Project Profile
Education and Research Training in Structure & Function of Complex Biological Systems
Montana State University
Abstract
This Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) award supports the establishment of a multidisciplinary graduate training program of education and research on the structure and function of complex biological systems. The program will focus on integrating knowledge and developing models of biological systems across organization levels and at multiple… more »
This Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) award supports the establishment of a multidisciplinary graduate training program of education and research on the structure and function of complex biological systems. The program will focus on integrating knowledge and developing models of biological systems across organization levels and at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Systems to studied range from macromolecular complexes to networks of interacting nerve cells. Training will emphasize understanding complex biological systems in terms of the structures and interaction of their components, and will integrate advanced computational and mathematical approaches with a wide variety of experimental and analytical techniques.
Key educational aspects are: two new, year-long, multidisciplinary courses for all students; lab rotations with a training focus, seminars in professional development and ethical practices of science, dual advisors, student involvement in collaborative, multidisciplinary research projects, a dedicated research seminar series, and intensive summer workshops led by investigators from other universities and industry. A highly productive group of faculty will participate, collectively spanning eight departments and three colleges of Montana State University-Bozeman. In conjunction with existing, successful MSU programs, special efforts are planned to increase the number of Native American students pursuing doctoral degrees in the biological sciences.
IGERT is an NSF-wide program intended to facilitate the establishment of innovative, research-based graduate programs that will train a diverse group of scientists and engineers to be well-prepared to take advantage of a broad spectrum of career options. IGERT provides doctoral institutions with an opportunity to develop new, well-focussed multidisciplinary graduate programs that transcend organizational boundaries and unite faculty from several departments or institutions to establish a highly interactive, collaborative environment for both training and research. In this second year of the program, awards are being made to twenty-one institutions for programs that collectively span all areas of science and engineering supported by NSF. This specific award is supported by funds from the Directorates for Biological Sciences, for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, and for Education and Human Resources. « less
