Training Program in Cell and Molecular Biology

This application seeks renewed support from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for a Training Program in Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB) aligned with the Cancer Cell Biology (CCB) Ph.D. program at Baylor College of Medicine. The proposed program would support eight (8) students per year in their 1st and 2nd years of training. The proposal seeks to renew a successful program in its fifth year that emphasizes rigorous academic training of students through didactic and discussion-based classes and ongoing training in areas of professional skills development. The Program emphasizes rigor, reproducibility, and scientific integrity training to ensure that students carry out research at the highest levels. The Program attracts and retains high-quality mentors who provide training in specific research projects, allowing students to engage in impactful laboratory research. A dynamic mix of established investigators and newly recruited junior faculty with multi-faceted research interests will enable students in the CMB Program to train with world-class scientists and select from a broad spectrum of exciting research possibilities. Evidence-based mentor training and evaluation are vital components that allow a commitment to excellence in research, with strict guidelines for student and faculty participation. High-caliber students have been and will continue to be recruited to the Program using active recruitment strategies. Improvements in support from the College and restructuring of the BCM Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences resulted in an increasing number of matriculants being admitted from a deep pool of highly qualified applicants. Students apply to BCM in large numbers, and the CCB Program has successfully recruited and will continue to retain outstanding students. Students' research productivity in the predecessor program has been exceptional, as measured by the number and quality of student-authored publications. Students supported by the current Program have yet to complete their Ph.D. degrees. Senior program students are publishing their work and beginning to identify their next career steps. The Program monitors, evaluates, and advises mentors and students to maintain outstanding performance. The established track record of the proposed administrative team in recruiting and training high-achieving students who assume leadership positions in academia, industry, and government allows confidence that the Program will continue to be highly successful.