CSHL Watson School of Biological Sciences

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spg Hbr NY

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is for a National Research Service Award in Cellular, Biochemical, and Molecular Sciences to train six predoctoral students for the Ph.D. degree at the Watson School of Biological Sciences at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The Watson School provides broad training in the biological sciences including genetics, cellular and molecular biology, biochemistry and biophysics, structural biology, developmental biology, cancer, neuroscience, virology, protein chemistry, cell cycle regulation, plant genetics, electrophysiology, behavior, imaging, bioinformatics, and genomics. The School has designed an innovative Ph.D. curriculum to train future leaders in the biological sciences. Our innovative doctoral program includes the following key features: (i) approximately four years from matriculation to Ph.D., (ii) a broad representation of the biological sciences, (iii) a first year with course work and laboratory rotations in separate phases, (iv) emphasis on the principles of scientific reasoning and logic as well as the importance of ethics and effective communication, (v) continued advanced course instruction throughout the graduate curriculum, (vi) extensive mentoring and support in large part through our "two-tier" mentoring program. The doctoral program that the School has developed to meet its goals is intense and is designed for students with a deep commitment to their graduate education. There have been two graduating classes thus far where six doctoral degrees were awarded in each case. Overall for the twelve graduates the average time to degree was 4.25 years, with four of the graduates completing their doctoral studies in less than four years. Although we are still a very young School we believe that the scientific research achievements of our trainees have been outstanding, as evidenced by the quality and number of their publications the Awards and Fellowships they have obtained and their post graduation placements.