This competitive renewal proposal is a request for continued funding of a broadly based pre- and postdoctoral training program in General Motor Control Mechanisms and Disease from the Northwestern University Institute for Neuroscience (NUIN). This training program has grown out of a multidisciplinary group of motor control investigators who have collaborated since the inception of the NUIN in 1989. The program is directed by D. James Surmeier, Ph.D. with the assistance of Enrico Mugnaini, M.D. (Associate Director) and a Steering Committee. Trainees will conduct their research under the guidance of 29 preceptors working in motor control research from 11 departments of 3 schools on the Chicago and Evanston campuses of Northwestern University. The proposal requests support for 5 post-doctoral and 3 pre-doctoral trainees. Post-doctoral trainees will be selected on the basis of previous training and research plan. Pre-doctoral trainees will be selected from NUIN and Medical Scientist Training Program Ph.D. programs on the basis of course performance, rotations and the relevance of dissertation research to the goals of the training program. A concerted effort will be made to continue recruiting women and minorities to the program. The program offers a broad range of interdisciplinary research and training opportunities in the neuroscience of somatic and autonomic motor control. The research of participating preceptors spans molecular, cellular, systems, clinical, behavioral and computational neuroscience. The preceptor faculty will assist and monitor trainee progress through formal advising and evaluations, through the classroom and through informal discussions (in journal clubs, laboratory meetings and research clubs). An important feature of the training program is that it brings together researchers in fundamental and clinical neuroscience, providing a highly productive, interdisciplinary research environment for trainees in motor control and related motor system diseases at Northwestern University. In addition to providing research training, the program will help trainees develop skills in written and oral communication, grant writing/grantsmanship, networking and career development. Instilling a clear awareness of ethical issues facing neuroscientists and responsible conduct in science will be another training goal. The program outlined attempts to exemplify the multidisciplinary and interactive type of neuroscience research training encouraged by NINDS. ? ? ?
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