Pediatric Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research Training Program
Award #: 1T32HL125241
| Predoc slots | 4 |
|---|---|
| Postdoc slots | 2 |
This training program is designed to attract and train both predoctoral and postdoctoral investigators in basic investigation of childhood diseases related to cardiovascular and pulmonary biology. The need for a training program in the cellular/molecular basis of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, especially of physician-scientists interested in childhood diseases, is based upon clear evidence of a small, national pool of such individuals as faculty or trainees.
Our program is designed to address this need from two important perspectives
- to allow pediatric and other clinical fellows, with an interest in basic research, to develop research competence and career training;
- to attract and train talented basic scientists to study mechanisms related to childhood diseases.
In addition to continuing our strong training in developmental/cell biology and the molecular basis of disease, our program takes advantage of institutional strengths in genetics, stem cell biology, genomics and bioinformatics — all of which are components of the foundation of modern research. We have adopted a training curriculum for four postdoctoral and two predoctoral fellows with an uninterrupted two to three year block of full-time investigation. This is combined with an integrated and multidisciplinary set of didactic seminars, journal clubs, and formal courses that are selected by the trainee in consultation with the mentor/program administrators to provide individualized education in key aspects of cardiopulmonary development and disease.
Our objectives are:
- to provide extensive mentoring to the trainee for career development and for developing independent research plans that focus on pediatric diseases;
- to promote training in basic cell and molecular biology, genomics, and bioinformatics together with clinical translational research;
- to guide the trainees’ development so that, after the completion of training, successful competition for independent funding is likely.