The primary goal of the 1Florida ADRC Alzheimer?s Science Training to Advance Research Success (1FL AlzSTARS) program is to train diverse, multidisciplinary Early Stage Investigators (ESIs). Junior faculty or research associates from across the 1Florida ADRC consortium will be trained for leadership roles in research translation especially with regards to diverse and underserved communities. Our premises for developing the 1FL AlzSTARS program include the understanding that AD and AD related disorders (AD+ADRD) researchers from diverse disciplines 1) need a set of core competencies to contribute to the continually evolving field of 2) should be trained in leadership and team science, 3) must understand concepts ranging from molecular biology to population and implementation science 4) should be prepared to work in variety of settings and 5) should be trained within a cohort of like-minded ESIs. The 1FL AlzSTARS program therefore has three aims summarized as: 1) recruit and train a cohort of ten highly qualified ESIs 2) deliver an innovative, collaborative, multi-institutional two-year program of coursework and mentored research experience 3) evaluate the impact of the 1FL AlzSTARS program. Our scholars will be diverse with regard to gender, ethnicity, SES, discipline, consortium site, translational research interests, and career plans, and disposed to study diversity and disparity factors. The program will synthesize mentored research and professional development experiences with three formal didactic foci i) AD+ADRD specific curriculum, ii) health equity curriculum, iii) general C/T research curriculum. The University of Florida and University of Miami Clinical and Translational Science Institutes (CTSIs) have created programs to support the transition of a range of professionals to independent investigators (e.g. K-to-R programs) and to continue their development as mentors and leaders in their fields. The 1FL AlzSTARS program will provide a critical conduit to focus these CTSIs? successes towards the development of clinician-scientists and basic scientists desiring translational research careers in AD+ADRD. Finally we will deploy a careful evaluation process to assess 1FL AlzSTARS program impacts including completion of didactic and experiential learning opportunities, mastery of core competencies and best research practices, and most importantly scholar?s career trajectories, advancement, and retention.
