This application requests continued support for the sixth renewal of the Neuroscience Graduate Program (NGP) training grant at Baylor College of Medicine. The goal of the NGP is to provide a broad- based interdisciplinary training program in the neurosciences that prepares students to be the future leaders in neuroscience. The NGP spans the diversity of research topics found in modern neuroscience, including, but not limited to, molecular and cellular neuroscience, systems neuroscience, and cognitive and computational neuroscience. The training plan is designed to develop core competencies in both practical and theoretical aspects of neuroscience including modern laboratory techniques, genetics, cell biology, neurophysiology, biochemistry, and computational methods. Furthermore, we aim to develop competencies in critical thinking, quantitative analysis, and effective oral and written communication. We also emphasize rigor, reproducibility, and ethics in our training plan. The program includes 60 training faculty from departments at Baylor College of Medicine. These faculty have diverse research interests that span the basic, translational, and clinical neurosciences. There are currently 65 students enrolled in the program.
We aim to accept ~12 students into the NGP each year. We request support for 6 students, to be funded in their 1st year on the training grant, with the remainder of students supported through institutional funds provided to the NGP by the Baylor College of Medicine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. The NGP has a rigorous and broad curriculum in the neurosciences that is supplemented with courses in many areas to prepare students for the diverse research topics they pursue. These courses include topics such as modern methods in neuroscience, neurophysiology, systems neuroscience, computational neuroscience, and the neurobiology of disease. The strength of the NGP is reflected in the excellent publication rates of our graduates (4.4 papers/student with an average of 1.8 as first author) and the outstanding and committed training faculty. We believe that the NGP at Baylor College of Medicine is an exceptional place to pursue training in the Neurosciences and that this application appropriately documents our commitment and tradition of excellence. We therefore seek support to continue our efforts to train the next generation of neuroscientists who will make discoveries that will impact human health and well-being.
This application seeks support for renewal of the Neuroscience Graduate Program training grant at Baylor College of Medicine. The goal of this training grant is to provide a broad-based interdisciplinary training program in the neurosciences that will prepare the next generation of neuroscientists to make discoveries that will improve human health and well-being.
