The University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus (UCD|AMC) Pharmacology Graduate Training Program, currently in its 39th year of NIGMS funding, and requests annual support for 7 predoctoral students during the next five years. The Training Program distinguishes itself by providing a highly interactive environment in which students obtain a broadly based integrative perspective on science, training in the fundamental knowledge defining pharmacology. The Principle Investigator for the Training Grant is Dr. Mark Dell?Acqua, Vice Chair of the Department of Pharmacology. The Training Program Director is Dr. David Port, who Chairs the Graduate Training Committee (GTC), which provides the day-to-day oversight for this Training Program. The 47 members of the Training Program faculty are drawn numerous departments within the School of Medicine, and have been recruited to provide broad, multidisciplinary training opportunities in neuropharmacology, cell signaling, pharmacogenetics, cancer biology, biomolecular structure, and bioinformatics. Training Program faculty are all accomplished, committed researchers and mentors with significant extramural funding. The sources of students entering the Training Program include direct applicants to the Program, as well as students who transition from ?umbrella? programs (Biomedical Sciences and Medical Scientist Training Programs). Hallmarks of the Program are a comprehensive didactic component, 3 laboratory rotations, a strong emphasis on student presentations in seminar settings, and a wide choice of thesis research options. Career development in the pharmacological sciences and student initiative are also emphasized. During each of the past 4 years of this T32 funding cycle, 6 students have been supported by the Training Grant. As a composite, the last 4 classes (Fall 2014-17) of ?direct recruit? matriculated students include 5 URM?s This represents a 29% URM matriculation rate (5 of 17 students). During the same time period, an additional 5 students entered the Training Program, 3 MSTP?s, 1 BSP?s, and 1 transfer, for a total of 22 incoming students over 4 years, an average of 5.5/year. The Training Program currently has a total of 26 students, up from 16 at the last grant submission. Since 2013, 13 trainees have graduated with Ph.D. degrees in an average of 5.3 years. An additional 3 trainees graduated with M.S. Degrees. The competitiveness of the students for individual national fellowships, high quality publications in peer-reviewed journals and invitations to participate in national meetings are all measures by which the successful training of the students is gauged. Additionally, the retention of the graduates in academic, industry and government positions is another measure of the success of the Training Program. With renewal of funding, this Training Program will continue to thrive and meet the national demands for individuals, trained as pharmacologists, who are individually astute researchers, can be multidisciplinary research team members, and also have the breadth of knowledge to plan and communicate effectively across a spectrum of technologies.
The primary objective of this Training Grant is to facilitate the education and training of the next generation of research scientists in the discipline of pharmacology, which seeks to understand how the use of chemical and biological can affect biological systems and mitigate disease. Students in the Pharmacology Training Program investigate basic mechanisms and therapeutic approaches associated with numerous important public health issues including: neurological and psychiatric disorders, cancer, immunology, microbiology, and cardiovascular medicine. Trainees are taught the process of scientific thought and its communication in both oral and written forms. !
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