This application requests support for major renovation of sub-standard research laboratory space in the Department of Biochemistry located on the fourth floor of the BSB at the UI. The long-term goals of this Program in Molecular Biophysics (PMB) are to facilitate basic biomedical research in the area of molecular biophysics and to enhance the training of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in this subject and related research areas. The specific goals of the PMB are: 1) to generate state-of-the-art research laboratories on the fourth floor of the BSB for new and established faculty investigators who will participate in the PMB; 2) to facilitate scientific interactions among faculty investigators and their research groups, including graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and undergraduates, by the close proximity of their laboratories; 3) to provide opportunities for research interactions and collaborations among both the occupants of the renovated space and the participants in the PMB from other departments; and 4) to develop a research environment that fosters the mentoring of new junior faculty members and minority scientists by outstanding senior faculty of the PMB. The overall objective of this renovation project is to create an excellent, interactive research environment for a program in molecular biophysics that enhances the research productivity and career development of all of the participants in the PMB.
