Biomedical Alcohol Research Training Program

Lsu Health Sciences Center, New Orleans LA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Biomedical Alcohol Research Training Program will prepare pre- and post-doctoral PhD, or combined MD/PhD candidates, and postdoctoral fellows with MD, DVM and/or PhD degrees for research careers focused on the biomedical consequences of alcohol consumption and abuse. Through joint efforts, Core and Support Faculty from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Schools of Medicine and Public Health, and Tulane School of Public Health, and National Primate Research Center will participate in interdisciplinary training and mentoring on diverse areas of alcohol research, and specialty training including experimental design and statistical analysis, use of animals in research, and translational approaches. Trainees will pursue alcohol research projects under four interrelated themes 1) Alcohol/HIV Disease; 2) Alcohol/ Neuro-immune-modulation; 3) Alcohol/Stem Cell and Progenitor Cell Biology; and 4) Alcohol/ Neurobehavioral interactions. The Training Program is designed to develop trainee's technical, analytical, and communication skills that will allow them to advance knowledge by conducting hypotheses-driven mechanistic research on the biomedical consequences of alcohol consumption and abuse. Using rodent, non-human primate models, as well as clinical and translational approaches; trainees will have a broad range of scientific areas to provide opportunities for research training. Didactic and educational programs including the study of responsible conduct of research will integrate pre- and post-doctoral trainee development. Participation in a professional development program that is designed to increase their knowledge base in the alcohol research field, understanding of experimental design and analysis, grantsmanship, institutional requirement to conduct research as well as their written and oral communication skills will further enrich their training experienc. Five pre-doctoral trainees in the PhD, or MD, PhD combined program, and 4 postdoctoral fellows (MD, DVM and/or PhD) will be in the Program each year. Particular emphasis will be placed in recruitment of outstanding candidates for the combined MD, PhD program. Furthermore, efforts to continue our recruitment, mentoring, and retention of fellows from diverse cultural, ethnic, and training background, particularly those that are under-represented in the biomedical research field will be emphasized. The goal of the program is to provide mentorship and focused training so that emerging MD and PhD scientists can become familiar with the biomedical problems related to alcohol consumption and acquire the tools to do high quality, competitive research.