The MARGE Career Development and Training Program is divided into two parts. The overriding objective of the first part, the Individual Career Development Support Program, is to bring a cadre of bright, motivated, young scientists into the broad area of biodefense and emerging infectious diseases research. Two Career Development Awards be offered in the amount of $150,000 per year for two years of supervised study and research for professionals who have the potential to develop into productive scientific investigators. This Program will enhance and support the MARCE Strategic Plan in several ways. First, the addition of new investigators will complement the existing interactions between established MARCE investigators and inject fresh ideas into the field. Second, the addition of the recipients'projects will further expand the research portfolio. Third, Career Development projects will enhance synergies with the existing Research Programs through ties to the sub-themes of those Programs. For the second part of this Program, the MARCE will offer the following Group Career Development Activities based on a needs assessment and the success of these training courses in the first funding period: 1) BSL-3 Laboratory Biosafety Training. This three-day course offered at the U. of Maryland will feature lectures, group learning activities, demonstrations, and hands-on training for BSL-3 experiments and aerobiology;2) Media Training for Bio Scientists in Preparation for Public Health Emergencies. This one day-course offered by the George Washington U. will prepare scientists to become effective subject matter communicators during public health emergencies;3) Training in Good Manufacturing Practices, Good Laboratory Practices and Process Development. This two-day course at the Sanofi Pasteur Vaccines manufacturing facilities will cover GMP, GLP, process development, regulatory issues and manufacture;and 4) Training in the Complexity of Response to Biological Emergencies. The U. of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security will host an interactive two-day workshop where national and international experts discuss how they will prepare for and respond to a bioterrorist attack or emerging infectious disease outbreak. In addition, a Clinical Issues Training Committee, staffed by infectious disease experts at the major MARCE institutions, will be prepared to rapidly offer instruction on emerging infections or biodefense issues in the face of an event. Together, the Career and Training Programs will increase the overall pool of trained investigators and qualified researchers in this field.
The Career Development Program will bring a cadre of new, bright, motivated scientists into the broad area of biodefense and infectious disease research. Together with the Group Training component, this Program will increase the overall pool of trained investigators and qualified researchers in this field working ultimately towards therapeutic, preventive, or diagnostic products for the benefit of public health.
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