This application represents the first competitive renewal for our Training in Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) T32 program. Of the more than 60 faculty at the University of Pennsylvania whose primary affiliation is with the microbiology program, a select group of 14 well-funded faculty are trainers in this program. All of the trainers have significant research programs in emerging infectious diseases, more than half are funded in part by the Middle Atlantic Regional Center of Excellence (MARCE) in Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, and all participate in training activities and minority recruitment efforts. During its first 4 years, this T32 provided support for 3 predoctoral and 2 postdoctoral trainees per year who could work in any one of 14 different laboratories directed by investigators who study a variety of emerging and re-emerging pathogens. To date, a total of 14 trainees have been supported by this T32, virtually all for 2 years, including 7 Ph.D. students, 1 M.D./Ph.D. student, 1 VMD/Ph.D. student and 5 Ph.D. postdoctoral fellows. These 14 trainees have worked in the labs of 9 different trainers. Of the 14 current and past trainees, 8 are women, 6 are men, and 2 are minorities. Of the 3 postdoctoral fellows who have completed their training and left Penn, one is an Assistant Professor, one is a staff scientist at the NIH where he studies Ebola virus, and one is in industry developing viral vaccines. Of the 3 students who have left Penn, two are postdoctoral fellows where they continue to study infectious diseases, and one is a scientist in industry. Two additional students who will graduate soon will be undertaking postdoctoral fellowships at USAMRIID and the Special Pathogens Branch of the CDC, respectively. The EID T32 program has served to unite our investigators and trainees, who study many different pathogens, in ways that would not otherwise have occurred. After the T32 was funded, the trainers developed what is now a popular graduate level course on emerging infectious diseases, started a monthly Zoonotic Diseases Seminar series that is attended by our faculty and trainees, and began an initiative in which all of our trainees receive extensive BSL3 training. We have started a Certificate Program in Public Health in response to the fact that so many of our trainees are interested in emerging infectious diseases and global health issues, and this summer launched a 3-week long summer biostatistics course to betaken by our trainees, recognizing that much of the EID literature consists of epidemiological studies coupled with the belief that a stronger background in statistics and quantitative methods will help prepare our trainees for careers in science. We also send our trainees to the regional MARCE meetings, held twice each year, and this in turn has led to new collaborations for our trainees as well as training opportunities. In light of the need to continue to train young scientists to work in emerging infectious diseases, we propose to renew this successful program. Due to the difficult funding climate for T32 grants, we propose to maintain this program at its present size of 3 students and 2 postdocs per year.
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