Advanced Multidisciplinary Training Program for Systems Biology Yana Zavros, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology University of Cincinnati

Background Many degree-granting programs strive to build expertise in tightly focused areas isolated expertise cannot sustain adequate research progress in an era when total information accumulates at a much faster rate than the paradigms and methods from individual disciplines can effectively utilize During this time of ‘big data’ (large/complex data sets): traditional analyses are inadequate train scientists that are not limited to techniques and ideas within a single discipline research approaches that transcend departmental and traditional disciplinary boundaries Emerging scientists need to acquire skills: work in research teams continually take advantage of new methods and concepts throughout their career

Objective To prime researchers to tackle complex mechanisms of human disease using cross-disciplinary approaches team-building: experts from diverse disciplines applying their unique perspectives to address collectively a problem applying knowledge that melds two or more traditional disciplines to solve a problem 2-year training program that involves 32 program faculty members and selected pre-doctoral trainees matriculated into 13 degree-granting Ph.D. programs.

Administrative Structure Program co-directors with complementary expertise: biological sciences (Yana Zavros, Ph.D.) computational sciences (Jarek Meller, Ph.D.) Executive Committee Bruce Aronow, Ph.D. (Professor, Biomedical Informatics) Andrew Herr, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Divisions of Immunobiology and Infectious Diseases) Evangelia Kranias, Ph.D. (Professor, Pharmacology and Cell Biophysics) Mario Medvedovic, Ph.D. (Professor, Environmental Health) Seongho Song, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, Mathematical Sciences) Internal Advisory Committee James P. Herman, Ph.D. (Director, Neuroscience Training Program) Gurjit (Neeru) K. Khurana Hershey, MD, Ph.D. (Director, Medical Scientist Training Program) Raphael Kopan, Ph.D. (Director, Division of Developmental Biology) Harinder Singh, Ph.D. (Director, Division of Immunobiology) Susan Waltz, Ph.D. (Director, Cancer Therapeutics Training Program) Peter S. White, Ph.D. (Director, Division of Biomedical Informatics)

Administrative Structure Recruitment and Admissions Committee Nathan Salomonis, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Pediatrics – Division of Biomedical Informatics) Christian Hong, Ph.D. (Professor, Molecular and Cellular Physiology) David Plas, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, Cancer Biology) Student representatives – Nina Bertaux-Skeirik (Systems Biology and Physiology) and Alexander Thorman (Molecular Genetics) Curriculum Committee Christy Holland, Ph.D. (Professor, Biological and Medical Engineering) Sookkyung Lim, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Mathematical Sciences) Matthew Weirauch, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Pediatrics – Divisions of Biomedical Informatics and Developmental Biology) Student representatives - Jacob Bellman (Mathematics) and Christopher Burke (Mathematics)

Program Faculty The 32 participating program mentors are identified as: Biological-oriented scientists: applies the broad spectrum of tools found in the wet lab environment of biomedical research Theoretical-oriented scientists: uses concepts and modeling to generate an experimentally testable theory or model Interdisciplinary-oriented scientists: synthesizes approaches and theory from different disciplines with an integrative approach (e.g. computational chemistry applied to answer a biological question)

Trainees and Training Program We recruit trainees into the program from matriculated graduate students in the 13 participating Ph.D. degree-granting programs: Biomedical Engineering Cancer and Cell Biology Environmental Health Biostatistics Immunology Mathematical Sciences Medical Scientist Training Program Molecular, Cellular and Biochemical Pharmacology Molecular and Developmental Biology Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology Neuroscience Pathobiology and Molecular Medicine Systems Biology and Physiology Biomedical Informatics

Trainees and Training Program The objective will be achieved by implementation of a training plan that incorporates the following features: Didactic and experiential training in interdisciplinary research concepts and approaches, A student-centered and flexible curriculum custom tailored to meet the needs of each student via computational and biology elective courses, A research project that will require the student to use interdisciplinary approaches under the mentorship of a multi-disciplinary set of faculty co-mentors, and Students engaged in a community that encourages interaction between students and mentors through seminars, data and journal clubs, and an annual retreat.

Trainees and Training Program

Current Trainees Based on the success of receiving the training grant, the University provided additional funds to allow us to provide support for another two trainees to join the the training program. This gives us a critical mass of 6 students in the training program in the first year. The awardees supported by the training grant are: Jacob Bellman (T32) Ph.D. candidate in Mathematics, Mentors: Sookyung Lim and Christian Hong Nina Bertaux-Skeirik (T32) Ph.D. candidate in Systems Biology and Physiology, Mentors: Yana Zavros and Mario Medvedovic Christopher Burke (T32) Ph.D. candidate in Mathematics, Mentors: Christian Hong and Seongho Song Alexander Thorman (T32) Ph.D. candidate in Molecular Genetics, Mentors: Jarek Meller and Andrew Herr Mokryun (Lily) Baek (COM funds) Ph.D. candidate in Systems Biology and Physiology, Mentors Christian Hong and Sookkyung Lim Jeremy Riddell (COM funds) Ph.D. candidate in Systems Biology and Physiology, Mentors Matthew and Harinder Singh

Opportunities and Challenges Increasing applicant pool Attracting minority candidates Time commitment of program faculty Infrastructure support Program management, renewal application Tracking trainees Trainees for Fall 2015 (6 slots available) Deadline for applications: August 9th 2015 http://www.med2.uc.edu/physiology/tgadmit.htm

Acknowledgements Program co-director Jarek Meller, Ph.D. (Associate Professor of Environmental Health) Ms. Cheryl Holly (Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology) Program faculty Trainees Supported by: 5T32GM105526 Institutional support: Dean Ball of the College of Medicine Graduate School enhancement funding for the doctoral Systems Biology and Physiology Graduate Program, Dr. Chip Montrose, Vice Provost and Dean, The Graduate School