Trainees with engineering and technological backgrounds have been traditionally underrepresented in the kidney research field. We propose a new research educational program entitled MERRIT: Multidisciplinary Engineering and Renal Research for Innovation of Technology as a joint venture between Mount Sinai Division of Nephrology and Cooper Union School of Engineering. Our program will have three major foci: (1) building sustainable awareness of clinical and patient needs in the kidney field among engineering trainees; (2) creating innovative team-based and individual research experiences for undergraduate and graduate engineering students; and (3) organize and disseminate pedagogical and educational lessons from the program through web and media such that other institutions can develop similar programs successfully. We have assembled a mentoring team comprising physician scientists and transplant nephrologists and basic scientists in the kidney field as well as engineering faculty from electrical, mechanical and chemical engineering departments. Mentors with complementary skills from the two institutions will supervise patient-centered student-initiated design projects as well investigator-initiated individual kidney research projects. Through achievement of our aims, we will generate a sustainable pipeline for training of future kidney researchers and nephrologists that have a solid engineering background.

Public Health Relevance

We are proposing to create a new educational initiative titled MERRIT: Multidisciplinary Engineering and Renal Research for Innovation of Technology. The joint program between Mount Sinai and Cooper Union aims to bring together nephrology and engineering mentors from the two institutions to supervise patient-centered design teams and individual research projects on kidney disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Education Projects (R25)
Project #
5R25DK124917-02
Application #
10127634
Study Section
Kidney, Urologic and Hematologic Diseases D Subcommittee (DDK)
Program Officer
Spruance, Victoria Marie
Project Start
2020-04-01
Project End
2025-01-31
Budget Start
2021-02-01
Budget End
2022-01-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2021
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
078861598
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10029