This is a proposal from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (UCCOM) to renew its long-standing training program (T32 DK059803) that supports predoctoral and postdoctoral training in the neuroendocrinology of energy balance and hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) stress axis regulation, with an emergent focus upon the role of sex differences. The training grant fits well with and enhances the tremendous growth in neuroscience research in general, and neuroendocrinology in particular, enjoyed by the UCCOM over the years since our original submission. The faculty of the training program consists of highly qualified and well-funded investigators from diverse departments with a common interest in metabolic and stress homeostasis, and most of the faculty are located in contiguous space at the recently renovated Metabolic Diseases Institute (MDI) of the UCCOM. The primary purpose of our training structure is to enable students and fellows to understand and apply principles of homeostasis to their research, and to provide an environment that encourages students and fellows to explore research that involves more than one of the focus areas. In particular, we want to expose students to a broad array of advanced techniques that they can be incorporated into their ongoing and future research. The training for both pre- and post-doctoral trainees includes a blend of coursework, seminars and journal clubs, and extensive one-on-one instruction, and at all levels there is an emphasis upon ethics and the responsible conduct of research. We believe that we have achieved an outstanding record of accomplishment in terms of recruiting, training and placing highly qualified trainees, and that thi is particularly true for under- represented minority trainees. For this renewal application, we are requesting funding for 3 pre- doctoral students and 3 post-doctoral trainees as recommended by prior reviews. The pre- doctoral students will have passed their general exams and be supported for their doctoral thesis, and all trainees are anticipated to complete their training within 2 to 3 years.
Two of the major clinical concerns of modern society are related to dysfunctional metabolism (obesity;eating disorders) and stress responses (anxiety;mood disorders). The proposed training grant will prepare doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows to develop research careers in the regulation and overlap of these two problem areas with a special emphasis on women's health and sex differences.
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