Training Program in Neuroscience

Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai, New York NY

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

This is the third renewal of Mount Sinai's Jointly Sponsored Institutional Predoctoral T32 Training Program in Neuroscience. The objective of the Training Program is to provide rigorous, broad-based, individualized and multidisciplinary training to Year 1 and 2 predoctoral students in basic, translational and clinical neuroscience research, thereby enhancing the ability of our trainees to acquire critical skillsets necessary for high-quality doctoral dissertation research and an impactful career in the science-related workforce. To accomplish this, the Training Program leverages the intimate associations among the Mount Sinai Hospital and Health System, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, physically embedded together under one leadership and roof, to expose trainees to the enormous breadth of basic, translational and clinical scientific approaches and model systems represented by an outstanding training faculty, ranging from structure/function analysis of individual synapses, to computational modeling of gene, protein and connectivity networks in healthy and diseased brains, to behavioral, electrophysiological and imaging studies of a variety of organisms, including humans. Since the last competing renewal (2019), Mount Sinai continues its expansion of basic and clinical research space; created 5 new Centers of Excellence; recruited many new basic and clinical Neuroscience research faculty; continued its consistent top-5 national ranking among all US basic Neuroscience departments in NIH funding; and saw a 42% increase in the number of applications to the Neuroscience PhD program. Thus, 8 training slots per year are requested. Our trainees participate in an integrated program of Core courses (spanning genes, molecules, cells, synapses, circuits, systems, behaviors and clinical neuropathophysiology) and includes a course with direct patient contact. Courses are team-taught by an exceptional faculty using different teaching styles, including flipped classrooms and other approaches. Since the last renewal, several new courses, new academic partnerships and new exercises within existing Core courses have been implemented to ensure a strong foundation in statistical methodology and quantitative reasoning skills. Additional first-year courses include Responsible Conduct in Research, Rigor and Reproducibility, a Journal Club/WIP and research rotations. By the end of the first year, trainees select a thesis lab, and during their second year, commence dissertation research while taking two Advanced Electives from courses offered at Sinai or partner Institutions. Trainees benefit from numerous activities that enhance their research experience, including grant-writing courses, science Clubs, seminars, career development opportunities, teaching and peer-mentoring activities, an annual retreat and other events. This Neuroscience Training Program T32 is essential to Mount Sinai's mission of providing fundamental neuroscience research training to our students, and serves as the principal research training, mentoring and financial engine driving specifically early-stage predoctoral students seeking a PhD in Neuroscience.