Search

Although doctoral students in the biomedical sciences have been recognized as a population at particular risk for mental health problems such as burnout and depression, little research has been conducted to identify candidate targets for intervention. To this end, we used the stress process model to evaluate potential mediators of stress-burnout and stress-depression relationships in biomedical doctoral students. A cross-sectional sample (n = 69) completed validated self-report measures of stress; symptoms of burnout and depression; and perceptions of mastery, social support, and advisor support. In linear regression models, we found that academic stressors were most predictive of burnout, whereas family/monetary stressors were most predictive of depression. In mediation models, we found that the relationship between stress and burnout was partially mediated by mastery and advisor support, while the stress-depression relationship was partially mediated by mastery. These findings represent a first step in identifying interventional targets to improve mental health in this at-risk population. Whereas certain stressors are inherent to the doctoral training environment, psychosocial interventions to enhance one's sense of mastery and/or to improve advisor relationships may mitigate the influence of such stressors on burnout and depression.

Although burnout and mental health problems may adversely impact quality of scientific research, academic productivity, and attrition in biomedical doctoral training programs, very little research has been done on this topic. Recent studies have used brief survey methods to begin to explore burnout and mental health problems in biomedical doctoral students. In this pilot study, biomedical doctoral students (N = 69; 12% of enrolled biomedical doctoral students at a large research institution's school of medicine in the United States) were administered standardized psychiatric interviews and self-report questionnaires focused on dimensions of burnout, mental health symptoms, and academic outcomes. We discovered high levels of burnout, depression, and anxiety. Additionally, we identified that burnout was significantly associated with thoughts related to dropping out, subjective appraisal of employment opportunities, functional impairment due to a mental health problem, and having at least one current psychiatric disorder. These findings extend prior research indicating the presence of significant emotional health challenges doctoral students in biomedical graduate programs face involving high burnout and difficulties with the training environment. We outline several recommendations and next steps to programmatically understand and address these emerging emotional wellness concerns in biomedical doctoral students.

The structural and functional consequences of Glucose-regulated protein of 94 kDa (GRP94)- adenosine nucleotide reactions are examined and it is suggested that the primary mechanism of client protein release from GRP94 is independent of adenosine nucleotides. The critical signal in the GRP94- client protein dissociation reaction is suggested to be the alterations in client protein conformation or assembly state.

The structure/function relationships which define the molecular basis of the activity of GRP94, a resident glycoprotein of the mammalian endoplasmic reticulum lumen, was determined by a structural analysis of native GRP94. A discrete domain, representing amino acids 676-719, which controls dimerization and exhibits autonomous oligomerization activity, was identified. Structural studies of recombinant fusion protein constructs resulted in the identification of a 44 amino acid domain that had autonomous dimerization activity and conferred a highly elongated structure, characteristic of native GRP94, to the fusion protein.

In vitro analysis was employed to evaluate the influence of lumenal contents of the endoplasmic reticulum in protein translocation. There were two stages of the translocation process involving the depletion of the reticuloplasm. The first stage did not record any response to the depletion of the reticuloplasm, but the second showed change. The study proved that lumenal proteins are essential in the mammalian endoplasmic reticulum for the purposes of protein translocation.