This is a competitive renewal application for a long-standing predoctoral training grant in Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB). The CMB program constitutes the largest biomedical graduate training program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and accounts for approximately 40% of all biomedical trainees joining the institution each year. This program dates back to the early 1970s, at which time a joint cellular and molecular training program was quite visionary. It has been a rigorous and highly successful program enjoying NIH support since 1984 under the current T32. The objective of this predoctoral training program is to recruit a talented and diverse group of undergraduates and prepare them for a successful career in research and teaching with a specific emphasis in cellular and molecular aspects of biomedical science. The participation of over 40 physician scientists as graduate mentors has made this training program exceptionally translational. Since its inception, the CMB program has trained over 700 individuals, 478 over the past 15 years and many have gone on to faculty positions at excellent academic institutions, or research positions in government and industry. Retention throughout graduate training has been exceptional and our placement record shows tremendous success with a large percentage of the trainees obtaining and maintaining employment in the biomedical sciences after their training. This T32 training grant has enhanced the training environment by supporting stipends, tuition, and research allowance for some of the best students recruited by the CMB Program. In addition it has sponsored seminar speakers designated as """"""""CMB distinguished seminar speakers"""""""" and visiting lecturers at UAB which have benefited the entire community. Since the last renewal in 2002, the number of faculty preceptors has increased by 30% from 69 to 90 greatly expanding training opportunity for our students. Grant funding has more then doubled and the number of eligible students for training grant support has increased at a similar rate. Currently well over 200 students are competing for only 5 positions. We have made important advances regarding implementation of a problem based curriculum that provides a small group learning experience in which students can pick and choose from up to 8 concurrent course offerings and novel teaching opportunities are offered throughout a student's training.
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