Hematology Training

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT The Hematology Research Training Program at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (Fred Hutch) is designed to provide intensive post-doctoral research training in investigative hematology. Although the program emphasizes cell and molecular biology, and has well-established strengths in stem cells, hematopoiesis, thrombosis, hemostasis, sickle cell disease, marrow failure, hematologic malignancies, immunotherapy, gene therapy, and hematopoietic cell transplantation; clinical research and outcomes investigation are also energetically supported and encouraged. Program faculty include established investigators with strong independent research programs from both basic science and clinical departments of the University of Washington and Fred Hutch. The faculty is based at the University of Washington campuses, the Fred Hutch clinical and research buildings, BloodWorks NW Research Institute, Washington Center for Bleeding Disorders (hemophilia 340B program site), Harborview Medical Center (safety-net hospital), and Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Institute. The goal of the training program is to develop the research, presentation, and grant-writing skills that trainees will need to establish independent research careers, and more specifically, to train future leaders in academic hematology and replenish the hematology workforce. Trainees have MD, MD/PhD, or PhD degrees. Many have completed clinical fellowship training in hematology, but others are basic researchers in hematology topics. Trainees are chosen through an application process and interviews with program faculty. They obtain research experience by working with a mentor, and gain skills in laboratory and/or clinical investigation, data analysis, publishing papers, presentation, and acquiring independent grant support. Bidirectional translational projects (bench to bedside and bedside to bench) are encouraged. Trainees typically receive two years of funding from the T32 program, but often continue their training longer under separate funding mechanisms, including K grants and foundation support. Training progress is monitored by the faculty mentor, a separate faculty advisor, the Program Directors, and the Division of Hematology and Oncology faculty through regular research presentations, meetings with each trainee, and written evaluations. Every six months, trainees update their individual development plan (IDP) and formally present their research progress and career goals to a Research Oversight Committee (ROC) consisting of the trainee’s mentors and the T32 PI. Consistent with our mission, 95% of trainees who completed our program over the past 10 years have academic medicine or industry research careers. Strengths of the program include: the diverse research opportunities, a prominent senior faculty, the inclusion and mentorship of talented junior faculty, the structured mentorship of trainees, the inclusion of underrepresented minority trainees, strong and varied didactic sessions, and a long track record spanning over five decades of training graduates that subsequently obtain academic or industry research positions and become independent, distinguished investigators and thought-leaders throughout hematology.