in determining the mechanism of action and the effects of environmental toxicants in susceptible subsets of the population, including sensitive stages of development. The graduate training in toxicology combines resources of the UM system-wide Program in Toxicology and the SOM Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Departmrnt (toxicology track), and includes didactic course work, laboratory rotations, seminars, research and participation in national meetings. The postdoctoral program includes training in state-of-the-art toxicology research, teaching experience, and participation in seminars and national meetings. The breadth of the program is sufficient to allow emphasis in four primary areas: The Neurotoxicology Track provides training in molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration due to environmental toxicants and the development of chemo- and gene therapy modalities. The Cell Injury and Carcinogenesis Track provides training in the action of free radicals, calcium homeostasis, mechanisms of lead and dioxin toxicities, estrogen biosynthesis and carcinogenesis. The Molecular EpidemiologyTrack provides training in identification of biomarkers of exposure and susceptibility, and in epidemiological methods for identifying associations between environmental chemical exposures and diseases. The Aquatic Toxicology Track provides training in pathobiology, immunotoxicology and molecular mechanisms of toxicity of heavy metals, dioxin and other pollutants.