The Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) and the Center for innovative Ventures of Emerging Technologies (CIVET) have been awarded a second 3-year $399,798 training grant from the U.S. Department of Education program of Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN). The award entitled, "Graduate Training in Emerging Areas of Human Relevant Microphysiological Systems" will provide 3 full graduate fellowships per year for the next 3 years. The main objectives of the program are: 1) to continue to build a vibrant and sustained graduate training program with strong emphasis on cutting-edge research and research translation, and 2) to ensure that our research thrusts are leading edge and integrative so that we develop a distinct breed of professionals that can capitalize on the latest scientific findings and translate them into technological developments in areas such as microscale engineering of human physiological systems, or "Human-on-a-Chip." In this regard, numerous federal agencies (NIH, NSF, DARPA, EPA, etc.), and industry as a whole, have identified a critical need for improved microfabricated physiologic systems to predict efficacy, safety, and toxicology outcomes for candidate therapeutics, and to serve as enhanced disease model systems for basic and applied research. Professor Martin Yarmush serves as principal investigator of both GAANN Programs.