Workshops

IPSTP students participate in this workshop during the summer and fall of their 3rd year to develop an F31 NRSA application. Many also use this training to prepare the written component of their dissertation proposal. Students attend weekly presentations led by IPSTP Preceptors, in which they learn how to articulate their research and training goals. An F31-funded former IPSTP student also participates in the workshop to provide peer-to-peer guidance. Each session addresses a research component and a training component needed for a complete application. Participants have weekly writing assignments, structured so that they systematically tackle the application.

The workshop culminates in a Mock Study Section where IPSTP faculty review the applications as if it were an NIH Fellowship Study Section. This experience gives students a glimpse into the grant review process and timely feedback that they can use to perfect their writing prior to submission.

This workshop will synergize with the MSU Superfund program and the Environmental and Integrative Toxicological Sciences Training Program. This collaborative workshop will expand the interdisciplinary nature of the training students receive in both programs and increase the breadth of the students' networks

The workshop will provide students with an immersive learning experience applying computational and modeling techniques to tackle common problems in pharmacology and toxicology. They will gain foundational skills in programming languages R and Python, as well as the use of high-performance computing for big data while working with real data. Through hands-on exercises, trainees will identify molecular signatures from datasets in public repositories and develop and apply molecular models of chemical and drug effects. These activities will equip students with the skills and knowledge to leverage computational techniques in their research activities.