ThisproposalisanewapplicationforfiveyearsoffundingtosupportTraininginMicrobiologyand InfectiousDiseasesatUCIrvine.TheprimaryobjectiveofthisTrainingProgramistoprovidedoctoral studentswithintegratedtraininginthreefocusareas:1)microbialstructureandmetabolism,2)microbe- hostinteractions,and3)microbialcommunities.Therationalebehindthistrainingstructureisthatthere willbetremendousvalueinindividualswithafluencyintheserelatedareasthatarevitaltocombating and/orexploitingmicrobestopositivelyimpacthumanhealthandtheenvironment.TheTrainingProgram willleverageareasofexcellenceatUCIinmicrobialecology,microbe-hostinteractions,andstructural biologytobringtogetherfacultytrainerswithexpertiseinmicrobialpathogenesis,moleculargenetics, metabolism,structure,immunityandinfectiousdiseases,andmicrobialdiversity.Theprogramwillbe comprisedof18well-fundedtrainingfaculty(10women,8men)fromtheSchoolofBiologicalSciences andtheSchoolofMedicineatUCI.Thefacultymentorsconductresearchonmicrobiologyandinfectious diseasesatthemolecular,cellular,organismal,population,andcommunitylevels.UCIhasastrong historyinthefieldsofmicrobiologyandinfectiousdiseaseresearch,asthePacific-SouthwestRegional CenterofExcellenceinBiodefenseandEmergingInfectiousDiseaseswashousedatUCIfrom2005- 2014.TheTrainingProgramwillensurethatthetraineeswillbeequippedwiththenecessarytoolsand expertisetopursueaproductiveandindependentcareerinmicrobiology.Inadditiontofaculty mentorship,thetraineeswillbenefitfromseminars,journalclubs,researchinprogresstalks,andan annualsymposium.Traineeswillalsoreceivefundstotraveltoandpresenttheirresearchatanational meetingintheirfield.Finally,UCIishometotheNIH-fundedGPS-BIOMEDprogram,whichwillensure thattraineeshaveexposuretocareerdevelopmentseminars,workshops,andmentorshipthroughout theirtraining.Theapplicationrequestssupportforthreepredoctoraltrainees,whowillbedrawnfrom studentswhoenrollatUCIthroughoneofseveralgatewayordepartmentalprograms,includingthe Cellular&MolecularBiosciencesProgram,InterdepartmentalNeuroscienceProgram,Mathematical, Computational&SystemsBiologyProgram,MedicalScientistTrainingProgram(MSTP),andthe departmentalEcology&EvolutionaryBiologyProgram.ThemeanincomingGPAforthiscohortof studentsoverthelastfiveyearswas3.61,reflectingastrongoverallacademicperformancebythe potentialtrainees.Onaverageoverthelastfiveyears,23%ofthetraining-granteligibleentering studentswereunder-representedminorities.UCIhasbeenrecognizedasaHispanic-servinginstitution (HSI)andanAsianAmerican,NativeAmerican,andPacificIslanderservinginstitution(AANAPISI),and theTrainingProgramisexpectedtoreflectthisrichculturalandethnicdiversityontheUCIcampus.
This is a T32 proposal for a Training Program in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at UC Irvine that will provide doctoral students with integrated training in three focus areas: 1) microbial structure and metabolism, 2) microbe-host interactions, and 3) microbial communities. The purpose of the Training Program is to train the next generation of promising scientists to tackle the myriad of scientific and health issues posed by microbes in the community and in infected individuals.
