If you dream of a career in public health, head to the Wadsworth Center in Albany in the US:-

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Smallpox, cholera, typhoid, tuberculosis, diphtheria — these are some diseases that became synonymous with death in the 19th century. When European scientists discovered a vaccine for diphtheria, New York state set up a laboratory in 1901 for its production and distribution. The lab, housed in a modest two-story building in Albany, metamorphosed into the Wadsworth Center, a leading research institute in the US today.

The centre, under the control of the New York state department of health, not only contributes to the management of epidemics but also undertakes investigations on environmental and biological issues related to human health. It is a big draw for students eager to build a career in the biological sciences or expertise in public health.

Being a research centre, the institute offers only masters and doctoral programmes. Students have to register with the State University of New York at Albany — commonly known as Suny — to get their degrees. For graduate courses, the institute runs two separate schools — a biomedical school and an environmental health school. The biomedical school has four major divisions. One works in the area of infectious diseases and the resistance mechanism of the human body. Another carries out research to understand the functions of a cell as well as the structure of molecules present in it. The other two divisions work on brain science and genetics.

The environmental health school has three divisions. One works in the area of environmental chemistry while the other two study the effect of hazardous chemicals on health.

Both the schools offer an MS and a PhD. However, the environmental health school offers a masters in public health. This is a professional degree designed to prepare graduates to tackle the problem of public health in real life.

To apply for the courses offered, students need to take Toefl and GRE. Aspirants must apply to Suny, Albany, as applications for the graduate and doctoral programmes are processed by the university rather than the Wadsworth Center. Students are selected on the basis of their academic and extra-curricular records, GRE and Toefl scores, and reference letters from previous teachers or advisors. Another criterion is an applicant’s area of interest. “If a student’s area of interest does not match with ours, his or her application is likely to be cancelled,” says Joachim Jaeger, a research scientist at the Wadsworth Center. Jaeger’s work revolves around DNA polymerase, an enzyme that helps in DNA replication in cells.

The institute receives applications from across the world, including India, Sri Lanka and China. About 6 per cent of the students who enrolled this year are Indian. “We would love to have more from India,” said Jaeger. “They are more motivated and hard working than an average American student. They also do well in courses and often secure top positions.”

To apply, students must have a background in life sciences. They must especially have knowledge in biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, molecular biology, biotechnology, bioinformatics and related subjects.

The bill :-
The tuition fee amounts to   approximately $5,000 per annum, and living expenses $8,400 per annum

The institute provides financial support in two ways. A student may earn a stipend from a scientist through his or her research project or through the university. In the case of the latter, the student needs to spend some time doing technical jobs. For example, Indrajit Lahiri of the biomedical school had to work in the photo illustration department to earn his stipend. Lahiri joined the institute after doing a B Tech in biotechnology from Calcutta.

“At times these jobs help in research,” says Purba Mukherjee, another student of the school. “I work on analysing electron microscopic images, which gives me a good exposure in electron microscopy. This may come handy in future studies.”

Several fellowships are available from the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), department of atomic energy (DAE) and other organisations. However, such federal scholarships are reserved for US citizens, informs Jaeger. The prestigious Axelrod fellowship is awarded to a limited number of masters students in the School of Public Health.

Among the unique facilities available at the institute is the microscopy and image reconstruction resource, which is sponsored by the NIH. This features advanced electron microscopes which can operate at very low temperatures and can be used to obtain a three-dimensional view of biological specimens.

The institute does not have its own residence halls. However, students get help in finding accommodation and other such issues. “There is an office which helps in this regard. Also, several clubs and communities make life more enjoyable,” says Mukherjee. “There is a good number of Indian students who are really helpful. This makes things easier for students from India,” says Sneha Rangarajan, another student who came from Mumbai after finishing her masters in biochemistry.

However, staying off-campus means that you may often be faced with a commuting problem — the public transport system in Albany is not as efficient as in other cities such as New York. So getting a car and learning to drive becomes essential to commute from your residence to the institute. Another problem is that the institute is not contained within a single campus — the two buildings are located far away from each other. Shuttle buses are available, but are not frequent and the service stops at three o’clock in the afternoon. “It is difficult to go to another building after 3pm in case of an emergency,” rues Lahiri.

In keeping with the nature of the institute — which was set up to solve public health problems and is run by the department of health — researchers have to get into action in case there is an emergency. “Some labs have to be used for the greater good, so one’s own research may be suspended,” says Jaeger. “But it is not as bad as it sounds.”

Of course, that brings a satisfaction beyond compare. For example, some of the researchers are currently working on the swine flu vaccine. “Maybe we will soon have an effective vaccine,” smiles Jaeger.
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.What’s HOT :-
Good funding, excellent facilities, federal tie ups, helpful Indian community

What’s NOT :-
No residence halls, inefficient public transport

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Fellowship: The prestigious Axelrod Fellowship is awarded to a limited number of masters students in the School of Public Health

Contact: Irina Khmelnitsky, director of academic programmes.

Email: ikhmelnitsky@uamail. albany.edu

Phone: (518) 402-0283

Address: Office of the Dean, School of Public Health, University at Albany, One University Place, Rensselaer, New York 12144-3456

Website: www.wadsworth.org

Source: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)