The Role of Hormones in Health and Disease

Dartmouth College, Hanover NH

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

This application requests continued support for a comprehensivetraining program in endocrinology and metabolism (ETP) that has been funded for 20 years. The purpose of this program is to train pre-doctoral fellows and postdoctoral fellows (M.D. and Ph.D.) in the fundamentals of cellular and molecular hormone . research and its application to medical practice. During the previously funded 10 years of this program 14of 17 participating faculty had at least one NRSA-supported trainee, and of these trainees, 75% are continuing in academic careers and 90% are still performing research.Two trainees have interrupted their research careers, one for health reasons, the other for family reasons. These program trainees are collectively responsible for co-authoring 170manuscripts, while trainees from the past 5 years have co-authored 125 manuscripts since leaving theprogram. Our improved endocrine program has droppedone faculty member with no RO1 funding (Dr. Maue), but added three more (Drs. Beisswinger, Korc, and Sheldon), and therefore now includes 19 faculty from the Endocrine-Metabolism Divisions of Physiology, Medicine, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology. All are actively engaged in molecular and cellular research, and are members of endocrine research at Norris Cotton Cancer Center. Some are members of a newly invigorated DHMC Clinical EDM Fellowship Program. All are committed to preparing fellows for independent careers in endocrine research. Predoctoral Fellows are enrolled as Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. candidates in graduate programs of the departments of Physiology, Biochemistry, or Pharmacology. A new program In experimental and molecular medicine (PEMM) willalso start this year directedby our Drs. Korc and Galton, andwill provide an additional source of candidates for this ETP. Postdoctoral fellows are primarily engaged in research under the tutelage of one faculty member, overseen by the Director. Each fellow completes a course of scientific ethics, and has their education and experience broadened by regular interactions with faculty and other fellows through conferences, weekly seminars, a grantmanship course, and teaching. Individual needs areaddressed through specializedcourses. While the body of highly skilledphysicians/scientists made available to public healthcenters by this program Is expected to have asignificant impact on the delivery of effective patient care, the research being conductedby trainees carries thepromise of radicalnewtherapies for treating endocrine disorders and cancer. The ETP alsoprovides acenter for improved teaching and health delivery for Northern New England.