Training in the Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology

分子生物物理学和结构生物学培训

• 批准号: 8695410
• 负责人: RONALD B WETZEL
• 金额: $ 18.05万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-07-01 至 2016-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8695410
• 关键词: Biophysics; Molecular; Training; structural biology

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal seeks funding to support and extend an interdisciplinary predoctoral program that prepares students with strong backgrounds in quantitative physical sciences to conceptualize, conduct, and direct independent research in molecular biophysics and structural biology. This Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology (MBSB) program places a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary, collaborative research in an environment where the practical human health consequences of research are appreciated and contribute to guiding and driving basic research. The training faculty consists of 40 independent investigators spread over 14 departments within the School of Medicine and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh and within Carnegie Mellon University. The training faculty comprises a large group of senior members who have strong records in graduate training, funding, and publication, and a smaller contingent of junior faculty who bring new ideas and technical expertise to the group. The research programs of training faculty emphasize not only characterization of biomolecular phenomena but also development of new methodologies. At every stage of the curriculum, emphasis is placed on the relationship between physical methods and biological understanding. The research is concentrated in core areas at the challenging forefront of biomolecular science, including membrane proteins, protein-protein interactions and oligomeric complexes, nucleic acid structure and protein-nucleic acid interactions, poorly structured protein elements, protein misfolding and aggregation, and small molecule ligand - protein interactions. The training program includes a first year core curriculum featuring an introduction to biophysical instrumentation and methods, how these are used to address specific molecular questions, an introduction to theory and simulation of biomolecular behavior, and courses on statistical analysis and computer programming. Student's abilities to synthesize and creatively utilize what they have learned in the classroom are tested in a qualifying exam that requires them to construct and defend a research proposal not related to their own laboratory work. After passing this exam students move on to develop and pursue their thesis project. Students are required to participate in a weekly journal/data club and to attend a Molecular Biophysics seminar series featuring invited local and national speakers. Students are also encouraged to participate in several local, annual science meetings. This application proposes special features new to the MBSB program including incentives to develop co-mentored, collaborative thesis projects and an annual mini-symposium, with significant student participation, set within the MBSB graduate program. Students are also encouraged to take advantage of the rich environment of the School of Medicine to attend seminars in molecular aspects of human disease. We are requesting funds to support six traineeships with the goal to train a new generation of molecular biophysicists who will be leaders in future efforts to understand normal and abnormal human biology at the physical and molecular level.

描述（由申请人提供）：该提案寻求资金来支持和扩展跨学科的前学前计划，该计划使学生在定量物理科学领域具有强大背景的学生，以概念化，进行和直接直接在分子生物物理学和结构生物学方面进行独立研究。该分子生物物理学和结构生物学（MBSB）计划非常重视跨学科的协作研究，这是在研究的实际人类健康后果的环境中受到赞赏，并有助于指导和推动基础研究。培训教师由40名独立研究人员组成，分布在医学院的14个部门以及匹兹堡大学和卡内基·梅隆大学内的艺术与科学学院。培训教师组成了一大批高级成员，他们在研究生培训，资金和出版物方面都有很强的记录，以及一个较小的初级教职员工，他们为小组带来了新的想法和技术专业知识。培训教师的研究计划不仅强调了生物分子现象的表征，而且还强调了新方法的发展。在课程的每个阶段，重点都放在物理方法与生物学理解之间的关系上。该研究集中在生物分子科学挑战性最前沿的核心区域中，包括膜蛋白，蛋白质 - 蛋白质相互作用和寡聚复合物，核酸结构和蛋白质核酸相互作用，结构较差的蛋白质元素，蛋白质的失误和聚集，以及小分子，以及小分子配体 - 蛋白质相互作用。培训计划包括第一年的核心课程，其中包括生物物理仪器和方法的介绍，如何用于解决特定分子问题，对生物分子行为的理论和模拟介绍以及统计分析和计算机编程的课程。在合格的考试中测试了学生合成和创造性地利用他们在课堂上学到的知识的能力，该考试要求他们构建和捍卫与自己的实验室工作无关的研究建议。通过此考试后，学生继续发展和追求论文项目。要求学生参加每周的期刊/数据俱乐部，并参加由邀请的本地和国家演讲者参加的分子生物物理研讨会系列。还鼓励学生参加几次当地的年度科学会议。该应用程序提出了MBSB计划的新功能，包括开发同事，合作论文项目的激励措施，并在MBSB研究生课程中设置了大量的学生参与。还鼓励学生利用医学院的丰富环境参加人类疾病分子方面的研讨会。我们要求资金支持六名培训，以培训新一代的分子生物物理学家，他们将成为未来努力，以了解身体和分子水平上的正常和异常人类生物学的努力。