OF TRAINING PROGRAM: Forsyth Institute proposes to offer a Postdoctoral Training Program in Oral and Craniofacial Research to health professionals and PhDs who are interested in further training in basic, clinical or patient-oriented oral health research. It also proposes to offer retraining in these areas to mid-career scientists. Specific training opportunities are available in Biofilms, Biomineralization and Biomimetics; Molecular Immunology and lnfectious Disease; Genomics and Oral Cancer; and Clinical Investigations. Linkage of projects between focus areas, especially between clinical investigations and other focus areas, will be encouraged. Mentors have outstanding records of published research consistent with the NIDCR mission, are well supported by NIH, and have appreciable experience in postdoctoral education. Collaborative, multidisciplinary and inter-professional interactions in academia and the biotechnology industry are characteristic of mentors' research. These multidisciplinary/collaborative research efforts of mentors serve as a base upon which the trainee can initiate similar collaborative research interactions. Mentored research is the cornerstone of the postdoctoral training experience. Enhancements to that experience will include a course in clinical research design, oral health targeted courses in immunology and infectious disease, and a course in ethical practices in scientific investigation. The program will also feature tutorials in research use of the Web, Bioinformatics, Genomics, and Grantsmanship, participation in the Forsyth/Harvard Seminar Series, Oral Biology colloquia, and departmental journal clubs, seminar/tutorials in career opportunities, and a postdoctoral research group (PRG). The PRG will be responsible for organizing an institutionally funded series of Postdoctoral Research Days in which international experts will be invited to speak formally and informally to the PRG. Leadership awareness and training will be facilitated by postdoctoral trainee mentoring of Boston high school, and dental and/or Forsyth dental hygiene students in summer research projects. A variety of strategies will be used to recruit trainees, including candidates from under-represented racial/ethnic groups who will be specifically encouraged. The goal is to provide training experiences that will prepare trainees to be principal investigators who can 1) successfully compete for research funds; 2) effectively communicate their ideas; 3) recognize the value of collaborative research interactions; 4) lead and inspire others to accomplish mutual research objectives; 5) translate their findings to practice; 6) become skilled in bioinformatic approaches; 7) make ethically correct decisions; and 8) be sensitive and harmonious in relationships with their peers.
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