Training Program in Virology

Training Sites:

  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  • Wistar Institute

Predoctoral

The goal of this NIH sponsored program is to train outstanding predoctoral fellows to develop expertise in experimental virology which will be applied towards careers in virology. We train our students to become scientific leaders in the academic community, research institutes and pharmaceutical companies. The goals of this predoctoral training program are 1) to provide students with a thorough schooling in the fundamentals of virology, in the context of modern molecular biology, genetics, cell biology and immunology; and 2) provide each student with an intensive exposure to laboratory research, utilizing current methods in molecular and cellular biology, under the supervision of one of the twenty trainers on this grant. The trainers have active research programs and afford students a variety of research opportunities in many different virus systems. The trainers work on a total of sixteen different DNA and RNA viruses, including human herpesviruses, retroviruses including HIV, rhabdo, corona and bunya viruses . Selection of the dissertation laboratory is usually preceded by two or three laboratory rotations. These are done for course credit along with more formal lecture and seminar-style courses taken in the first two years of training. In many cases, trainees on this grant have done lab rotations with two other trainers on the grant in addition to their preceptor. Quite often, the dissertation committee (4-5 faculty in addition to the preceptor) includes trainers on this grant. Thus, the trainees and trainers interact in many different ways and this leads to a great sense of cohesiveness.The trainers on this program constitute a close-knit group which interacts constantly with the trainees and with each other. The main focus for interaction is the weekly Virology luncheon seminar. This informal seminar helps the faculty keep track of the progress of each trainee and provides the trainees with excellent experience in oral presentation. Trainees also receive training in ethical and responsible conduct in research.

To be trainees on this grant, students must be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree through the biomedical graduate studies program at U. Penn. Inquiries and requests for application forms can be sent to:

BIOMEDICAL GRADUATE STUDIES
240 John Morgan Building
37th & Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6064
Telephone: (215) 898-1030
FAX: (215) 898-2671
E-mail: bgs@mail.med.upenn.edu

Postdoctoral

The NIH sponsored program is unique in the breadth and depth of researchers in Virology (and associated disciplines within the Wistar/Penn community) that it offers as mentors to trainees. Many DNA and RNA viruses are under study, including DNA tumor viruses, animal and human herpes viruses, retroviruses including HIV, rhabdo and corona viruses. The disciplines involved in these studies include molecular biology, structural biology and immunology. Each trainer has independent funding and all have active research programs. The training grant organizes a highly popular annual training symposium at which the trainees in each investigator's laboratory present their work and the training grant camaraderie is established and maintained. Training is centered around a research program conducted in the laboratory of one of the trainers whose research interests can be found at: http://www.med.upenn.edu/micro/faculty.html, and http://www.wistar.upenn.edu. Virology related training is supplemented by a number of seminar series, conferences, and retreats organized by the University of Pennsylvania and The Wistar Institute (http://www.med.upenn.edu/micro/seminars.html). Fellows also receive training in ethical and responsible conduct in research.

TRAINERS

Interested candidates should send curriculum vitae and three letters of reference to:

Nigel W. Fraser, Ph.D.
Program Director
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Department of Microbiology
Room 319A Johnson Pavilion/6076
36th & Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Tel (215) 898-3847
Fax (215) 898-3849
nfraser@mail.med.upenn.edu