Training in Molecular and Mechanistic Toxicology

此申请是马里兰大学（UM）毒理学培训计划的继续。目标是培养神经毒理学、细胞损伤与癌变、分子流行病学和水生毒理学方面的研究生和博士后，特别强调毒理学研究的机制和前沿技术的应用。该提案汇集了来自UM系统内不同地点的资金充足，高效的教师导师，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，旨在为毒理学和环境健康科学的研究生涯做好准备。其中一个主要优势是学生接触到毒理学基础研究的转化方面。化学品风险评估和制定对策以治疗和（或）预防由毒物引起的疾病，取决于确定此类毒物的作用机制，取决于确定治疗干预的目标，以及确定毒性测试的新分析方法、模型、工具和技术。因此，导师的选择是基于他们对应用于诸如金属、植物雌激素、二恶英和杀虫剂等环境毒物的基础、临床和生态研究的共同兴趣，兴趣范围从基础到临床和环境研究。这种选择使受训者有独特的机会获得在确定环境毒物对易受影响的人群的作用机制和影响方面发挥重要作用的领域的经验，包括在敏感的发展阶段。毒理学的研究生培训结合了UM系统毒理学计划和SOM药理学和实验治疗学系（毒理学轨道）的资源，包括教学课程，实验室轮转，研讨会，研究和参加国家会议。博士后项目包括最先进的毒理学研究培训，教学经验，参加研讨会和国家会议。该计划的广度足以强调四个主要领域：神经毒理学轨道提供由于环境毒物和化学和基因治疗模式的发展而导致的神经变性的分子机制的培训。细胞损伤和致癌轨道提供自由基的作用，钙稳态，铅和二恶英毒性机制，雌激素生物合成和致癌的培训。分子流行病学轨道提供识别暴露和易感性的生物标志物方面的培训，以及识别环境化学品暴露与疾病之间关联的流行病学方法方面的培训。水生毒理学课程提供重金属、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。

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.