This application is submitted to support the Comprehensive Research Training Program for Oral Health Scientists in response to the NIDCR Program Announcement 00-116. This program will provide research training for well-qualified candidates to prepare them to be leading oral health research faculty in the nation's dental schools and oral health research institutions. A novel feature of the program takes advantage of the recent establishment of The Buffalo Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics. This Center will merge super-computing and visualization technology with expertise in genomics, proteomics, and bioimaging to foster advances in biomedical sciences and health care. Trainees will interact with the Center formally (by requiring bioinformatics course work and by regularly inviting Center faculty to give seminars) and informally (by encouraging collaboration with Center investigators) to enhance bioinformatics approaches in their research projects. The program will be composed of four tracks: 1) The PhD degree track will provide state-of-the-art research training in Oral Biology or in other related disciplines. Students who matriculate in the PhD program may do so at the post-BS, or post-DDS, levels. The PhD/Clinical Residency track will allow DDS trainees to combine PhD training with certificate-level training in one of five clinical dental specialties including endodontics, oral pathology, orthodontics, periodontology, or prosthodontics; 2) The combined DDS/PhD degree track (DSTP) will provide an integrated, dental and graduate research-training program for students to earn both the DDS and PhD degrees; 3) The non-degree postdoctoral research track will provide in-depth experience for trainees to engage in original research that builds upon their doctoral level training; and 4) The short-term track will provide training for a) students enrolled in the DDS program; and b) clinical faculty members to obtain additional training in basic science or clinical research. We provide evidence of enthusiastic and substantial institutional support for trainees after NIH funding ceases. Efforts have been made to acquire additional streams for recruitment of minority trainees into the program. The requested number of trainee slots has been reduced to be consonant with realistic recruitment targets. The proposal also responds to a number of other concerns stated in the previous review. We believe this proposal is sufficiently improved so as to allow continuation of a long-standing and successful oral health research training program. ? ?
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