# Training in Host-Pathogen Interactions

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK · 2021 · $194,920

## Abstract

The Training Program in Host-Pathogen Interactions (HPI) has supported four (4) predoctoral
students per year in the areas of microbial pathogenesis and host defense for the past 9 years.
This renewal application seeks to continue our success at this same level and will build upon the
many strengths that have been developed at UMCP over these first two funding periods. Our now
29 training faculty are remarkably interactive, allowing our trainees to be exposed to a variety of
diverse research techniques and approaches. Multi-disciplinary methodologies to pathogen
research will be emphasized to take advantage of our widespread expertise in diverse research
areas including biomaterials and nanosciences, computational biology and genomics,
microbiology and immunology, and microbial pathogenesis. Trainees in the HPI program will be
exposed to a variety of career alternatives, and attend panels and workshops from previous
trainees and other professionals who have positions in academia, government, biotech, scientific
review, intellectual property, science writing, and entrepreneurship. The didactic component of
this training program is organized through the Biological Sciences Training Program (BISI) and
the research program is guided by a highly qualified team including the Training Program Co-
Directors, an Internal Steering Committee, and an Outside Advisory Committee comprised of
experts in bacterial pathogenesis, host defense and T32 administration. Predoctoral students are
selected for this program from a large and increasingly qualified applicant pool. Of the 18 trainees
supported by the HPI Training Program over the last 5 years, two (2) are from underrepresented
populations (11%), and 9/18 trainees (50%) were women. Outcomes of these trainees have been
outstanding, with an average of 4 papers per trainee. For the 7 who defended their PhD, the
average is 5 papers each and all are now in postdoctoral fellowships (6) or research education
(1). Of the 29 faculty trainers, 2 are from underrepresented populations (7%) and 6 are women
(21%). This HPI training program takes advantage of the close proximity of UMCP to the NIH,
FDA, WRAIR, and the Department of Homeland Security and we have sent students into
laboratories from all of these institutions to learn techniques. Finally, our trainees present their
research at local, national, and international meetings. Thus, the Training Program in Host-
Pathogen Interactions plays a key role in the continued development of HPI at the University of
Maryland, College Park.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10270658
- **Project number:** 2T32AI089621-11
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
- **Principal Investigator:** VINCENT T LEE
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $194,920
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2010-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10270658

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10270658, Training in Host-Pathogen Interactions (2T32AI089621-11). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10270658. Licensed CC0.

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