This predoctoral training program at the Chemistry-Biology Interface involves 22 training faculty from four departments (Chemistry, Biochemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, and Microbiology) at the University of Minnesota, and seeks to provide a research training experience to its trainees that crosses the traditional disciplinary boundaries of chemistry and biology. There are significant research programs in biocatalysis and biomolecular design (Banaszak, Barany, Distefano, Lipscomb, Thomas, Veglia, Wagner, Wilmot), bioorganic chemistry (Barany, Distefano, Forsyth, Hoye, Musier-Forsyth, Tretyakova, Wagner), engineering metabolic pathways (Armstrong, Lipscomb, Que, Sadowsky, Schmidt-Dannert, Wackett), metallobiochemistry (Lipscomb, Que, Sadowsky, Stankovich, Tolman, Wackett, Wilmot), nucleic acids (Bowser, Musier-Forsyth, Taton, Tretyakova), and single molecule/cell studies (Arriaga, Bowser, Musier-Forsyth, Thomas). The research groups of the training faculty are all well supported and well equipped. There are extensive facilities for peptide and oligonucleotide synthesis, biofermentation, mass spectrometry, X-ray crystallography, NMR, EPR and Raman spectroscopy, and computation. ? ? Support is requested for 6 trainees in each year of the program. Prospective trainees will generally have undergraduate degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, or biology. They will be expected to obtain a thorough grounding in chemistry, as well as molecular biology and biochemistry. The particular emphasis of this training program is a focus on research problems that address synthetic/mechanistic questions in biological systems, with the goal of understanding and influencing the key interactions at the molecular level. The defining characteristic of this training program will be to allow first-rate students to grow into accomplished professionals both in their primary area of interest and in a complementary field. Students will choose from a menu of required coursework in chemistry and biology. In addition, laboratory rotations, a chemical biology colloquium, an annual symposium, journal clubs, and joint group meetings will enrich the graduate experience of trainees. ? ? ?
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