Project Grant T32GM149391

MICHIGAN PREDOCTORAL TRAINING IN GENETICS - ABSTRACT THIS NEW REVISED T32 APPLICATION SEEKS SUPPORT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (UM) PREDOCTORAL GENETICS TRAINING PROGRAM (GTP). THE GTP MISSION WILL BE TO: (I) TRAIN A DIVERSE COHORT OF OUTSTANDING PH.D. AND M.D./PH.D. SCHOLARS CONDUCTING DISSERTATION RESEARCH WITH A STRONG GENETIC COMPONENT; (II) ENHANCE PH.D. TRAINING BY PROVIDING AN INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM THAT FAMILIARIZES TRAINEES WITH ALL ASPECTS OF MODERN GENETIC RESEARCH; AND (III) IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS THAT PREPARE TRAINEES FOR EXCITING, INTER-DISCIPLINARY CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. A UNIQUE ASPECT OF THE REDESIGNED TRAINING PROGRAM IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CUSTOMIZED GTP CURRICULUM AND THE INCLUSION OF TRAINEES AND FACULTY FROM SIX BASIC SCIENCE DEPARTMENTS THAT SPAN THE UM MEDICAL SCHOOL (MED) AND COLLEGE OF LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND THE ARTS (LSA). THE SIX PARTICIPATING GTP DEPARTMENTS INCLUDE: BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY (MED); ECOLOGY & EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY (LSA); HUMAN GENETICS (MED); MICROBIOLOGY & IMMUNOLOGY (MED); MOLECULAR, CELLULAR, & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY (LSA); AND PHARMACOLOGY (MED). THE GTP WILL CONTINUOUSLY INCORPORATE IMPROVEMENTS TO ENSURE THAT GRADUATE TRAINEES ACHIEVE COMPETENCY IN A BROAD RANGE OF MODERN GENETIC RESEARCH, INCLUDING COMPUTATIONAL GENETICS AND THE HANDLING OF "BIG DATA," WHICH PERMEATES SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. OTHER GTP-SPECIFIC PROGRAM ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: (A) INNOVATIVE IMPROVEMENTS TO DIDACTIC COURSEWORK AND DISCUSSION-BASED LEARNING ACTIVITIES; (B) EMPHASIZING THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF ETHICAL CONDUCT IN SCIENCE AND THE NECESSITY OF CONDUCTING RIGOROUS EXPERIMENTS THAT YIELD ROBUST AND REPRODUCIBLE RESULTS; (C) THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MECHANISMS TO FORMALLY TRAIN GTP FACULTY IN MENTORING; AND (D) THE CREATION OF INITIATIVES THAT WILL EXPOSE GTP TRAINEES TO THE MANY CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO PH.D. GRADUATES WITH TRAINING IN GENETICS. TO MEASURE SUCCESS, WE WILL IMPLEMENT A CAREFUL PLAN TO ASSESS GENETIC COMPETENCIES CONTINUALLY AND QUANTITATIVELY THROUGHOUT THE SPAN OF GRADUATE TRAINING. FINALLY, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION LEADERSHIP POSITION WILL ENHANCE OUR EFFORTS TO ACTIVELY RECRUIT UNDER-REPRESENTED MINORITY (URM) FACULTY AND STUDENTS FROM VARIED SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES. BY SOLICITING REGULAR TRAINEE AND FACULTY FEEDBACK--AND THROUGH THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR OUTSTANDING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES--THE GTP LEADERSHIP WILL CHALLENGE THEMSELVES TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR CURRICULUM IMPROVEMENTS. THE UM MEDICAL SCHOOL, RACKHAM GRADUATE SCHOOL, AND DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN GENETICS (THE GTP ADMINISTRATIVE HOME) WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE GTP ACADEMIC MISSION. IN SUM, THE GTP WILL BE IN A STRONG POSITION TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF GENETICS PROFESSIONALS TO ADDRESS CUTTING-EDGE QUESTIONS IN GENETICS TO BENEFIT SOCIETY. BASED ON THE OUTSTANDING PROMISE OF THIS PROGRAM, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST SUPPORT FOR 14 GTP TRAINING SLOTS PER YEAR.