Systems Pharmacology and Toxicology Training Program

描述(申请人提供)：在过去的几十年里，由于新的分子分析技术和基因组方法的应用，我们对细胞与药物和毒素相互作用的机制的了解迅速增长。因此，药理学和毒理学学科研究生教育的重点需要从简化论的观点转变为系统的方法，在这种方法中，博士生得到全面的培训，这样他们就可以制定策略，不仅在分子、细胞和组织水平上，而且在整个动物水平上解决重要的生物学问题。系统药理学和毒理学描述了一个考虑药物作用的广泛观点的研究领域。使用活体动物模型的系统方法对于确定候选药物的有效性、安全性和药效学/药代动力学特征是必要的，但在这一领域接受过培训的学生很少。经过体内药理学和毒理学方法培训以评估和解释治疗潜力的研究人员正在并将继续受到很高的需求。这个系统药理学和毒理学(SPAT)计划是为博士生在药理学领域进行学位论文研究项目而设计的。受训人员(每年2人，最多支持2年)和培训教师(28名导师和4名教师)将来自三个博士项目：药理学、跨学科毒理学和跨学科生物医学科学。SPAT项目将培训学生使用活体方法回答药理学和毒理学的相关问题，重点是新陈代谢、药物设计、药效学、药代动力学和信号传递。SPAT的基本原理是，这种类型的培训为学生提供了更广阔的药理学和毒理学视角，使他们更好地为成为药理学领域多学科研究团队的领导者做好准备。我们将把SPAT整合到我们在小石城地区的研究生培训地点已经在进行的博士培训项目中，其中包括UAMS的医学院(COM)、药房(COP)和公共卫生(COPH)、阿肯色州儿童医院校园(ACH)以及食品和药物管理局(FDA)资助的国家毒理学研究中心(NCTR)的教师/科学家。SPAT的独特重点是用体内系统、药理学和毒理学的方法和概念进行培训。SPAT的目标是提供体内药理学和毒理学培训，以补充学生在家庭项目中接受的细胞和分子培训。培训计划包括药理学、毒理学、生理学、药代动力学、新陈代谢、生物统计学、拨款撰写、负责任的研究(RCR)以及使用人类疾病体内模型进行的实验室研究的教学培训。SPAT计划还将通过其计划活动为学员提供强有力的指导、广泛的网络以及教学和领导机会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Over the past few decades, our knowledge of the mechanisms by which cells interact with drugs and toxins has exploded due to new molecular analysis techniques and the application of genomic methods. Accordingly, the emphasis of graduate education in the disciplines of pharmacology and toxicology needs to shift from a reductionist view to a systems approach in which doctoral students are comprehensively trained so they can formulate a strategy to solve important biological questions not only at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels but also at the whole-animal level. Systems pharmacology and toxicology describes a field of study that considers the broad view of drug action. A systems approach using in vivo animal models is necessary to establish efficacy, safety and the pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic profile of candidate drugs but there is a shortage of students trained in this area. Researchers trained in in vivo pharmacological and toxicological approaches to assess and interpret therapeutic potential are and will remain in high demand. This Systems Pharmacology and Toxicology (SPaT) Program is designed for PhD students pursuing dissertation research projects in the pharmacological sciences. Trainees (2/year for up to 2 years of support) and training faculty (28 mentors and 4 teachers) will be drawn from three PhD programs: Pharmacology, Interdisciplinary Toxicology and Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences. The SPaT program will train students to use an in vivo approach to answering relevant questions in pharmacology and toxicology with emphasis on metabolism, drug design, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and signaling. The rationale for SPaT is that this type of training provides students with a much broader perspective on pharmacology and toxicology that better prepares them to be leaders of multi-disciplinary research teams in the pharmacological sciences. We will integrate SPaT into PhD training programs already active at our graduate training sites in the Little Rock area that include faculty/scientists in the Collegesof Medicine (COM), Pharmacy (COP), and Public Health (COPH) on the UAMS, the Arkansas Children's Hospital campus (ACH), and at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)- funded National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR). The unique focus of SPaT is training with in vivo systems pharmacological and toxicological approaches and concepts. The objective of SPaT is to provide in vivo pharmacology and toxicology training that complement the cellular and molecular training that students receive in their home programs. The training program consists of didactic training in pharmacology, toxicology, physiology, pharmacokinetics, metabolism, biostatistics, grant writing, and the responsible conduct of research (RCR) along with laboratory research using an in vivo model of human disease. The SPaT program will also provide strong mentoring, extensive networking, and teaching and leadership opportunities for its trainees through its programmatic activities.