This is a competitive renewal of the nephrology training grant at Boston University. This vibrant and successful program has been active continuously for 41 years. Its primary goals are to identify, inspire and train promising postdoctoral candidates for translational research careers focused on kidney diseases and to assist qualified trainees in obtaining suitable research positions. The program is designed to provide physicians heading for careers in academic nephrology the thorough scientific grounding necessary for a successful research career and to attract recent PhD graduates and provide them postdoctoral training in kidney-related research. Training is closely aligned with the NCATS Advisory Council Working Group recommendations to prepare the next generation of biomedical scientists for translational research careers. Research training will continue for at least two years. On average, three new trainees will enter the program each year. The principal mechanism for training is direct performance of research under the personal supervision of one or more of the training staff comprised of nine nephrologists and five basic scientists. Outstanding, interdisciplinary training staff provides translational training in autoimmunity, ischemic and toxic renal injury, immunopathology, gene regulation related to renal cancer and developmental biology, and vascular disease and thrombosis in chronic kidney disease and clinical epidemiology of cardiovascular relevant to kidney diseases. Well-established collaborative arrangements allow each trainee to acquire a broad research experience and focus a variety of skills on a specific research protocol. Trainees assume graded responsibility for the design, conduct and interpretation of experiments, progressively becoming more independent. All trainees and staff meet frequently for a rich menu of seminars, journal clubs and other formal group teaching exercises. Coursework leading to a PhD in Translational and Molecular Medicine is available, and formal training in clinical research is provided through the BU School of Public Health. Trainees work in a modern, well-equipped laboratory in the Evans Biomedical Research Center and laboratories of basic science faculty. These are in close proximity to core facilities, modern animal care quarters supervised by a full-time veterinarian, and the BUSPH. Collaboration and team building are emphasized throughout the training period. In this renewal we have taken advantage of substantial progress on the BU medical campus in bioinformatics, career development, evaluation, networking and tracking programs to enhance the training experience beyond the laboratory bench or research database. An Office of Postdoctoral Affairs supported by the Provost's office, and programs in Development and Diversity and Interdisciplinary Research add to the richness of the training environment and help promote a healthy work/life balance.

Public Health Relevance

This program is designed to provide research training for physicians and scientists to investigate the causes and consequences of kidney diseases; to identify ways to prevent diseases of the kidney from progressing to kidney failure and to improve the quality and duration of the lives of those who do develop end stage kidney failure.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Institutional National Research Service Award (T32)
Project #
5T32DK007053-46
Application #
9723078
Study Section
Kidney, Urologic and Hematologic Diseases D Subcommittee (DDK)
Program Officer
Spruance, Victoria Marie
Project Start
1975-07-01
Project End
2020-06-30
Budget Start
2019-07-01
Budget End
2020-06-30
Support Year
46
Fiscal Year
2019
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Boston Medical Center
Department
Type
DUNS #
005492160
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02118
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Kolachalama, Vijaya B; Shashar, Moshe; Alousi, Faisal et al. (2018) Uremic Solute-Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-Tissue Factor Axis Associates with Thrombosis after Vascular Injury in Humans. J Am Soc Nephrol 29:1063-1072
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Roseman, Daniel A; Hwang, Shih-Jen; Manders, Emily S et al. (2014) Renal artery calcium, cardiovascular risk factors, and indexes of renal function. Am J Cardiol 113:156-61
Tomas, Nicola M; Beck Jr, Laurence H; Meyer-Schwesinger, Catherine et al. (2014) Thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing 7A in idiopathic membranous nephropathy. N Engl J Med 371:2277-2287

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