The goal of the Training Grant in Reproductive Sciences at the University of Kentucky is to train predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows in the biological and biomedical sciences relevant to the health and diseases of reproduction. The program recruits three groups of trainees: 1) predoctoral students in basic sciences with research interest in the reproductive sciences; 2) students with a Ph.D. degree in a basic science; 3) Clinical Fellows in Reproductive Medicine who require research training for careers in academic health care centers. Trainees completing this program will be high quality scientists capable of developing independent research programs in the reproductive sciences. Twenty-two faculty members, including both basic and clinical scientists, are participants in this training program. Six training slots (3 predoctoral and 3 postdoctoral) are requested in this continuation application. The predoctoral program consists of four years of formal and laboratory training for a Ph.D. degree in basic science with a strong emphasis in reproductive science. The postdoctoral training program involves two years of focused research training in one primary area, but includes interaction with other research areas of importance in the reproductive sciences. The areas of research training include neurobiology and neuroendocrinology, uterine and ovarian function, mechanisms of hormone action, lactation and reproductive toxicology. A major strength of this training program is the multi- disciplinary training which provides the trainees with expertise in numerous molecular and cellular techniques for studying reproductive biology in a diversity of animal species and the human. Extensive research collaborations between faculty of the Training Program further contribute to the multi-disciplinary training. This training proposal relates to the objectives of NICHHD to foster the training of reproductive scientists capable of producing important new knowledge about reproductive health and disease.
