This is the first renewal application for the Vascular Surgery Research Training (VascTrain) Program. The VascTrain program was initially established in 2010 to enhance clinically relevant basic and translational research in vascular surgery trainees and nonclinician trainees with a specific interest in vascular disease and treatment. The program supports 3 training positions each year (6 total positions) with two positions designated for vascular surgery residents and the third position for a trainee from other surgical specialties or a nonMD post-doctoral fellow. The same number and distribution of positions is being requested in this renewal application. The training faculty is composed of 26 trainers from a number of Departments including Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Bioengineering, Medicine, Pathology, Cell Biology, Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Orthopedics and Environmental and Occupational Health. The focus of the training is on cardiovascular disease and is designed to cover three major tracks: Vascular Biology and Disease Pathogenesis/Therapeutics, Bioengineering and Regenerative Medicine, and Clinical Research related to comparative effectiveness, outcomes and vascular disease epidemiology. While these tracks appear to be distinct, training can be customized to incorporate related elements of these areas. In the clinical research track, the trainees will obtain a Masters of Clinical Research degree. Careful selection of a team of mentors that will best support the development of each trainee will be key to the success of the trainees. In the initial funding cycle, the VascTrain Program was very successful in recruiting excellent trainees to the program who have demonstrated good productivity. The program has evolved with recruitment of new training faculty that will further enhance the training experience. The training plan will undergo changes to better develop translational skills, incorporate individually designed curriculum in Responsible Conduct in Research, and focus on unique career development skills for the MD and PhD trainees.
Vascular disease is one of the greatest contributor to morbidity and mortality in Westernized cultures and the incidence is increasing. The study of these processes requires the clinical insight of those professionals who care for these patients who possess a greater understanding of the impact of these conditions on patients and can apply basic scientific findings to the care of such patients. The over goal of this training grant is to support the development of such clinician scientists as well as scientists with greater clinical insight into capable investigators to further the innovation in vascular surgery.
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