We are very pleased to report on the success of our Brain Injury Training Grant (BUG) since its initial funding less than four years ago. Though relatively new, this program has already catapulted trainees into tenure-track professorships and other professional positions where they are pursuing careers as clinician and basic scientists studying injury to the nervous system. In addition, with this resource, we have been able to competitively recruit promising trainees to our program. Furthermore, the intellectual infrastructure formed around this grant has enabled trainees to successfully secure individual NRSA (F31/32) awards and other forms of grant support. In all, there has been a broad impact of the BITG on many young scientists who are now pursuing careers in brain injury research. The continuing principal aim of the BITG is to provide an excellent mentoring environment for M.D. and Ph.D. trainees to prepare them for careers in nervous system injury research. Our trainees acquire basic science research skills that address the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of injury to the nervous system, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and cerebral ischemia (stroke). With a large established and cohesive group of investigators participating as mentors, we anticipate that our success will continue. A very unique feature of the BITG is the diversity of disciplines amongst the mentors'laboratories, all focused on nervous system injury research. Due in part to the remarkable proximity of schools and departments at the University of Pennsylvania, there has been a long history of multidisciplinary collaborations spanning cell biology, molecular biology, neuropathology, neuroengineering, neurology, neuroanatomy, cognitive science, neuroimaging and neuropharmacology. This integrated resource will continue to enable trainees to learn and develop a multidisciplinary approach to training in investigation of injury to the nervous system.
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