Predoctoral Training in Developmental Biology

University Of California, San Francisco, San Francisco CA

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Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY We seek to renew support for training 8 predoctoral students per year in the Developmental and Stem Cell Biology (DSCB) PhD Program at UCSF. The principal goal of our predoctoral program is to provide broad, interdisciplinary training in developmental and stem cell biology. To provide this training, our program combines instruction in topics such as cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, and quantitative biology, with comprehensive training in the study of development and developmental disorders. As the field of developmental biology is rapidly advancing, we provide our students with a dynamic, interdisciplinary education that incorporates the most recent conceptual and experimental advances. Our students acquire the concepts and skills to make groundbreaking contributions to developmental biology, as evidenced by their pioneering discoveries and successful scientific careers. Program faculty are leaders in their respective fields, have active research laboratories, and provide extensive mentorship to DSCB students. Interactions among laboratories and trainees are facilitated by research seminars, an annual retreat, an annual student-run symposium, two weekly journal clubs, faculty research talks, joint research meetings, and shared student supervision. From 1994-2010, this training grant supported students who studied developmental biology through two broader graduate programs at UCSF. Subsequently, DSCB was established as an independent graduate program with its own admissions and curriculum. After a period of rapid growth, the program size has now stabilized, with a little over 100 applicants per year competing for 8-12 offers, and a class size of 5-11. The student body is of the highest caliber and has become increasingly diverse. Indeed, the average percentage of new entrants to the program from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds has increased by 60% since the last competitive renewal, with 33-67% of the appointees to the grant belonging to these categories over the past three years. Students choose among thriving thesis research laboratories and faculty dedicated to excellence in graduate education. During the last funding period, we continued to innovate to further strengthen the training experience. For example, we recently updated the curriculum to increase the emphasis on (1) quantitative biology, statistics, and programming; (2) foundational tools and concepts in developmental biology research; and (3) training to promote equity and inclusion. We have also expanded our efforts to recruit applicants from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds and introduced a new Inclusive Faculty Mentor Training program for our faculty. The success of our program is well supported by outcomes of trainees both during and following training, which are regularly measured, summarized, and transparently presented both inside and outside the community. UCSF has recognized the success of the program by continuing to expand its commitment both financially and administratively. Renewal of this training grant will support the intellectual growth of DSCB students, ensuring that each graduate is an independent scientist who helps lead the field of developmental biology for decades to come.