This is an application for a Mid-Career Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24) for Viola Vaccarino, MD, PhD. The overall objective is to foster Dr. Vaccarino's academic career and that of new investigators working with her in patient-oriented research involving mind-body relationships in cardiovascular disease. The PI seeks protected time to continue ongoing projects, carry out novel research projects, and mentor junior investigators in this area. The PI has had a long-standing interest in the relationship between psychological/behavioral factors, in particular depression, and the incidence or prognosis of CVD. Recently her research focus has shifted towards a more direct investigation of the pathophysiological mechanisms that mediate these associations in the early phases of coronary heart disease in humans, including the autonomic nervous system, neuro-hormonal factors, inflammation, oxidative stress, and gene-environment interactions. The PI has a growing program in this area. However, she needs protected time to expand her research by obtaining new research grants in this area. An important goal of Dr. Vaccarino's career development is to enhance her mentorship activities and ultimately establish a strong training program to foster the next generation of patient-oriented researchers in this area. Dr. Vaccarino has already been quite successful in attracting new investigators to this area of research and in guiding them towards obtaining independent funding. A number of training programs available at Emory represent a source of capable junior investigators. Dr. Vaccarino seeks protected time to continue her mentorship activities and expand them to attract a larger number of beginning investigators. She also plans to apply for a T32 training grant to develop a formal educational program in clinical/epidemiological research as it applies to cardiovascular diseases. Such a program is currently non-existent at Emory. Dr. Vaccarino's long-term goal is to establish a strong research and training patient-oriented research program at Emory focusing on mind-body interactions on cardiovascular disease. Such a program will draw collaborators from multiple departments and disciplines, will foster the training and career development of new investigators, will draw the recruitment of new faculty with interest in this area and will ultimately contribute enormously to the advancement of this field.
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