Project Summary/Abstract The School of Medicine (Departments of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Cell Biology & Physiology,) and the College of Arts and Sciences (Department of Biology) request 5 years of support to jointly train predoctoral students for 2 years in mechanistic, interdisciplinary studies of biological systems (MiBio). MiBio is built on the foundation of a highly collaborative and accomplished faculty that employs multi-disciplinary approaches. The MiBio training plan provides students with a variety of experiences to enrich the breadth and rigor of their scientific training. Students will receive in-depth training in scientific writing and criticism, participate in a retreat that will act as a forum for sharing research progress and sparking collaboration, and plan a themed symposium to develop trainees' leadership skills and provide the opportunity to interact with the nation's top scientists. We have developed novel platforms for trainees to better navigate the otherwise-overwhelming breadth available in UNC departmental seminar series and to maximize the efficiency of information transfer on cutting edge techniques, while empowering students. UNC attracts an outstanding cadre of trainee candidates interested in biochemistry, cellular, and molecular biology. The long-term goal of MiBio is to help these trainees realize their full potential as innovative and sophisticated leaders in their fields.