Objectives

The goal of this training grant is to provide post-graduate trainees (MDs, DVMs and PhDs) with a 2-year research experience with a broad focus on the basic mechanisms and sequelae of pathological neuronal excitability as it is manifested in several disease states and conditions. These include pain, nerve injury and regeneration, inflammation (joint and neuronal) in addition to cardiac and neuraxial ischemia. There is emphasis upon development of therapeutic drugs and translational research, however, understanding underlying molecular and system level mechanisms behind these conditions is key to our endeavors.

The overall aim is to promote the development of state-of-the-art insights into pain and inflammation research and to prepare the trainees for successful careers as independent investigators. From a practical perspective, to achieve this over all goal, the training experience has two specific aims: i) promote growth in the ability of the trainee to undertake sophisticated methodologies important to neurobiology in general and inflammation/neuronal excitability research in particular; and, ii) achieve competency in the allied elements of a research career, e.g. experimental design, data analyses, presentations, manuscript preparation and publication and how best to obtain research funding as well as lab management and job interview skills. Importantly, we strongly emphasize issues of collegiality and ethics in the research environment.