Project Summary/Abstract – Neuroimmunology Training Program at the University of California, Irvine Neuroimmunology is a rapidly growing field of research that touches a number of critical human diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, spinal cord injury, and viral encephalopathies. Traditionally, researchers have been trained in either neuroscience or immunology, whereas the Neuroimmunology Training Program (NITP) at the University of California, Irvine seeks to develop and train the next generation of researchers in both fields with a cross-disciplinary approach focused on the interplay between the immune and nervous systems during disease. This application requests support for 4 pre-doctoral trainees who will be selected from an outstanding pool of candidates within our relevant graduate programs. Moreover, UCI has a diverse graduate student population and expects at least 50% of trainees supported with NIH funding will be underrepresented minorities in the biomedical sciences. This application is the result of ongoing collaborations between high-caliber faculty on campus who recognized the need to develop a training program specific to the challenges of neuroimmunology. The NITP will formally bring together 24 faculty members from across the neuroimmunology research spectrum to participate in mentorship and program-wide activities to share expertise and further develop the neuroimmunology field. The training program will be overseen by two faculty directors and an advisory committee focused on selecting and supporting trainees who are highly likely to exhibit continued success within the diverse field of neuroimmunology research. The NITP program directors will initiate programming at UCI to enhance the quality of research and mentoring experiences of trainees and set them up for career success. All in all, UCI’s NITP proposal demonstrates the exceptional training record of our faculty mentors, unique resources to support research, and robust institutional support. From this strong foundation, the NITP will provide an outstanding opportunity for trainees to develop intellectually, advance and optimize their thesis research projects, create a valuable network of colleagues, and prepare for a highly successful research career focused on the crossroads of immunology and neuroscience.

Project Narrative – Neuroimmunology Training Program at the University of California, Irvine The Neuroimmunology Training Program (NITP) at the University of California, Irvine will train the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists at the research nexus of the central nervous system (CNS) and immune system in order to accelerate the treatment of human neurological diseases. Meeting the challenge of maintaining CNS function throughout life, as well as developing therapies to combat prevalent neurodegenerative and neurologic disorders, requires an understanding of neuroimmune interactions and neuroinflammatory responses on a molecular and cellular level. The bi‐directional communication of molecules between the CNS and the immune system are required for proper development, organization, and maintenance of a healthy CNS with optimal function and disruption or inappropriate balance of these essential neuroimmune can exacerbate and even cause neurologic disorders and pathology.