This program is dedicated to the training of cardiovascular scientists with MD and/or PhD degrees. Over the past 15 years, the program has been highly successful with particular emphasis on producing investigators working in developmental biology, genetics, signal transduction, and vascular biology. Five years ago, the scope of the scientific opportunities within the program was broadened to allow trainees to gain new competencies in functional genomics, complex multigenic disorders, cardiovascular gene therapy, genomic pharmacology, molecular imaging, and myocardial cell biology. Cardiovascular science has continued to make dramatic advances. Stem cell biology appears poised to change our understanding of myocardial and endothelial biology. Proteomics and high-throughput chemical genetic screening are rapidly changing the scale and speed with which investigators characterize novel signal transduction pathways, and ultimately will accelerate the development of new therapies. New insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in cardiac myocyte hypertrophy and dysfunction, as well as pulmonary arterial hypertension, have important therapeutic implications for an expanding population of patients with cardiopulmonary disorders. To enable trainees to benefit from these advances and to rapidly become pioneers in cardiovascular science, new faculty have been recruited who are recognized leaders in these evolving fields, as well as proven, outstanding mentors. The program remains based at the Cardiovascular Research Center at the Massachusetts General Hospital with additional training sites at Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Broad Institute. Training is firmly centered on laboratory science under the supervision of skilled primary and secondary mentors, with unique opportunities for innovation at the interface between fields and supervised development of interdisciplinary collaborative skills. Course work is tailored to the needs of the trainee with didactic experiences serving to broaden exposure to the forefront of cardiovascular science. The faculty and trainees are closely linked by the tradition of collaboration and a shared training mission. Importantly, an enhanced CVRC seminar series, Data Club, CVRC retreat, and CVRC website serve to bring all of the trainees together on a regular basis and provide a sense of community. Trainee progress is closely monitored by the mentors, the program director and co-director, and a Steering Committee, with additional advice provided by an External Advisory Committee. Mentorship itself is both trained and evaluated. Graduates of this training program are systematically prepared to lead independent research programs at the cutting edge of cardiovascular science for the coming decades.
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