The long standing goals of this training grant are to provide support and training to highly motivated predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers in the field of endocrinology and related subjects dealing with all aspects of hormone biology at the physiological, cellular and molecular levels. We endeavor to provide our trainees with a broad intellectual background that includes coursework, experimental expertise, seminars and career advice. The program is aided by our outstanding training faculty and the rich research infrastructure at Columbia University. The training faculty are highly collaborative and have considerable research experience exploring the mechanisms of steroid, retinoid, thyroid and polypeptide hormones as well as the paracrine interactions associated with growth factors, cytokines and important signaling transduction pathways in diverse experimental systems. We continually update our training faculty to reflect the evolving trends in research and the changing Columbia faculty base. This training program has been in effect for 36 years and the accomplishments of our trainees during this time have been outstanding, with many of them currently holding NIH funded tenure track faculty positions. During the past cycle (2010-2014), we funded 15 predoctoral students and 10 postdoctoral fellows on the training grant. The recently funded trainees have all been extremely productive in their research programs. All of the previous trainees continue to pursue science related careers. Most of our postdoctoral fellows have attained individual research grants. With the recently expanded NIDDK F31 program, we will also be working with our predoctoral trainees to apply for individual NRSA funding. Overall, the training program emphasizes excellence in scholarship and research. We have also added a component of career advising. In addition, participation in the program exposes trainees from diverse disciplines to practical applications in endocrinology and highlights translational aspects of their research. Due to the steadily increasing demand for training grant slots, we are requesting additional positions to accommodate our highly qualified applicants. We continue to work with our fellows to help them achieve success in their current and future research careers.