The primary purpose of this broadly based multidisciplinary toxicology and environmental health sciences training program is to prepare trainees for biomedical research careers in schools of medicine, public health, and pharmacy, and in governmental or industrial laboratories with a sound knowledge in environmental health and toxicology. The areas of research emphasis represented by the 22 training faculty include neurotoxicity and neurodegenerative disease, mechanisms of cell death, oxidative DNA damage and repair, and environmental assessment and epidemiology. The 22 members of the training faculty have an established record of success in research training and are currently funded by a total of over $10,000,000 in federal grants with a third of that being from NIEHS. Several scientists from the Centers for Disease Control, including the Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases Registry, also participate in the training of students through guest lectures and collaborative research. The most important component of training is laboratory research, first as a series of three research rotations, then in the dissertation laboratory. This training is complemented by core courses in toxicology, biochemistry, pharmacology, cell biology, molecular biology, and biostatistics, and advanced courses in toxicology specialty areas, seminar courses, and journal clubs. The program is designed to support six students and three postdoctoral fellows each year from a total eligible population of about 24 students and 30 postdoctoral fellows. The student who completes the pre-doctoral Training Program will have acquired broad familiarity with toxicology and environmental health, knowledge in depth in the area of dissertation research, the ability to search, read critically and report on the literature of the biomedical sciences, mastery of a variety of laboratory techniques useful in modern biomedical research, skill in planning and executing a research project, ability to write clear, accurate scientific reports for publication, and ability to present effectively the results of research. The postdoctoral fellow who completes the Training Program will have gained extensive experience in cutting edge toxicology research, and should have submitted an individual NRSA application to gain grant writing experience to aid in the transition into an independent research position. BACKGROUND This is the first competitive renewal for this Training Program submitted from Emory University. The program is administratively positioned within the Molecular Pharmacology Program (MSP) within the Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (DBBS). The goal of the program is to produce broadly trained, competitive scientists oriented towards productive careers related to the toxicological and environmental health sciences. The program is directed by Dr. Gary Miller and co-directed by Dr. Dean Jones. During the first four years of funding, the program has recruited its first classes of pre-doctoral students (total of 12) and postdoctoral fellows (total of 8), expanded the number of participating faculty mentors from 13 to 20, developed a toxicology curriculum within MSP and began the process of establishing the procedures by which students are selected and mentored.
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