The Virology Training Program at the University of Maryland was founded 13 years ago on the principle that transformative research on host-virus interactions and viral immunology/vaccine design would be facilitated by a comprehensive understanding of virology that extends beyond selective, traditional training in human pathogens. The central location of the University of Maryland in the most significant concentration of virologists in the world (University of Maryland, NIH, NCI, Institute for Biosystems and Biotechnology Research [IBBR], Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine [VetMed]), led to the establishment of a program that today brings together 17 outstanding virologists (16 mentors) dedicated to training future leaders in the field. This training program is the first of its kind to include participation by major researchers at the NIH, providing trainees with an exceptional opportunity to explore how research is conducted in both academic settings and at the nation's premiere research institute. The Virology Program also fully supports the NIH directive to offer ?structured, career development advising and learning opportunities for trainees to prepare them for possible careers outside of academia? by partnering with MedImmune, the worldwide biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca, to offer interested predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees career mentors and 2-month internships. Our affiliated institutions and partnership with MedImmune provides trainees with unmatched opportunities for research and career mentoring, and for exploring how research is conducted in academic settings, at the nation's premiere federal government research institutes, and at one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies targeting viruses. The University of Maryland Virology Training Program is requesting 3 predoctoral and 2 postdoctoral traineeships in years 1, 2 and 3, and 4 predoctoral and 3 postdoctoral traineeships in years 4 and 5. Through focused didactic training, monthly group meetings and workshops where experts discuss the future of the field, an annual retreat, and individualized career and research mentoring, our training program produces virologists who (1) have exceptional research skills acquired from working in top Virology labs; (2) have gained a comprehensive background in basic virology through didactic training in viruses that infect humans, animals and plants; (3) have an understanding of the impact of their research in the context of broader biomedical and agricultural issues; (4) embrace the value of integrative, collaborative research; (5) have developed a teaching portfolio allowing them to be competitive for positions at traditional academic research intensive institutions and undergraduate research institutions; and (6) can effectively disseminate the knowledge that they have gained. We are committed to offering this exceptional training experience to highly-motivated predoctoral and postdoctoral students, with a special outreach to minorities, who will greatly enrich the potential for a global public health impact.
Viruses infect nearly all life forms, are responsible for some human cancers, and are devastating disease agents that can cause world-wide pandemics. When properly harnessed, viruses can also be powerful research tools for dissecting cellular processes. This training proposal seeks continued support for training virologists prepared to meet research challenges common to viruses- which include developing strategies to protect humans, animals, and plants from viral diseases to improve the quality of people's lives.
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