This program's mission is to produce research scientists with doctoral degrees in nutrition who will function as independent investigators pursuing creative lines of inquiry in nutrition and aging. Upon entry to the program, a faculty member with compatible interests guides the trainee as director/preceptor. As research interests become defined during the course of the program, the trainee may select a different training preceptor. Some, but not all, of the training preceptors have established careers in gerontology and geriatrics. The program is generally composed of two years of didactic coursework, followed by 2-3 years of original research under the direction of a faculty member. Students may choose to work with any of large number of training preceptors in the following research areas: antioxidants, body composition, calcium and bone metabolism, energy metabolism, epidemiology, gastrointestinal nutrition, nutrition and vision research, lipid metabolism, mineral bioavailability, nutritional immunology, exercise, vitamin metabolism, and vitamin K. Since the original funding of this NIA training grant, two courses have been developed on nutrition and aging; this sequence is a one- year course requirement for NIA trainees. During the second year of the training program, students attend a weekly journal club supervised by program faculty that is focused on the critical review of recently published studies in nutrition and aging. Three basic science courses (electives) are also required of all students. Students select an area of minor emphasis, one of which is geriatrics. Students must pass an oral qualifying examination then write and present a thesis proposal. During the supervised research phase, students are required to present their work annually to the entire faculty and other trainees. The Steering Committee of the training grant conducts a formal review of each trainee's progress every 6 months; evaluation of the trainee's development includes exposure to various laboratory techniques, mastery of needed laboratory techniques, abilities in study design, execution and interpretation, familiarity with relevant literature, and participation in coursework, seminars, journal club, etc. As of the writing of this proposal, the School of Nutrition at Tufts University, begun in 1981, had graduated 44 scientists with the PhD degree. The NIA training grant has supported 13 candidates, none of whom have yet completed the program. The training program appears to have all of the elements necessary to achieve its mission (excellent faculty, outstanding and diverse laboratory resources, an appropriate sequence of didactic coursework, close supervision of candidates' progress in the program). In addition, a dedication to nutrition and aging is evident in the course requirements and in the research topics selected by the majority of trainees and many of the faculty.
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