Continued support for the Cellular and Molecular Biology training program of the Johns Hopkins University is requested. The strengths of the program are derived from the quality and diversity of the faculty, the integrative nature of the training program, and the quality of the students enrolled. Several steps taken in the last few years have contributed to increasing the quality of all aspects of the program. The training faculty is drawn from the Departments of Biology, Biophysics, Chemistry and the Carnegie Institute of Washington's Embryology Department. It has been revitalized in recent years by new hires that have brought a new Chairman to the Biophysics Department and energetic young faculties to all the Chairman to the Biophysics Department and energetic young faculties to all the units involved in the training program. Commitments from the University to create a new NMR Center will bring additional faculties in the field of structural biology. New hires in Biology and Carnegie will increase the training faculty interested in cell and developmental biology. The diversity of the faculty exposes the students to a wide variety of intellectual concepts and experimental approaches. Mechanisms have been established to ensure that the students benefit from the diverse interests of the faculty while maintaining a coherent training plan. A new core curriculum during the first year guarantees that all students have a strong uniform background in biophysics, biochemistry, molecular, cell and developmental biology. A series of four rotations allow the students to explore a variety of research fields. A new series of weekly Progress Report talks affords close interactions among students and faculty through presentations and discussions by all trainees of their ongoing research. The quality of the students attracted to the program has increased through improved advertisement and interview procedures. New fellowships established with University funds allow the program to attract the best applicants and underrepresented minorities. These new initiatives, taken together, have contributed to greatly enhance the overall quality of the training program.
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