Neuroscience Research Education Program

Northwestern University At Chicago, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

There is a critical need for clinician-scientists possessing the medical training and research experience to conduct basic, clinical and translational research on the mechanisms and treatment of neurological disorders. This Neuroscience Research Education Program at Northwestern (UE5) is designed to foster the development of clinician neuroscientists in the Departments of Neurology, Pediatrics (Neurology Division), Neurosurgery, Neuropathology, Neuroradiology, and PM&R at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine (NUFSM). The primary goal of the UE5 is to prepare clinician-scientists to compete successfully for individual fellowships and mentored career development awards that will enhance their ability to become independent investigators. We have demonstrated success in mentorship of our prior trainees in the R25 program. One trainee is currently in the last year of his residency and just beginning in the laboratory. 5 of our other 8 trainees supported by the R25 program successfully obtained NIH K awards, and 2 others have K award submissions that are currently pending. The only trainee who does not have a K grant awarded or pending has an Elterman Research Award from the Child Neurology Foundation. Trainees will be selected from the pool of residents in participating Departments, and an individual training plan will be created for each trainee. The training team will consist of the Primary Mentor and collaborating faculty with direct supervision and oversight by the Program Directors. The primary metric for evaluation of the program will be the success of trainees in receiving career development awards and ultimately continuing with academic careers. The quality of the program will continue to be evaluated on a regular basis and improvements will be made as needed. Specifically, we propose to: 1. Increase the size of the pool of physician-scientists recruited into Departments participating in the UE5 program. 2. Annually recruit into the UE5 program residents who demonstrate aptitude, interest and experience in neuroscience research. 3. Implement a research training curriculum for the UE5 trainees that prepares them to compete successfully for major individual funding awards. The program will continue to utilize established programs and institutional resources at Northwestern in conjunction with mentoring teams comprised of a primary Mentor, collaborating faculty and the M-PIs. 4. Enhance the opportunity for trainees within the UE5 program to interact with other physician-scientists and utilize additional existing research mentorship opportunities available at Northwestern. 5. Conduct an ongoing evaluation of the UE5 program.