This application is a request for funds to continue to support the training of graduate students in Cell and Developmental Biology (CDB) at Harvard Medical School. Support for 20 (of -120) first and second year students from the transdepartmental Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program [BBS]) is requested. The 82 faculty program in Cell and Developmental Biology of Harvard Medical School is one of the major components of the BBS program (with 379 graduate students and 245 faculty). Our goal is to provide students with a foundation in cell and developmental biological that is necessary develop sound scientific hypotheses, to think broadly and critically about their research and that of others, and to have a strong grounding in methodologies used by cell and developmental biologists. Our ultimate goal is to train our students to become independent and creative researchers and scholars. Our faculty are from the departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Cell Biology, Genetics, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and Pathology at Harvard Medical School. The research activities of the program faculty on this training grant are concentrated in the following areas: basic cellular processes (29), developmental biology (37), cell cycle (28), tumorigenesis, and cancer (28), RNA and chromosome biology (15), biological machines and signaling networks (35), stem cell biology (5), technology development (11). Apart from """"""""traditional"""""""" teaching approaches that will cover broader topics in the form of courses, seminars and discussions we are initiating a few novel teaching approaches to provide a dynamic and integrative educational experience to our students. In addition, we have also included many formats to provide students with opportunities to interact with the faculty and to be exposed to career mentoring. Relevance: Research in the areas of Cell and Developmental Biology is a conduit to understanding the molecular underpinnings of human biology and pathology. Studies of model systems, such as yeast, worms, frogs, and mice, as well as in vitro models of human cells, have become an essential tool for medicine.
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