The goal of this proposal is to train predoctoral students broadly in the discipline of genetics. Graduate students admitted to the University of Wisconsin doctoral program in Genetics will be supported in the initial years of their graduate training. The Genetics doctoral program presently consists of 73 faculty representing 20 different departments in the biological sciences and 65 students studying with 33 different faculty trainers. The collective research interests of program faculty and students encompass virtually the entire breadth and depth of contemporary genetics. Trainees are selected based on prior academic achievements, research experience, and personal interviews conducted before acceptance into the program. Accepted students identify Genetics as their primary academic pursuit and choose thesis advisors based on their individual research interests. The Genetics doctoral program is a campus-wide training program administered by the Laboratory of Genetics, which is housed in two adjacent modern research buildings. Supported students complete a rigorous academic program consisting of both formal coursework and individualized mentoring in genetics;Formal coursework includes a core curriculum of required genetics courses, specialized electives identified by students together with their Thesis Advisory Committee, and a course in the ethical conduct of science. Students gain teaching and communication experience by (i) serving for one semester as a Teaching Assistant for an undergraduate Genetics course and (ii) presenting their thesis research in formal settings before faculty and students of the program. Student performance is evaluated by a two-part qualifying examination that tests their understanding of broad genetic principles and their ability to propose, accomplish, and defend a thesis research project. Student progress is monitored annually by a Thesis Advisory Committee. The Genetics Training Grant develops young investigators as independent scientists by providing a rigorous and broad education in the science of genetics. Our graduates bring the methods and logic of genetic analysis to bear on contemporary research problems.
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