This training grant will support 17 graduate students usually for their first two years. The goal of this program is to give the students the widest possible education in genetics and provide opportunities to work in many of the major areas of genetics research, including plant, microbial, yeast, Drosophila, C. elegans, Zebrafish, human genetics, genomics and bioinformatics and other areas. The Training Grant sponsors regular genetics research presentations by more senior graduate students and three student-invited outside genetics seminar speakers. Students are selected for the grant before matriculating on the basis of their interests and their agreement to take an introductory and an advanced genetic course. Their progress is followed by faculty advisors who are members of the Training Grant and by the Director this Grant. These students will be part of the Biological and Biomedical Sciences program which includes the following components: 1) Advising throughout their graduate career by a faculty member of the Training Grant; 2) a set of four core courses in genetics and other core subjects, a critical reading course, and advanced courses. The total required number of courses is 8; 3) a regular fall poster session, regular faculty talks, student-organized fall retreat, Mini-Symposia on specialized topics and Departmental activities all of which introduce students to the range of lab research subjects available; 4) a program and course in Conduct of Science and a seminar speaker on social issues in genetics; 5) laboratory rotations during the first 12 months allowing students to try out three labs; 6) forums on careers in academic science and in alternative careers; 7) a qualifying examination and a thesis advisory committee to follow the progress of the student; 8) regular seminars on genetic subjects in Medical School basic science Departments.