Training in Cellular and Molecular Imaging of Cancer

描述(申请人提供)：该申请寻求支持范德比尔特大学和梅哈里医学院在癌症细胞和分子成像方面的一个新的博士前教育和培训项目。活体生物医学成像已经从早期用于诊断的X射线发展成为一种强大的技术概要，不仅用于患者护理，还用于在细胞和分子水平上研究基本的生物过程。近年来，各种技术和分子工具不断发展，推动细胞和分子成像进入癌症研究的前沿。然而，迫切需要对从事物理和生物科学交界处工作的科学家进行培训，使他们能够在癌症的成像和基本生物过程之间建立联系。我们建议通过为10名杰出的博士前科学家(每两年5名)设计一个全面的教学和研究培训计划来满足这一需求。我们将招募最近完成相关科学本科学位(特别是生物医学工程、物理、化学、分子生物物理、电气工程或生物学)的受训人员，他们将从事专注于癌症分子和/或细胞成像的研究。拟议计划的教学部分将包括课程、研讨会和一个日记俱乐部。这些课程将分成两个轨道：一个面向那些以前的培训侧重于相关物理科学的人，另一个面向那些以前接受过相关生物科学培训的人。这两个轨道在第二年结束时会合，这样所有受训者，无论以前接受过什么培训，都将配备必要的背景知识，在最高级别将定量成像和癌症生物学结合起来。所有受训人员将接受生物医学研究伦理以及拨款撰写方面的指导。此外，教学和研究培训部分都旨在综合物理和生物学科，从而创建一个独特的多学科和跨学科的癌症研究培训计划。对于研究部分，每个受训人员将有两名导师代表成像科学和癌症生物学学科。受训者将被整合到NIH资助的正在进行的研究中，该研究在一家领先的生物医学成像研究所内进行，该研究所与一家领先的癌症中心有着强大的联系和根基。通过整合范德比尔特大学影像科学研究所(VUIIS)、范德比尔特-英格拉姆癌症中心(VICC)和梅哈里医学院(CCM)癌症中心的资源和项目，我们相信我们拥有卓越的基础设施和人员，可以创建领先的、模范的癌症成像培训项目。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application seeks support for a new, pre-doctoral educational and training program in Cellular and Molecular Imaging of Cancer at Vanderbilt University and Meharry Medical College. Biomedical imaging in vivo has developed from early uses of X-rays for diagnosis into a compendium of powerful techniques useful not only for patient care but also for the study of fundamental biological processes at the cellular and molecular levels. A variety of technical and molecular tools have evolved in recent years to propel cellular and molecular imaging into the forefront of cancer research. However, there is a critical need for scientists working at the interface of the physical and biological sciences to be trained in the ability to make the connections between imaging and basic biological processes in cancer. We propose to address this need with a comprehensive didactic educational and research training program designed for 10 outstanding pre-doctoral scientists (5 in each of two years). We will recruit trainees who have recently completed an undergraduate degree in a relevant science (particularly in Biomedical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Molecular Biophysics, Electrical Engineering or Biology) who will pursue research focused on molecular and/or cellular imaging of cancer. The didactic component of the proposed program will consist of courses, seminars, and a journal club. The courses will be organized into two tracks: one for those whose prior training emphasized relevant physical sciences and one for those with prior training in relevant biological sciences. The two tracks converge by the end of the second year so that all trainees, regardless of previous training, will be equipped with the necessary background to combine quantitative imaging and cancer biology at the highest levels. All trainees will be mentored in the ethics of biomedical research as well as in grant writing. Furthermore, both the didactic and research training components are designed to synthesize the physical and biological disciplines thereby creating a unique multi- and interdisciplinary training program for the study of cancer. For the research component, each trainee will have two mentors representing the disciplines of imaging science and cancer biology. Trainees will be integrated into ongoing NIH funded investigations within a leading biomedical imaging institute with strong connections and roots within a leading cancer center. By combining the resources and programs of the Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science (VUIIS), the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC), and the Cancer Center at Meharry Medical College (CCM), we believe we have an outstanding infrastructure and personnel to create a leading, exemplary training program in cancer imaging.