COBRE-SPM Enrichment
The goal of the Enrichment program is to train the next generation of scientists and physicians into the principles of sex-based biology & medicine (SBM) so they can be incorporated into research and ultimately clinical practice.
Curriculum
We will integrate SBM lectures into the undergraduate, graduate, and medical school curriculums. Targeted programs include Biomedical Engineering, Cell and Molecular Biology, Biostatistics, and Biomedical Sciences. In the medical curriculum, first year students receive an Intro to SBM, and second year students have one case-based learning module with each “Mechanisms of Disease” block presented by a world-renowned expert on the topic.
Bootcamp
Each fall the new cohort of Research Project Leaders will undergo a two-week bootcamp to provide the fundamental knowledge necessary to conduct research on SABV and successfully compete for NIH grants within two years. The training will include: (1) Didactic lectures on clinical and basic experimental approaches to SABV; (2) Hands-on training in the methodologies of sex difference research, including surgical gonadectomy, monitoring of the estrous cycle, and fluorescent in situ hybridization for determination of sex chromosomes; and (3) Mini-lectures by world-renowned experts on sex differences in eight major systems.
Workshops
To allow Research Project Leaders multiple opportunities to present their ongoing research and grant proposals and receive constructive criticism, TCESBM members will participate in a monthly SBM workshop. Trainees will be required to present their work-in-progress at least once a quarter, while TCESBM mentors will provide feedback.