Defining the complex mechanisms of viral oncogenesis requires a broad understanding in at least three areas of research: molecular and cellular biology, immunology, and virology. It is the goal of the proposed training program to provide graduate students and postdoctoral fellows a challenging and enriched scientific environment in which both formal and informal training within these three broad, but interrelated areas can occur. The breadth of the scientific interests of the training faculty create a blend of research areas, many of which incorporate virus systems to dissect the molecular events that occur within the normal versus the cancer cell. The specific research programs include (a) molecular and cellular biology-regulation of cell growth and gene expression, oncogenes, signal transduction, and mechanisms of neoplastic transformation; (b) immunology-expression, oncogenes, signal transduction, and mechanisms of neoplastic transformation; (b) immunology; and (c) virology-molecular studies of virus replication, assembly, oncogenesis, pathogenesis, latency, and gene regulation using adeno, cytomegalo, hepatitis B, herpes simplex, papilloma, papova, and retroviruses. The trainers associated with the proposed training grant have their primary academic appointments within the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. However, each of the trainers is associated with multiple interdisciplinary graduate programs which cross departmental and college boundaries. Graduate students eligible for appointment on the training grant may be associated with one of several graduate programs including Chemical Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, Molecular Medicine, and Neurosciences. The potential of the trainers to recruit students from such a variety of programs helps to insure that a significant pool of highly qualified students will be available for appointment to the training grant. The training program for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows includes a dynamic research environment that has excellent research and core support facilities and faculty research laboratories with productive and well funded research programs. The research and training environment is further enhanced by numerous interactions among the various laboratories as well as journal clubs, student seminars, and visiting scientist seminar programs. Finally, the research areas of emphasis within the training program provide a broad foundation on which a creative student and postdoctoral fellow can base a productive career in research in the area of citruses and cancer.
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