UAB Predoctoral Training Grant in Translational and Molecular Sciences

This is a pre-doctoral training grant application for a program in Translational and Molecular Sciences (TMS) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Currently, too few PhD graduates are entering the workforce with sufficient training to effectively translate pathobiology of disease and molecular advances into clinical and/or commercial practice. The proposal addresses this need with our goal being to provide a training environment that develops the necessary skills for the next generation of PhD biomedical scientists to incorporate translational objectives into their research and prepare them for the workforce of tomorrow. Our recent experiences in graduate education show increased demand from students for training in translational research. A major challenge in effective training in translational sciences for pre-doctoral students is the need to incorporate multiple disciplines and concepts ranging from understanding disease mechanisms, understanding of how findings may be translated in academia or industry, to understanding regulatory oversight procedures and rules. We propose a 2-year program (with 6 students per year) with students enrolling at the beginning of their second year. A three parts integrative curriculum is proposed. The didactic component includes understanding disease mechanisms, drug discovery and development and translational research administration. The career and translational research enrichment activities include CTSA interactions and team-based exercises that foster innovation, entrepreneurship and requisite skills and knowledge for commercializing discoveries. A clinical / patient interaction experience is included, the latter of which is linked to the trainees’ specific research interests. We feel that providing students with training in translational research early during a student’s matriculation will develop skills that enable them to incorporate translational thinking into their research. To achieve this, we have assembled 60 training faculty with well-funded laboratories that address fundamental scientific problems with a strong emphasis on translation and human disease. Several disease areas that are perennial strengths of UAB are represented and will provide breadth of opportunity for students in a variety of research disciplines. This proposal underscores our previous and ongoing commitment to pre-doctoral education and our collective goal of providing an environment for students to learn and develop the skills they will require to be successful in biomedical research and other science related occupations.