UC Davis Chemical Biology Program

The goal of the UC Davis Chemical Biology Program (CBP) is to provide effective cross training
at the chemistry/biology interface for pre-doctoral candidates. After their CBP cross training,
these students will understand the value of the synthesis and analysis tools traditionally
associated with chemistry in addressing problems related to biological pathways, cells, tissues
and organisms with a particular focus on biological questions related to human health.
The chemical biology community at UC Davis includes a large group of productive, well funded
and collaborative faculty members with a strong history of mentoring pre-doctoral students. The
CBP faculty comprises 29 trainers with primary appointments in seven different departments in
five different colleges. CBP faculty research programs cover a broad swath of topics (e.g.
calcium signaling, glycobiology, metabolic engineering, DNA repair, RNA modification,
translation, photoreception, photosynthesis, cancer therapeutics, drug metabolism,
metabolomics, molecular imaging and genome editing) using an extensive range of approaches
(e.g. genetics, genomics, x-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, EPR spectroscopy, mass
spectrometry, combinatorial chemistry, high throughput screening, computational modeling,
enzymology and organic synthesis). Trainees will be selected for this program from first year
students with an expressed interest in carrying out thesis research at the chemistry/biology
interface from five different graduate groups (Chemistry; Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and
Developmental Biology; Biomedical Engineering; Pharmacology and Toxicology and
Biophysics). These students will engage in cross training coursework, cross training laboratory
rotations, research-in-progress presentations, career development activities, responsible
conduct in research training and annual retreats. This proposal requests support for six
predoctoral student slots to support 3-4 trainees for two years each, typically during the second
and third years of their PhD training. This support, along with the major institutional
commitments made by UC Davis, will establish a predoctoral program that will more effectively
prepare our trainees for scientific careers at the chemistry/biology interface.

Grant Number: 5T32GM136597-05
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: PETER BEAL