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The term neglected diseases refers to all human diseases in which there is little or no commercial interest. Western pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies believe that they cannot recover an income from those diseases commensurate with the development costs. In practice, neglected diseases predominantly affect the populations in the developing world. We foresee that diseases neglected by the west can become commercially viable targets for emerging economies like Malaysia, if they can deploy a less expensive but technically sophisticated work force to do development at a cost that moves many diseases out of the neglected category.
With this vision in mind, the Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation has entered into a partnership with the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3) to start an exciting new training program to train outstanding Malaysian researchers who will both help developing nations and create biotechnology jobs for Malaysians.
Purpose
Our purpose is to train scientists who eventually will conduct research in Malaysia and be leaders in the field of developing drugs and/or diagnostics for neglected diseases. During the course of the program, the trainees will conduct research projects with QB3 faculty and participate in courses, seminars and symposia at UCSF. A common criticism of sending Malaysians abroad for access to sophisticated and cutting-edge training is that they cannot return to an intellectual environment equivalent to the one they left. This program is fundamentally different. All the students in this program go to the same institution, QB3, where they will form networks with each other as well as QB3 scientists. After training, all the students will return as staff to the same institution, the new National Institute for Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals. In this way the trainees should be able to take back home with them the culture they have been exposed to. That culture, QB3, emphasizes awareness of the problems of the developing world and at the same time the need to solve those problems through entrepreneurship and commercialization, rather than relying exclusively on philanthropy.
What does the program provide?
The Ph.D. student support is renewable for up to 5 years (upon a showing of satisfactory progress toward receipt of the Ph.D. degree). Postdoctoral fellows will usually only be supported for three years. The support will include:
What is the Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (Biotech Corp)?
Biotech Corp is a Malaysian agency established to act as a one-stop-centre to nurture and accelerate the growth of Malaysian biotechnology companies and to create a conducive environment for biotechnology.
Further details on Biotech Corp can be found at: http://www.biotechcorp.com.my.
What is the National Institute for Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals?
The National Institute of Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals is one of the newly established key institutes that will drive the healthcare biotechnology initiatives under the Malaysian Biotechnology Policy. The role of the institute is to jump-start and sustain the global competitiveness of the Malaysian biopharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.
Eligibility
Who can apply?
Candidates can apply for the postgraduate (Ph.D.)-level training program or the postdoctoral training program. Candidates must be Malaysian nationals or permanent residents and be committed to returning to Malaysia after the training period is over. Candidates must have a strong commitment to translational research and to the advancement of Biotechnology in Malaysia.
Candidates for the Ph.D.-level training program should hold an undergraduate/ bachelor’s degree or a M.Sc in biological sciences, engineering, computer sciences, biochemistry, biophysics, biotechnology, medicine or related disciplines. To give maximuml flexibility to the program, the Ph.D. students will not get their degrees from QB3 but from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The thesis defense will occur in Malaysia but be attended by the QB3 mentor.
Candidates who have already started their Ph.D. studies in another university are permitted to transfer to conduct some or all of their remaining research at QB3. However, since they will be getting their Ph.D. from the institution at which they launched their Ph.D. studies, the transfer must have the approval of the home institution.
Candidates for the postdoctoral program should have a Ph.D. or M.D. in the disciplines described above. Unlike the postgraduate level program, there is greater flexibility in when postdoctoral candidates will begin their training program and also the period of time that they will conduct research at QB3. While the first round of candidates will be considered at the end of the application deadline, future candidates or candidates who are not ready to begin their postdoctoral training are also encouraged to enquire about future possibilities.
How will candidates be selected?
We are looking for candidates who have:
Application Process
How to apply
Please submit the following materials (only PDF documents, Microsoft Word documents, or faxes are acceptable):
Application deadline is 12pm (Malaysia Time) on February 15, 2007.
All application materials must be e-mailed or faxed to:
QB3-Malaysia Program Assistant: Malaysia@ucsf.edu, or
QB3-Malaysia Program Assistant: (Fax number: 00-1-415-514-4661)
(No application will be accepted by regular mail.)
FAQ
What is the goal of the program?
The goal of this program is to produce a cadre of faculty members for the National Institute of Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals (NIPN). Both the graduate students and postdocs that come through this program are expected to start a research program in the NIPN. The students will be registered in a Malaysian University and defend their thesis there, but will conduct their research with a QB3 mentor as a visiting scholar. All trainees come fully funded, with additional support for the lab.
What are the benefits of being a mentor to the students?
The salary for the trainees is fully covered from Malaysia. In addition, they bring $20,000 per annum in consumable cost and $20,000 in discretionary funds per annum.
What is expected from the mentors?
Each student will be matched with a QB3 faculty mentor, who will be the student’s primary thesis advisors. The mentor will prepare the trainees at both Ph.D. and postdoctoral levels to become independent scientists when their training is over in order to take up a faculty position in the NIPN.
What kind of research project is expected?
Mentors should provide the students with a research project that they can continue in Malaysia and hopefully continue to maintain a mentoring relationship with the students after the program is over. The research project should be relevant to the development of drugs and diagnostics for neglected diseases.
Who would handle admissions?
Admissions will be jointly coordinated between the Director of the NIPN and QB3 faculty members. Recruitment is currently under way.
How will the students and mentors select each other as compatible matches?
Applicants are invited to choose preferred faculty members from the list in the application form, but their final assignment will be determined later. After the students have arrived, they will discuss potential research projects with various QB3 faculty members before selecting a research project. We expect that there will be a "trial" period for both the faculty and the students to change their minds about the research project and mutual compatibility.
Who would review the thesis? What if the Malaysian University does not like the project?
Every year, the students will return to Malaysia for an "Annual Symposia" to present their research. This also serves also as way for the Malaysian funders to gauge the success of the program. Presentations at the Annual Symposia will also serve as a review of the thesis by the Malaysian University.
Who would be the thesis advisor?
The primary thesis advisor will be the QB3 mentor.
What would the status of the students be at UC?
We expect the students and postdocs to be enrolled as visiting scholars.
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