In
1989 the National Institutes of Health initiated a new and
innovative program of graduate Training Grants in Biotechnology.
One of the first nine grants awarded nationwide funds the
Biotechnology Training Program at Washington State University.
The central
strategy of modern biotechnology is to manipulate segments of DNA
by recombinant techniques in order to alter or to produce large
quantities of proteins with specific medical or commercial value.
Many of the most difficult problems in the field of biotechnology
are issues related to the propertiesof proteins. Continued progress
will require a substantial increase in the number of scientists
trained in the fundamentals of protein chemistry in all levels of
research from basic to applied and at institutions ranging from
universities to biotechnology firms. The Biotechnology Training
Program at WSU, funded by a grant from the National Institutes of
Health, addresses this need by providing interdisciplinary graduate
training in biotechnology with a major emphasis on the fundamentals
and complexities of protein chemistry. This group includes three
members of the National Academy of Sciences. Twenty-five individuals
from six departments in four colleges constitute a core training
faculty that provides both depth and breadth in this area. The emphasis
on proteins emerges naturally from past and current strengths of
the faculty at WSU, from the array of resources, programs and cooperations
already in place, and from strong institutional support.
Depth
and Breadth in Protein Chemistry. For decades, WSU has
been a leader in the study of protein chemistry. Currently
a group of distinguished investigators, working with plants,
animals or bacteria are focusing on fundamental questions
about proteins.
Interdisciplinary
Programs and Cooperation. The community of biological
scientists at WSU is open, cooperative and interactive.
There are many formal interdisciplinary programs and collaborations;
at least as important for the enrichment of graduate training
are the multitude of informal instances of instruction,
cooperation and assistance among laboratories across the
campus.
Providing
for the Needs of Biotechnology. Biotechnology firms, particularly
those established in the last two decades, regularly hire
WSU-trained scientists. Some of these scientists have
already attained substantial prominence.
Links
between Basic and Applied Research. A basis for expanded
interactions between basic and applied research within
the context of this Training Program is provided by a)
cooperative research and training between faculty in basic
science departments and the Bioprocessing Group in the
Department of Chemical Engineering, b) an array of projects
funded by the Washington Technology Center, c) individual
collaborations between WSU scientists and biotechnology
firms, and d) a network of contacts between WSU and the
Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest Laboratory located
in Richland, Washington.
Institutional
Commitment. A recently completed $60-million building
program provides superb physical facilities for trainees
and training faculty. An array of university-administered
centers offer access to state-of-the-art instrumentation.
Special Opportunities for minority students. WSU is strongly
committed to recruitment of graduate students who are
members of underrepresented minority groups. Several institutional
traineeships have been designated in Biotechnology for
this purpose.
The
training program aims to produce scientists and
engineers with sound interdisciplinary backgrounds
who will be qualified to meet major needs of biotechnology
in academic, industrial or government service. The
program provides state-of-the-art training in basic
science relevant to biotechnology and an education
in the applied aspects of biotechnology, with particular
emphasis on protein chemistry. The resulting trained
scientists and engineers will have the facility
and background to combine basic and applied research.
We aim for flexibility within a framework that provides
a range of options for rigorous training in state-of-the-art
basic science and engineering. Trainees enter one
of six Ph.D. programs: Biochemistry and Biophysics,
Genetics and Cell Biology, Microbiology, Plant Physiology,
Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, or Chemical
Engineering, and have the innovative option of combining
the Ph.D. in one of those fields with a M.S. in
Computer Science. Because of the many cross-affiliations
among the training faculty, trainees have opportunities
to choose from among the degree programs or switch
from one to another as desired, dependent upon specific
degree requirements. The training program involves
the following major features:
Financial
support (assuming acceptable progress) throughout
the trainee's graduate career. All tuition costs
and medical insurance are also covered.
Travel
funds for attendance at national and international
meetings.
First-hand
experience in the biotechnology industry through
an industrial internship in a biotechnology firm
or institution.
Research
projects chosen from 25 prominent research programs
focused on a variety of aspects of protein chemistry.
Visits
by leading scientists and engineers from academia
and industry to present seminars and interact with
trainees.
Core
course work emphasizing protein chemistry and biotechnology.
Individuals
completing our Biotechnology Training Program with
its major emphasis on the fundamentalsand complexities
of protein chemistry will be qualified for a vast
array of positions in academic institutions,government
laboratories and especially the biotechnology industry.
