? ? This research training grant in Sleep Medicine Neurobiology and Epidemiology at Case Western Reserve University produces research investigators and graduate students who demonstrate expertise in the design and implementation of studies on neurophysiology and clinical epidemiology. The program targets sleep and chronobiology, a multidisciplinary field without a major home academic department, and recruits and prepares trainees for competitive research careers in the field of sleep medicine. Recent and current trainees address issues of sleep's impact on cardiovascular disease, the forecasting of sleep stages in the neonate, the impact of sleep on elementary school education, and novel methods to quantify cardiopulmonary events in polysomnography. Kingman P. Strohl M.D. and a steering committee manages the program, approves admission to the program, and monitors trainees' progress using formative and trainee committee assessments. An emerging area of interest is functional genetics and the creation of a biologic map for sleep and its disorders and clinical epidemiology. We also have expertise in clinical decision-making and critical evaluation of educational interventions to transfer knowledge about sleep. The program utilizes 34 research mentors, trainers, and advisors in the School of Medicine, University Hospitals of Cleveland, and the Cleveland VA Medical Center, representing ten CWRU programs. The grant will support two post-graduate trainees, two graduate Ph.D. trainees, and two summer undergraduate students. Resources are requested for those with clinical doctoral degrees to enter a Master's Degree program (the CWRU Clinical Research Scholars Program) to rapidly develop high level skills while working on a primary research project. Each trainee will experience supervised, hands-on training with regular exposure to ethical and legal issues, grant preparation, and career development. While the degree-granting department determines course work and promotion of graduate trainees, a trainer/mentor from the Sleep Medicine Training Program is always a member of the Ph.D. committee. All trainees maintain a portfolio of work with self-assessments that forms one basis for bi-annual evaluation by the training committee. There are weekly seminars, and an annual retreat that includes outside advisors, consultants, and faculty. (END OF ABSTRACT) ? ?
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