This application seeks renewal of the highly-successful Biophysics Training Grant Program at Columbia University. Training for the students in the Program is performed in the Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and Microbiology on the Health Sciences campus and the Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry on the Morningside campus. The Program provides a rich and diverse environment in which students apply a host of biophysical approaches to the investigation of important biological problems. The Program emphasizes the application of state-of-the-art biophysical techniques to provide trenchant answers to detailed, specific questions while at the same time it endeavors to expose the trainees to a vast array of biological processes and to fertile areas of future research. Forming the underpinnings of the Training Program are exceptional laboratories housed in four departments and outstanding facilities located on the two campuses, weekly seminars in biophysics given by outstanding visiting speakers, an annual biophysics retreat where trainees present their research to all of the students and faculty in the Program, and a core, year-long biophysics course. Over the past 5 years since the last competitive renewal, the Biophysics Training Program has made important strides in several critical areas: (i) the number of underrepresented minority students in the Program has been dramatically increased from one to five, (ii) several new trainers have been brought into the Program and the Program now has participation from two additional departments (Biological Sciences and Microbiology), and (iii) new procedures have been instituted for the appointment of trainees so as to assure that the most qualified students are selected for support. In the coming five year period, the Program will (i) reinforce ties between participating laboratories, departments and campuses, (ii) continue to improve the recruitment of all students, with an emphasis on underrepresented minority students, (iii) recruit additional talented faculty, and (iv) strengthen and update the pedagogical component of the program. The past historical successes and anticipated future achievements in the next funding period of the Biophysics Training Grant Program at Columbia will maintain this Program as a flagship for education and training of graduate students in New York City.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 83 publications
