Vanderbilt Interdisciplinary Training Program in Alzheimer's Disease

Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

This proposal is a renewal of a successful T32 training program entitled “Vanderbilt Interdisciplinary Training Program in Alzheimer’s Disease.” This training program provides robust interdisciplinary, translational research training for biomedical PhD students and post-doctoral fellows in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The program capitalizes on the rich institutional resources of Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Meharry Medical College and the interdisciplinary research strengths of our training faculty. Established in 2018, this T32 program aims to position the next generation of basic, translational, and clinical scientists to advance towards independence while making major contributions to the understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and its intersection with neurodegeneration and concomitant pathologies that contribute to clinical manifestation and decline (e.g., cerebral small vessel disease). During the initial award cycle, we established our training curriculum, built awareness of our program across campus (resulting in a steady growth of competitive nominations), and appointed 20 total trainees (9 PhD students, 11 post-doctoral fellows). Trainee outcomes are strong with all program graduates retained in aging or neuroscience research-related careers and 7 trainees receiving independent funding. Concurrent with the launch of this T32 training program, we also launched our new National Institute on Aging-funded Vanderbilt Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. This new Center grant has resulted in extensive expansion of our Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research activities and increased the richness of our institutional infrastructure, data resources, intellectual neighborhood, and training opportunities. Finally, we have established a new and innovative diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice curriculum that will be integrated through all aspects of this T32 training program in the upcoming cycle. This curriculum fosters the development of cultural competence, consideration of relevant biological and intersectional variables, recruitment and selection bias, and transparency in reporting to promote more equitable research. Through individualized mentorship from faculty and peer networks, an integrated curriculum, and involvement in cutting-edge research, our program will continue to emphasize basic science and clinical fundamentals of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Trainees will continue to develop essential research and professional skills for building a successful career along with a deep appreciation for rigor, reproducibility, and responsible conduct of research. Participation in a high-quality interdisciplinary research experience will synthesize the trainees’ knowledge base, research and professional skill set, and appreciation of research ethics. Each trainee’s individualized training plan will be augmented by additional institutional and programmatic resources to foster academic excellence and scientific innovation during these early, formative periods of professional development.