Early Stage Training in the Neurosciences

Project Summary/Abstract Continuing support of our training grant, Early-Stage Training in the Neurosciences (ESTN), which was founded at the University of Michigan (UM) in 2001, is requested. The goal of this grant, which is a centerpiece of the Neuroscience Graduate Program (NGP), is to provide a cadre of exceptional predoctoral students with broad training in neuroscience. This will prepare them for careers that will help to meet the nation’s basic science and biomedical research needs. A number of exciting new changes have occurred in the ESTN/NGP including a new leadership team, new state-of-the-art facilities and resources, a dynamic new cohort of young neuroscience faculty, the Kavli Scholars, and a revised curriculum and examination format to better prepare our students. To be eligible for ESTN support, students must be admitted to the NGP, the most selective biomedical science program at UM, through either direct admit or the PIBS admission umbrella. In the first year, students complete a broad-based neuroscience curriculum that includes: neuroscience “bootcamp”, principles of neuroscience, human neuroanatomy, statistics, research responsibility and ethics, and neuroscience research seminar, in addition to performing laboratory research rotations. At the end of the year, students take their Qualifying Exam. In their second year, students take electives, give oral presentations in the Neuroscience seminar course, complete an NRSA grant and work on their doctoral research. The ESTN consists of 85 faculty representing 19 departments in 5 schools or colleges. The wide academic distribution, strong research funding and high-level of peer recognition of the ESTN faculty excellently matches this application’s focus on broad early-stage neuroscience training. Trainees are exposed to a broad range of research areas including Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience; Developmental Neuroscience; Sensory Neuroscience; Cognitive Neuroscience; Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience; Computational Neuroscience; and Clinical and Translational Neuroscience. Upon completion of training, our graduates are poised to tackle a host of basic neuroscience and/or public health issues ranging from the molecular basis of neurodegenerative disorders to brain circuit abnormalities in psychiatric disease. Our accomplishments and a detailed plan for continuing to recruit, retain and develop successful Ph.D. trainees in neuroscience research are highlighted. We also present detailed plans for mentoring, professional development, evaluation of the program, and for instruction in quantitative methods and the responsible conduct of research. Taken together, the Michigan ESTN provides outstanding training to future neuroscientists within the setting of a major research university.