The fundamental objective of our Trauma Research Training Program is to prepare surgical trainees for future basic investigation on morbidity and mortality following severe injury. This includes research into pathogenesis of organ dysfunction in survivors of severe injury, as well as the mechanisms of early mortality (e.g. coagulopathy). The secondary objective is to inspire surgical trainees to pursue an academic career in trauma surgery. The rationale for this Program is the fact that trauma continues to be the leading cause of death in the US for individuals between the ages of 1 - 45 of age, and the societal costs attributed to trauma exceed those of cancer and heart disease. The design of the Program is a full-time commitment to basic investigation conducted primarily in two well-established surgery laboratories at the University of Colorado Denver (UCD) supplemented with patient data from clinical research in a regional Level 1 Trauma Center at the Denver Health and Hospital Authority (DHHA) and UCD. Relevant experiments will be performed in additional laboratories that focus on characterizing metabolomics and proteomics. The principal animal model will consist of hemorrhagic shock and tissue injury, and the basic investigation will include therapeutic modulation of inflammation. The fellow will commence their participation in the Program typically after their second or third year of surgical training (PGY 2 or 3), and will be dedicated exclusively to the Program for two years. We are requesting funding for five positions, sequenced so that there are first year and second year fellows assigned to each of the core laboratories.
Trauma due to mechanical injury consumes more societal resources than cancer and heart disease. The primary objective of our Program is to prepare and inspire surgery trainees to pursue professional careers that encompass basic investigation of the fundamental mechanisms responsible for death and disability following trauma.
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