The fundamental objective of our Trauma Research Training Program is to prepare surgical trainees for future basic investigation of the pathogenesis of organ dysfunction following severe injury. A secondary objective is to inspire surgical trainees to pursue an academic career in trauma surgery. The rationale for this Program is the fact that trauma continues to be the leading cause of death in the US between the ages of 1-45 years, and the societal costs attributed to trauma exceed those of cancer and heart disease. The design of the Program is a full-time commitment to basic investigation conducted primarily in two well-established surgery laboratories (The University of Colorado Denver) supplemented with related clinical research in a regional Level 1 Trauma Center (Denver Health and Hospital Authority). Relevant experiments will be performed in additional laboratories that focus on characterizing lipids and proteomics. The principal animal model will consist of hemorrhagic shock and tissue injury, and the basic investigation will include therapeutic modulation of inflammation. The fellow will commence their participation in the Program typically after their third year of surgical training (PGY 3), and will be dedicated exclusively to the Program for two years. We are requesting funding for four positions, sequenced so that there are first year and second year fellows assigned to each of the core laboratories.
Trauma due to mechanical injury consumes more societal resources than cancer and heart disease. The primary objective of our Program is to prepare and inspire surgery trainees to pursue professional careers that encompass basic investigation of the fundamental mechanisms responsible for death and disability following trauma.
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