The University of Maryland Center for Vaccine Development

Training

Vaccinology Training Grant

Over the past two decades, new techniques in recombinant DNA and biotechnology have offered unprecedented opportunities for the development of new vaccines, one of the most cost effective approaches in preventive medicine. This NIH-funded program allows individuals with M.D. or Ph.D. degrees to be prepared specifically for careers in vaccinology, either to pursue basic vaccine development research or to conduct investigative clinical trials.

The training program in vaccinology offers to all trainees a broad exposure to both the laboratory and clinical trial phases of vaccinology, but is set up as two tracks so that each trainee will gain more intensive experience in either the laboratory or the clinical aspects of vaccinology, depending upon which track they choose.

The laboratory track allows the training of basic scientists and physician/scientists in vaccine development laboratory research, particularly in the use of recombinant DNA technology to prepare new vaccine candidates and the use of modern immunological techniques to study the human humoral and cellular immune response to different vaccines.

The clinical track trains clinicians (internists or pediatricians) in clinical trial design, protocol preparation, procurement of administrative and ethical clearances, performance of clinical trials and analysis of data. The ultimate goal of this training program is to provide a well-trained cadre of individuals who can fully exploit the unprecedented opportunities now available in vaccine development.

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