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CHEMISTRY-BIOLOGY INTERFACE TRAINING PROGRAM  

The Chemistry-Biology Interface (CBI) Predoctoral Research Training Program at UCLA is an NIH-funded program designed to provide research training to predoctoral students in the area of chemical approaches to the solution of biological problems. Students selected to participate in this program are trained in the language and techniques of biological and chemical sciences and gain experience as members of multidisciplinary teams working on frontier research at the chemistry-biology interface.

Program: Open to trainees working with CBI Training Faculty members and enrolled in Ph.D. programs in Biological Chemistry, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medicine, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, and Physiology. The traineeship provides a stipend during the second, third, and fourth years of graduate study. The major components of the training program are (1) the core course, "Introduction to the Chemistry of Biology"; (2) a one-quarter internship in an area complementary to the student's central research area; and (3) the Chemistry of Biology Seminar program that includes presentations by students as well as outside speakers. The program also includes ethics training, quarterly Chemical Biology colloquia, and an annual symposium. Additional information on the training program can be obtained by contacting the Principal Investigator, Ken Houk, 5505 Molecular Sciences Building, (310) 206-0515 or e-mail (houk@chem.ucla.edu).
Application Deadline: June 1, 2006.

Participating Faculty: Thirty-four faculty from the Departments of Biological Chemistry; Chemistry and Biochemistry; Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology; Molecular and Medical Pharmacology; and Physiology are the Training Faculty in the Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Program. Their affiliations and research areas are described briefly on the next page and in more detail in the graduate brochures and websites of the participating departments. Students in Chemistry and Biochemistry should find a Life Science Training Faculty member to act as Collaborator, and Life Science students should select a Chemistry-Biochemistry Collaborator. The Collaborator is typically the outside-the-department member of the graduate student's committee.

Eligibility: The training program is funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health, which limits eligibility to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The applicant should be a Ph.D. student with a CBI Training Faculty member.

Awards: Awards are typically for three years, but this year only, one-, two-, and three-year traineeships will be awarded in order to phase in the program. A stipend is provided by the NIH which must be supplemented by the research advisor to the level of a Research Assistantship. The NIH funds provide tuition and fees (including health insurance) and a travel allowance of up to $300 per year.
The next award period begins July 1, 2006.

Selection: Three-year internships will be offered by the program. Continued support requires active participation in all aspects of the program. Selection is based on progress and achievement; prior academic record; recommendations from the student's research advisor, the Collaborator defined above, and one additional faculty member or science mentor; a statement of purpose prepared by the prospective trainee. The Executive Council selects and guides the trainees.