NIGMS Summer Course - Systems Pharmacology and Translational Biology

July 7 - 25, 2008

UCSD will offer an intensive three-week summer course in Systems Pharmacology and Translational Biology for up to 20 participants (advanced graduate students, post-docs, recent Ph.D. recipients working in academia and the biotech/pharmaceutical industry). The course will focus on the central nervous system (nociception; neuropsychiatric disease), on the cardiovascular system (hypertrophic cardiac disease; heart failure) and its autonomic regulation, and on recent techniques for imaging organ function. The Course will stress basic principles of pharmacology and quantitative analysis of data. The Course has the following aims:

1. For specific target phenotypes (e.g., normal vs. hypertrophic heart vs. congestive heart failure; normal vs. limbic-motor dysfunction (including schizophrenia and psychosis) or processes (nociception: normal vs. acute inflammation vs. nerve injury):
1. to review the basic molecular and cell biology, physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology of these phenotypes and systems
2. to review the preclinical models used in current research in these areas
3. to offer hands-on training in the use of these models, in rodents and large animals
2. To provide a training experience in a variety of mouse imaging techniques (PET, MRI, optical, ultrasound), use of radiopharmaceuticals and interpretation of imaging data
3. To train participants in the assessment of phenotype in genetically altered animals
4. To familiarize participants with the use of animal and organ systems in the development of new drugs.
5. To provide instruction and experience in the responsible and ethical conduct of research and use of animal subjects therein.
6. To provide opportunities to analyze and present laboratory findings, stressing quantitative methods and basic principles of pharmacology.
7. To establish long-term tracking of and communication with and amongst participants.

Course Schedule coming soon.

Dates: July 7 - 25, 2008.

Fees (tuition): NIGMS has provided money to offset a portion of the cost for biomedical science students. The fee schedule is:

• Current grad student or post-doc in an academic institution, $300
• New faculty member in an academic institution, $300
• Post-docs and young scientists in the pharmaceutical/biotech industries, $3500

Travel: Participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements.

Housing: Participants are responsible for the cost of housing; we can arrange on campus housing for $29/day.

Board: With the exception of several lunches and closing banquet, participants are responsible for their own food (available on campus.)

Application: Deadline Extended to June 1. E-mail to pharmeducation@ucsd.edu, sending the following materials:

• Current graduate students/postdocs: send letter (recounting research interests, goals, how course will be of value to you), CV, and a letter of recommendation from PhD post-doctoral advisor.
• Pharma/Biotech employees: send letter (recounting research interests, goals, how course will be of value to you), CV, letter from current employer stating interest in having you complete this course and willingness to pay the fees.
• New faculty members: send CV and letter of interest (recounting research interests, goals, how course will be of value to you).

Credit: This course is offered with University of California credit for additional fee; for all students, the director will issue certificates of completion that detail the classroom and laboratory hours and will assist participants in applying for credit from their home institutions. We urge graduate students to discuss such issues in advance with their home institutions.

Note: This course is not intended to provide retraining for those in the job market. The course is intended for the categories of applicants noted above.

Accepted participants must provide evidence of health insurance.
Fees will be due in advance of the start of the course.

Contact: Pat Luetmer (pharmeducation@ucsd.edu)

The Course Faculty are UCSD professors in the School of Medicine and adjunct faculty from San Diego's biotech and pharmaceutical industries. The UCSDS faculty course coordinators are: Laurence Brunton (course chair), Joan Heller Brown, Palmer W. Taylor, Francisco Villarreal, Masa Hoshijima, Tony Yaksh, Neal Swerdlow, and David Vera.