Producing leaders in clinical research is a major goal at UT Southwestern. Over the past four years our K30 training program in patient-oriented research (POR) has enrolled over 130 trainees, 65 of whom remain active, and 34 have submitted over 120 grants of which 43% have been funded. Thirty additional full-time faculty mentors have been recruited among whom 17 are basic scientists. In this competitive renewal application we intend to move closer to our goal by fulfilling the following Specific aims: 1) Provide in-depth training and practical experience to foster development of independent (RO-1 funded) -investigators by: a) expanding the curriculum with new interactive courses in genetics and proteomics, clinical pharmacology and drug development, grant writing, translational research, and management; b) creation of dual mentorship of trainees by basic and clinical researchers to enhance scientific rigor and translational research; c) providing practical experience in a mentored POR project; d) beginning the process of writing and submitting a career development award application. In addition, our expanded K30 curriculum will serve as a template for a Masters Degree program in POR, support mentorship as an academic activity and catalyze further procurement of T32, K12, K24 and F32 grants; and 2) Evolve the training program into a self-sustaining (K30-independent) program by the year 2010. To accomplish this aim we will integrate administrative, mentoring and didactic training components into the new Department of Biostatistics and Clinical Science at UT Southwestern, a core clinical research education, training and service facility for Clinical researchers that will become an Academic department in 2004. Our new expanded curriculum is comprehensive, broad-based and takes advantage of the best basic and clinical science resources at UT Southwestern. Continuing support of this grant is critical for UT Southwestern's mission and will ensure that our training program in POR continues to be highly successful and on track to produce leaders in POR.
