This application requests support for the Vanderbilt Childhood Infections Research Program (ChIRP) a new postdoctoral scientist training program in basic and clinical-translational science for MD and MD/PhD clinical fellows in Pediatric Infectious Diseases and PhD postdoctoral scientists. The goal of the Vanderbilt ChIRP is to train and foster the careers of future leaders in academic biomedical science who are committed to research relevant to infections of children. There is no training program at Vanderbilt focused on the childhood infections, and ChIRP establishes a unique training niche for future basic and clinical investigators. This application proposes an innovative program that uses both 1) mentored research training and 2) Peer Mentoring and Training (PMT), a novel program that will partner clinical fellows and postdoctoral scientists to facilitate cross-disciplinary (Med-Grad, Grad-Med) training and experience. ChIRP-PMT training will result in basic scientists with training and in-depth understanding of clinical infectious disease, as well as clinical-translational investigators with a broad knowledge of the basic mechanisms of microbial pathogenesis. Key elements of the training program will be the use of primary mentors, individual development plans, and mentoring committees charged with regular review of scientific progress and career development. The assembled group of faculty mentors has been selected based on demonstrated research excellence, as well as long-term success in training of postdoctoral scientists and clinical fellows for research careers. The investigators hold primary appointments in the Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, and Preventive Medicine and together hold ~$34 million in extramural funding. Training in responsible conduct of research will be incorporated throughout the training term and will establish competencies in emerging areas such as high-biosafety containment, dual-use research, and research ethics in international collaborations. The applicant pool results from recruiting efforts focused on MD and MD/PhD Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellow candidates and from PhD and MD/PhD postdoctoral scientists who apply to individual labs and through novel programs such as the Vanderbilt Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. Recruiting will emphasize clinical fellows and postdoctoral candidates from groups underrepresented in research. The proposal requests funded positions for two postdoctoral trainees each year, with four trainees total in the program during each year after year 1. The goal of ChIRP is to train one clinical fellow and one postdoctoral scientist per year, and to establish a group of clinical and postdoctoral scientists committed to an integrated faculty-and-peer mentoring research culture and experience. This request for support for ChIRP is based on the strength of the applicant pool, exceptional opportunities for training scientists in childhood infections, and an institutional commitment to the education of leaders in research in childhood infections. Relevance: The broad significance of this program will be realized through the academic and scholarly accomplishments of the trainees and discoveries of basic disease mechanisms and translational-clinical results directly relevant prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.

Public Health Relevance

This application proposes a new T32 'Childhood Infections Research Program' (ChIRP). The goal of the program is to train postdoctoral scientists in areas of microbial pathogenesis and infectious diseases of children. The application proposes an innovative program that allows joint training of clinical ID fellows and postdoctoral scientists, resulting in investigators who are able to perform high impact research and train the next generation of scientists.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Institutional National Research Service Award (T32)
Project #
5T32AI095202-05
Application #
8857364
Study Section
Microbiology and Infectious Diseases B Subcommittee (MID)
Program Officer
Coomes, Stephanie
Project Start
2011-08-01
Project End
2016-04-30
Budget Start
2015-08-01
Budget End
2016-04-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
004413456
City
Nashville
State
TN
Country
United States
Zip Code
37240
Lopez, Christopher A; Skaar, Eric P (2018) The Impact of Dietary Transition Metals on Host-Bacterial Interactions. Cell Host Microbe 23:737-748
Katz, Sophie E; Williams, Derek J (2018) Pediatric Community-Acquired Pneumonia in the United States: Changing Epidemiology, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges, and Areas for Future Research. Infect Dis Clin North Am 32:47-63
Huerta, Luis E; Nelson, George E; Stewart, Thomas G et al. (2018) Factors associated with recurrence and mortality in central line-associated bloodstream infections: a retrospective cohort study. Crit Care 22:266
McKown, Andrew C; Huerta, Luis E; Rice, Todd W et al. (2018) Heterogeneity of Treatment Effect by Baseline Risk in a Trial of Balanced Crystalloids versus Saline. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 198:810-813
Huerta, Luis E; Wanderer, Jonathan P; Ehrenfeld, Jesse M et al. (2018) Validation of a Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score using Electronic Health Record Data. J Med Syst 42:199
Frazier, S Barron; Katz, Sophie; Wood, James B et al. (2018) An Unusual Source of Sepsis in Two Previously Healthy Children. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 57:1120-1122
Howard, Leigh M; Hoek, Kristen L; Goll, Johannes B et al. (2017) Cell-Based Systems Biology Analysis of Human AS03-Adjuvanted H5N1 Avian Influenza Vaccine Responses: A Phase I Randomized Controlled Trial. PLoS One 12:e0167488
Galassie, Allison C; Goll, Johannes B; Samir, Parimal et al. (2017) Proteomics show antigen presentation processes in human immune cells after AS03-H5N1 vaccination. Proteomics 17:
Kothary, Vishesh; Doster, Ryan S; Rogers, Lisa M et al. (2017) Group B Streptococcus Induces Neutrophil Recruitment to Gestational Tissues and Elaboration of Extracellular Traps and Nutritional Immunity. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 7:19
Wood, James B; Jones, Lauren S; Soper, Nicole R et al. (2017) Commercial Intravenous Immunoglobulin Preparations Contain Functional Neutralizing Antibodies against the Staphylococcus aureus Leukocidin LukAB (LukGH). Antimicrob Agents Chemother 61:

Showing the most recent 10 out of 43 publications