The overall goal of the Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) Hematology Training Program (HTP) is to foster and strengthen the research base for trainees in basic and translational non-malignant hematology. The program provides its diverse and highly qualified post-doctoral and pre-doctoral trainees with the mentorship, research skills, and experience necessary to become productive and successful investigators in the field through direct mentorship, didactic learning, and HTP-specific small group seminars. Major strengths of the program include: (1) a cadre of highly qualified faculty with diverse interests in hematology; (2) a collaborative research environment that facilitates pairing mentors with complimentary skills to tailor the HTP experience for each trainee; (3) established and multilevel integration with the BCM advanced technology cores, and specialized research Centers; (4) the inclusive and diverse environment of BCM generally and the HTP specifically; and (5) a proven track record of successful mentoring in non-malignant hematology. Over the 14 years since inception, the program has supported 56 post-docs and 9 pre-docs. Of those who have completed training, 88% have remained in research-intensive or research-related fields, and 70% are affiliated with academic medical centers. Over 20 trainees have already been appointed to tenured or tenure-track professorships at academic institutions, 30% of trainees have garnered independent funding to support their work, and over 23% of our trainees are from under-represented groups. Our highly productive trainees have published over 160 papers directly related to their hematology training in peer-reviewed journals, including Nature, Cell, and Blood. In this new phase, we focus more intensively on early stages of training to enhance long-term retention in non-malignant hematology. Touchstones of this renewal include: (1) a refocused mentor group and new program co-directors; (2) training for all mentors through the National Research Mentor Network (NRMN); and (3) a new career skills series for HTP trainees and a Topics in Hematology series. Trainees in our program have the opportunity to work with 26 mentors in research areas that include epigenetic regulation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, regulation of myeloid differentiation, genetic variation and therapy of sickle cell disease, human genetic disorders that lead to bone marrow failure, cell therapy for myelodysplastic syndrome, gene regulation in hematopoietic cells, and many other areas. The rich training environment includes access to translational research through the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, to high throughput sequencing via the Human Genome Sequencing Center, as well as training in bioinformatics affiliated with the Computational and Integrative Biomedical Research (CIBR) Center. The highly collaborative environment with extensive Core services ensures access to cutting-edge technologies such as CRISPR editing, single-cell sequencing, metabolomics, mouse engineering and phenotyping, and many other specialized capabilities. Thus, our proven HTP will continue to attract and prepare trainees for productive careers in non-malignant hematology.
The Baylor College of Medicine Hematology Training Program continues to train highly qualified and diverse trainees in a wide array of topics across basic, and translational non-malignant hematology, from cell therapy to the epigenetic determinants of hematological gene regulation. This established program ensures a well-trained, dynamic workforce continues to move the field of forward with innovative, rigorous research.
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