Chemistry-Biology Interface Predoctoral Training Grant

描述(由申请人提供)：在这份提案中，我们要求第二次续签我们的化学-生物接口(CBI)博士前培训助学金。1995年，我们在马萨诸塞大学启动了一项新的跨学科培训计划，该计划建立在现有优势的基础上，并正式确立了教师在物理科学和生命科学之间合作的承诺。我们实施了CBI课程，该课程与三个参与的研究生课程--化学、分子与细胞生物学和聚合物科学与工程--的要求相吻合，但允许具有化学或生物背景的学生通过补充学科的培训来补充其本国学科的培训。 在当前的资助期间，我们的CBI培训计划大幅增长：参与的部门数量从3个增加到4个，CBI培训学院的数量从16个增加到19个，最值得注意的是，正式附属学生的数量从14个增加到61个。化学工程的加入增强了我们在定量培训和生物材料方面的优势，并在生物工程领域增加了新的机会。我们预计，随着更多的系，特别是物理学和计算机科学，进入与CBI相关的领域，我们的CBI项目将继续增长。CBI项目目前为六名NIH博士前学生提供支持，而一所大学的Match项目为另外一名在化学-生物界面工作的研究生提供支持。为了继续促进CBI项目在扩展到新学科和培训越来越多的学生时不断增长的实力，我们要求在资助期的第3-5年内适度增加NIH资助的实习生数量。 我们提供的跨学科培训以开发一门新的“药物设计”课程为例，该课程现在是CBI课程不可或缺的一部分。在这门受欢迎的课程中，为学生提供化学和生物的背景讲座，使他们达成共识，然后由制药行业的演讲者每周举办研讨会，向学生介绍对成功设计和开发新药至关重要的各种化学和生物主题。通过在化学和生物学的方法和智力框架方面进行这种类型的培训，我们的CBI毕业生能够在未来的工作中提出和解决重要的生物医学问题。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In this proposal, we request a second renewal of our Chemistry-Biology Interface (CBI) Predoctoral Training Grant. In 1995 we launched a new interdisciplinary training program at the University of Massachusetts that built on existing strengths and formalized the faculty's commitment to collaboration between the physical and life sciences. We implemented a CBI curriculum that meshed with the requirements of the three participating graduate programs, Chemistry, Molecular & Cellular Biology, and Polymer Science & Engineering, yet enabled students with either chemical or biological backgrounds to supplement training in their home discipline with training in the complementary discipline. During the current funding period, our CBI Training Program has grown substantially: the number of participating departments has grown from 3 to 4, the number of CBI Training Faculty has grown from 16 to 19 and most notably, the number of formally affiliated students has increased from 14 to 61. The addition of Chemical Engineering builds our strengths in quantitative training and in biomaterials, and adds new opportunities in bioengineering. We anticipate continued growth of our CBI Program as additional departments, notably Physics and Computer Science, move into CBI-related areas. The CBI Program currently provides NIH support for six predoctoral students, and a University match supports one additional graduate student working at the chemistry-biology interface. To continue to foster the growing strength of the CBI program as it expands into new disciplines and trains increasing numbers of students, we request a modest increase in the number of NIH-funded Traineeships in years 3-5 of the of the grant period. The interdisciplinary training we provide is exemplified by the development of a new "Drug Design" course that is now an integral part of the CBI curriculum. In this popular course, students are provided with background lectures in chemistry and biology to bring them to a common ground, followed by weekly seminars by speakers from the pharmaceutical industry to introduce students to the full range of topics in chemistry and biology that are critical for successful design and development of new drugs. With this type of training in the methods and intellectual framework of both chemistry and biology, our CBI graduates are equipped to pose and solve significant biomedical questions in their future work.