This is a revision of a 4th competitive renewal of a T32 training grant to support research on infectious disease (ID), inflammation, and immunology at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (UNM HSC). The long-term goal remains: to provide state-of-the-art instructional and experiential training in infectious diseases, immunology and inflammation, scientific ethics, teaching, and a perspective of careers in science provided by outstanding investigators who sustain high impact research programs. In the 19 years since inception, the Infectious Disease and Inflammation Program (IDIP) training has positively impacted graduate education across UNM campuses and has increased visibility of ID and immunology research in the community in the greater Albuquerque, NM area. Since 1998 the UNM IDIP has provided 29 pre- and 18 post-doctoral trainees opportunities to engage in cutting edge, interdisciplinary and technology-centered research and learn from scientists with diverse and complementary areas of expertise. We have enjoyed substantial success recruiting under-represented minorities (URM; 26%) and women (50%) to the program. In the past 10 years, 14/15 pre- doc trainees (93.3%) have completed their PhD degrees, and most remain in scientific research. Of 18 prior postdoc trainees 14 (78%) have successfully transitioned to academic appointments or are continuing in research science; 56% are in faculty positions. Our graduates hold faculty appointments at institutions such as the University of Arizona, the University of Texas-El Paso, Yale School of Public Health, the University of Vermont, and the University of New Mexico. Crossing departmental and institutional lines, the IDIP draws upon the expertise of 24 nationally funded primary mentors, investigators with extensive collaborative interactions in terms of research grants, publications, and trainee mentoring. Mentors-in-training (8) and other experts (4) are included in the training faculty. IDIP training faculty reside in the UNM Health Sciences Center, UNM School of Engineering and the College of Arts & Sciences, the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, and at Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories. Faculty trainers fall into four research themes: Translational Studies in Infection & Immunity; Mechanisms of Infection & Immunity; Pathogenesis of Infections & Inflammation; Bridging Technologies ? use of cutting-edge and emergent technologies to study ID. The IDIP will continue to support 4 pre- and 2 post-doctoral fellows per year and will be overseen by committed mentors and productive scientists, Drs. Ozbun (Director) and Chackerian (Assoc. Director), a training faculty steering committee, faculty with transdisciplinary expertise and an External Advisory Committee. All trainees complete IDIP-specific courses in addition to their required course work including RCR, specific journal clubs, and works in progress sessions. The momentum of IDIP is poised to realize even greater impact with its far larger cadre of trainers and greater access to high-quality minority and non-minority students. Support for our program will yield substantial rewards, expanding the ranks of highly interdisciplinary young investigators.
This is a 4th competitive renewal application of a successful training program supporting predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees in research on infectious disease, inflammation, and immunology at the University of New Mexico (UNM) Health Sciences Center. Infectious diseases and immuno-pathologies are major public health problems, responsible for a large number of illnesses, and deaths in the United States and worldwide. Through interdisciplinary partnerships among UNM, the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, this training program aims to prepare highly skilled researchers whose work will meet the growing needs for lessening the burden of these public health problems in coming decades. !
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