The objective of the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) Women's Reproductive Health Research Career Development Center (the Center) is to organize and integrate the efforts of senior investigators (the Mentors) to train obstetrician-gynecologists (the Scholars) to develop into mature, broadly competent and independent investigators. Increasing the number of well-trained investigators in obstetrics and gynecology will increase the pace of translation of basic science findings into new preventive measures and treatments of women's reproductive health disorders. The BWH Center is built upon 5 core principles. 1) The best research development program for obstetrician-gynecologists brings together, in a single Center, both senior physician investigators and Ph.D. scientists with basic research skills. 2) Senior investigators who have independent, NIH-funded research and a record in postgraduate training are especially effective in developing Scholars into mature, broadly competent and independent investigators. The BWH Center includes approximately 25 independent NIH funded investigators who have been involved in the training of more than 400 postdoctoral fellows. 3) A Center must include key areas of biological research that will provide the most powerful tools to advance women's reproductive health: reproductive genetics, reproductive immunology and infectious diseases, reproductive developmental biology, reproductive cell biology, reproductive physiology and reproductive epidemiology. 4) A Center must have superlative laboratory facilities, didactic training, and the commitment of the Department and Institution. The Mentors in the Center run laboratories with over 50,000 square feet of fully equipped research space and have organized seminars and journal clubs. 5) To develop Scholars who can successfully pursue an independent research career, the Center must attract the most qualified candidates and provide them with adequate time to complete their research experience. Scholars will be supported by matching funds from the BWH and guaranteed 80 percent research time in the Center. We believe our Center will attract a highly talented pool of M.D./Ph.D.'s, M.D./M.P.H.'s, and M.D.'s. The Center will emphasize the recruitment of women and minority Scholars. Once a candidate is selected, the Center will ensure that each Scholar completes 5 years of research development, including any prior formal research experience. The research development program we propose will support at least 4 Scholars who will develop into leaders in obstetrical and gynecological research in the 21st century.
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