Training in Translating Neuroscience to Therapies

The TTNT program trains postdoctoral fellows and upper level graduate students how to translate basic discoveries from the laboratory bench to therapeutics for neurological disorders. Trainees come from a range of disciplines in the biomedical sciences related to neuroscience, cell biology, chemistry, genetics, neuroengineering and others. Achieving the goal of the program requires training the next generation of scientists who are equipped with the skill set needed to: 1) appreciate and be able to conduct disease relevant basic research, 2) ask pertinent questions, 3) design and conduct rigorous experiments to address hypotheses, 4) have the know-how to translate preclinical findings to clinical applications or find a way to collaborate with clinical researchers, 5) network with industry that can help accelerate discoveries from academia to larger clinical trials, and 6) understand the regulatory principles and requirements to get a discovery to clinical testing and eventually available to patients globally.

Faculty preceptors come from over 12 academic departments across Rutgers and bring a multidisciplinary expertise ranging from medicinal chemistry, molecular studies with RNA, CRISPR, nanotechnology, structural biology, iPSCs, small model organisms, various disease and injury models in rodents, neurodevelopment, microbiome, healthful brain aging, and pharmacological studies. Topics of research include Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, neuromuscular diseases, spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain Injury, autism, pain, schizophrenia, and other neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental conditions and disorders.

Trainees combine course work on topics such as biostatistics, drug development, grant writing, and science communication with direct clinical experience, trial development and execution. Experiential learning component includes apprenticeships with the Rutgers Technology Transfer Office, the New Jersey Academic Drug Discovery Consortium, as well as intellectual property and venture capital experts.