Multidisciplinary Pulmonary and Critical Care Research Training Program

University Of Utah, Salt Lake City UT

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a new application for a T32 award to support a Multidisciplinary Training Program in Pulmonary and Critical Care Research at the University of Utah School of Medicine. The University of Utah has a long and distinguished history in pulmonary and critical care science and training. The faculty for this training program will consist of 20 senior scientists drawn from the Departments of Medicine, Human Genetics, Pediatrics and Anesthesia. It includes basic researchers in pulmonary and critical care, clinical researchers, basic researchers whose work is relevant to, but outside, the pulmonary community, and human genetics. These faculty members have a strong history of collaboration and of training young investigators. Many have been integrally involved in translational and cross-disciplinary research projects. This program will provide support for 4 trainee positions (M.D. or PhD) for postdoctoral training. Trainees will commit a minimum of 2 years to the training program. Trainees will be recruited from the Pulmonary Division fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, from the Division of Neonatology fellowship program or from individuals in the research programs of individual mentors. Trainees may elect either a basic research pathway or clinical research pathway. On both pathways, key components of the Training Program include a mentored individual research project, didactic courses directly relevant to the trainee's chosen field and additional courses intended to broaden the trainee's research perspective. Trainees on the clinical research pathway will be enrolled in the Masters of Science in Clinical Investigation degree program. All trainees will take courses to enhance opportunities for long term success in a research career (Scientific Writing, Grant Writing) and in the Responsible Conduct of Research. Each trainee will have an individual mentorship committee composed of the mentor and, at minimum, a basic investigator, a clinical researcher and a human geneticist. An important role of these committees will be to constantly expose the trainees to multidisciplinary approaches to key problems. Based on the special institutional strengths at the University of Utah, trainees will have extensive opportunities to develop useful competencies in genetics, systems biology and biomedical informatics, geriatrics and neonatology. The Training Program will be led by a Program Director, who will be supported by a multidisciplinary Executive Committee from within the Program faculty. Our program will equip young scientists to pursue the new biology of pulmonary and critical care medicine in the future, with emphasis on translational science flowing from new discoveries and multidisciplinary approaches to complex problems.