? ? This a competing renewal application of an environmental toxicology training grant for 6 pre-doctoral fellows and 3 postdoctoral fellows. Since this program started in 1990, training has been provided to 41 pre-doctoral fellows and 18 postdoctoral fellows including 5 physician-scientists. The 39 trainees who have completed their research training have professional positions where they utilize their toxicology knowledge for basic research, biotechnology, teaching, risk assessment or practical problems of environmental pollutant regulation and policy. Ten have academic faculty appointments. Three who subsequently obtained law degrees are practicing environmental or patent law. The long term goals of those who are pursuing further training in academic postdoctoral fellowships are basic research, teaching, science policy, or translational medicine. A tangible outcome of this policy about trainee submission of competitive research proposals is that 27 have obtained individual fellowships, including 11 from NIEHS. The propose research training in three areas where the investigators have a critical mass of experienced faculty, exemplary institutional support, and superb resources for state-of-the-art research, notably for proteomics. These areas are biotransformation, DNA damage and repair, and pathophysiology which share a unifying theme of oxidative stress. Training in the broad area of pathophysiology will emphasize injury to the CNS (brain and eye), GI tract, and asthma pathogenesis which meshes with the strong participation by physician scientists in the Asthma Pathogenesis Research Core of the newly renewed NIEHS Center Grant. A unique feature of the proposed training is that research projects by several faculty members in each area include assessments of the influences of aging and infection. An updated curriculum builds from an interdisciplinary common first year towards advanced courses in molecular toxicology, pathology, proteomics/bioinformatics, and intensive short courses on specialized topics that are taught by visiting scientists. Identity with the interdisciplinary program is established by a regular dinner-journal club and seminars. Professional development is facilitated by required participation in a team-taught undergraduate toxicology course which is organized, taught, and graded by trainees with faculty guidance. Key elements in the investigators' outstanding climate for training are a multiplicity of environmental-health relevant research centers, notably the recently renewed Institutional Sealy Center for Environmental Health and Medicine which will provide $50,000/year for training program recruitment and pilot projects for trainees. ? ? ? ?
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