The goal of this Chemistry-Biology Interface (CBI) Predoctoral Program is to provide multi-disciplinary education for a talented group of students to enable them to apply the mechanistic and synthetic approaches of chemistry to important biological problems. This Program involves outstanding faculty members, from 6 academic units at the University of Delaware, who represent the diverse disciplines of biochemistry, biochemical engineering, bio-organic chemistry, molecular biology, biology, bio-analytical chemistry, structural biology, bio- inorganic chemistry and marine biology. The faculty trainers, all of whom have active research programs, represent a mixture of promising new investigators and established scientists experienced in educating graduate students. Trainees will be selected from a pool of superior students, with varied undergraduate backgrounds, on the basis of GRE scores, grade point averages, recommendation letters, prior research experience and personal interviews. Students will be admitted into the existing graduate programs in Chemistry and Biochemistry, or in Chemical Engineering and will satisfy the requirements for the Chemistry-Biology Interface Program, as well as for the relevant departmental program. The CBI Program will feature laboratory rotations to facilitate exposure of each student to a variety of research areas. At least five one-semester courses (which can be used toward meeting the departmental requirements) will be selected from a broad range of graduate courses in 6 departments. A course on Scientific Integrity and Ethical Principles in Research, and a multi-disciplinary CBI seminar will also be required, in addition to attendance at more specialized seminars within sub- disciplines of the participating departments. An intense research experience will culminated in a dissertation which presents a significant original contribution to field at the interface of chemistry and biology. The progress of students will be closely monitored by the faculty. The Program will seek guidance periodically from an external Scientific Advisory Board of 3 prominent scientists from academia and industry. As a result of this graduate program, students will acquire a broad background in the fundamentals of biochemistry, chemistry and molecular biology, as well as detailed expertise in the specific area of their research project. This training will equip them to be leaders in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, or in academic institutions in Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Molecular Biology, or Pharmacology Departments.