Predoctoral Training in Basic Neuroscience

本申请请求资金继续我们在匹兹堡大学的综合基础神经科学培训项目。该培训基金（编号T32 NS07433）已经资助了19个年头，在招收和培养高质量的神经科学博士生方面取得了成功。申请资助8名在匹兹堡大学神经科学中心（CNUP）读一、二年级（通常是二年级）的研究生；这8名学生代表了CNUP博士项目合格学员的前25%。本应用程序中描述的程序主要侧重于大型和多样化的神经科学培训学院实验室的研究培训。学生在进入该项目后立即开始实验室研究，并在第一年轮换至少两个实验室，每个实验室一个学期。培训教师由来自CNUP的76名教师组成，提供从细胞和分子到发育到系统到感知和认知的神经科学专业知识，学生可以接触到神经科学的广度。除了研究之外，学生还需要参加一系列两门一学期的神经科学基础核心课程，至少三门神经科学或相关领域的选修课程，一门实验设计和数据分析课程，一门拨款写作课程，以及各种研讨会和期刊俱乐部。受训者还积极参加专业发展讲习班，提供专业技能方面的明确培训，包括书面和口头沟通、获得工作和资助、教学和管理研究实验室。负责任的科学行为训练是核心课程和实验室训练的一个组成部分，也是一年级学生的研究伦理课程的一部分。鼓励学生考虑广泛的就业机会，在其中锻炼他们的研究技能，各种机制使他们熟悉传统学术研究型大学内外的就业。一个坚实的结构是到位的，以指导受训者和监测他们的进展，通过该计划。学生通过一系列里程碑，包括第一年的重印考试，第二年的研究评估，第三年的基于拨款提案的综合考试，在提交论文提案和进行全职论文研究之前。每个学生都有一个咨询委员会来帮助他们度过这些里程碑，并协助他们进行指导。数据显示，我们招聘优秀的学员，并为他们提供良好的培训。

This application requests funds to continue our integrated basic neuroscience training program at the University of Pittsburgh. This training grant (T32 NS07433), currently in its 19th year of funding, has been successful in recruiting and training high quality predoctoral students in neuroscience. Funds are requested to support 8 graduate students in their first or second year (typically 2nd year) in the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh (CNUP); these 8 students represent the top ~25% of eligible trainees in the CNUP doctoral program. The program described in this application focuses primarily on research training in the laboratories of a large and diverse neuroscience training faculty. Students begin laboratory research immediately upon entering the program, and rotate through at least two laboratories, for one term each, in their first year. The training faculty, consisting of 76 faculty from the CNUP, provides expertise in neuroscience ranging from cellular and molecular to developmental to systems to perception and cognition, and students are exposed to this breadth of neuroscience. In addition to research, students take a series of two intensive one-term core courses in basic neuroscience, at least three elective courses in neuroscience or related areas, a course in experimental design and data analysis, a course in grant writing, and a variety of seminars and journal clubs. Trainees also participate actively in professional development workshops that provide explicit training in professional skills including written and oral communication, obtaining jobs and grants, teaching, and managing a research lab. Training in the responsible scientific conduct is an integral part of the core curriculum and laboratory training, and is also covered in a course on research ethics for first year students. Students are encouraged to consider a wide range of employment opportunities within which to exercise their skills in research, and a variety of mechanisms permit them to become familiar with employment both within and outside of traditional academic research universities. A solid structure is in place to mentor the trainees and monitor their progress through the program. Students pass through a series of milestones, including the first-year Reprint Exam, a second-year research evaluation, and a grant proposal-based Comprehensive Exam in the third year, prior to submitting a thesis proposal and progressing to full-time thesis research. Each student has an advising committee to see them through these milestones and assist with their mentoring. Data are presented to document that we recruit outstanding trainees and provide them with excellent training.