Project Summary/Abstract Continuing support is requested for a broadly based predoctoral training program in the neurosciences at the University of Cincinnati. The training program is intended to support a total of 6 students over their first 2 years of graduate education. The major objectives of the training program are to: 1) equip students with a broad foundation of knowledge in neuroscience, emphasizing mechanisms of disease and the problems that confront effective diagnosis and treatment; 2) provide in-depth research training that emphasizes modern, innovative approaches to understanding nervous system function and the ethical conduct of research; 3) facilitate development of outstanding written and oral communication skills; 4) foster excellence in the dissemination of research findings in the form of professional presentations and written manuscripts; and 5) prepare students for continued success in a wide variety of scientific careers. In response to a strong endorsement of the program in our recent reviews, the University of Cincinnati has made substantial financial commitments to the neuroscience community, providing new funds for recruitment of new faculty and programmatic enhancement. These additional funds supplement the already strong level of financial and administrative support from the College of Medicine. The training faculty are active and well-funded, and share a strong commitment to graduate education. Efforts of the institution and program faculty have resulted in maintenance of a strong applicant pool from top universities and colleges, and the program has consistently matriculated outstanding candidates from diverse backgrounds. Our trainees routinely land postdoctoral positions at prominent institutions, and go on to successful careers in academia, industry, scientific publishing, regulatory affairs and scientific policy, attesting to the strength and vitality of the training program. Recent initiatives include the recruitment of additional faculty across our broad neuroscience base; the development of new opportunities for students to gain teaching experience; changes to the neuroscience curriculum in response to recent advances in the field and the changing needs of our students; using individual development plans to ensure strong mentoring of all students; and the creation of an Alumni Seminar Series which further advances our goal of providing trainees ample opportunity to understand the diversity of neuroscience career options available to them. We anticipate that the graduates of our program will continue to play a major role in future research efforts to discover mechanisms underlying pathology of the nervous system and to develop new strategies to treat or prevent neurological disease.

Neuroscience research is critical for development of strategies to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases of the nervous system. This broadly based training program is designed to provide the next generation of researchers with a solid foundation in the fundamentals of neuroscience and strong, cutting-edge research training in basic and translational neuroscience, emphasizing rigorous experimental design and data analytic approaches.