Graduate Training Program in Comparative Medicine

PROJECT SUMMARY Continued support is requested for a “Graduate Program in Comparative Medicine” at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Six post-doctoral positions are requested to provide training to DVMs seeking a PhD. The Comparative Medicine Program combines the very best that Cornell offers in the form of didactic graduate-level instruction, faculty supervision, and training-related activities. Trainees will follow one of three tracks: track 1 is geared toward a career in basic research, track 2 to a career in translational science, and Track 3 to public health/One Health. Training for each track is structured to ensure the orderly progression of scholars to independence. Research areas available to trainees are intentionally broad and include infectious disease, immunology, epidemiology, cancer biology, cell biology and signal transduction, genomics and genetics, developmental biology, molecular medicine, and neuroscience. The proposed program combines independent, faculty-guided research with formal coursework in experimental design, rigor, and ethics. The program also includes track-specific coursework and training in biostatistics & computational biology. Regular professional enrichment workshops will encompass training in communication, grant writing, and teamwork skills. Biannual workshops will discuss career options and provide career counseling. Graduate research assistantships will provide the first nine months of training support at Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine. It is expected that trainees will apply for individual fellowships (“K” awards or equivalent) that would support the trainees as they finish their graduate studies and transition to independent careers. However, all trainers are selected to ensure training support continues independent of any fellowship award. We strongly encourage program alums to undertake at least two years of research beyond their Ph.D. degree, preferably in a related discipline and at a different institution, before accepting their initial appointment as an independent investigator. We expect most of our alums to enter careers as faculty members in U.S. veterinary colleges or medical schools or to enter careers in government or industry. The program aims to train veterinary scientists who can meet the national need for trained veterinarians within academia, industry, public health, and government to address problems relating to animal and human health.