May Xiong, assistant professor in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, has been selected as a participant for the 2011 Functional and Applied Genomics of Blood Disorders Program, a research career advanced training opportunity sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

The program assists junior faculty with grant writing skills and provides lectures on genomic, molecular, cell biology, and proteomic techniques. Participants learn hands-on bench research skills that can be utilized in functional and applied genomic research approaches to human blood diseases. The training consists of a two week training for two consecutive summers, a formal mentorship based on common research interests, and an annual workshop at NLHBI in Bethesda, Md. to promote networking, the sharing of research ideas, and establishment of long-term collaborations. Six such institutes have been established by NHLBI nationally. Xiong will attend the program on the campus of Georgia Health Sciences University from July 11-26, 2011.