The program trains physician-scientists and post-doctoral PhD scientists in aspects of the pathophysiological processes that occur after traumatic injury and critical illness. Over the past 4 years we have successfully recruited to fill our positions and have addressed a key concern that was raised in our previous competitive renewal regarding diversity in our program. We have paid particular attention to identifying and recruiting strong under-represented minority candidates. Our previous competitive renewal also focused upon the """"""""key initiatives"""""""", defined by the leaders at the National Institutes of Health and termed the """"""""NIH Roadmap"""""""". This had direct bearing on the structure and direction of this training program. Briefly, the key initiatives or themes are: (1) New Pathways to Discovery, (2) Research Teams of the Future and (3) Reengineering the Clinical Research Enterprise. We propose to continue to educate trainees in established molecular biology techniques and will expand their training to include cutting edge research and analysis (i.e. biomedical computing) techniques. Through collaborations with basic scientists and integration with the available research education programs at the University of Washington, we will expose trainees to broad-based research teams and programs. Trainee education and experience will continue to include concepts of translational research, whereby basic observations will be evaluated as potential diagnostic and therapeutic benefit for critically ill patients. In summary, we aim to prepare a diverse group of interested scientists for academic careers as independent investigators and educators. Through a multidisciplinary and collaborative effort, trainees learn how to identify important research questions, how to design, conduct and analyze experiments that will address these questions and how to translate their findings into clinically relevant interventions.
Trauma remains an important public health problem. Injuries are responsible for a high proportion of deaths in people of all ages and medical care for injury victims is costly. Our training program has successfully educated surgeons, physicians and post-doctoral students in aspects of the applied biology of injury and inflammation. Graduates from our program have demonstrated a commitment to understanding the biology of injury and to the care of critically ill injury victims.
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