This application requests continued support of grant T32 HL 007710 with the goal of increasing the number and quality of successful clinical and translational investigators focused on pediatric cardiovascular disease. The research productivity and academic career advancement of the 35 trainees supported during the first 14 years of this grant are substantial. In this competing renewal application, we describe plans for training and mentoring pediatric cardiology research fellows in patient-oriented and translational research focused on significant challenges in pediatric cardiology. The program has two model research training pathways for pediatric cardiology (MD) fellows: the Clinical Investigator and Translational Clinician Scientist Pathways. Each trainee will have a Primary l / lentor and Mentoring Team composed of both clinical and basic science mentors, thereby increasing the breadth of ideas and experience available to enhance career development. The program identifies and promotes desirable individualized training goals for each trainee in order to maximize his or her opportunity to become a productive academic investigator with sustainable competitiveness for extramural research support. Scientific and programmatic resources at MUSC that are integrated into this research training program include participation as a primary Clinical Center in the NHLBI Pediatric Heart Network;a thriving clinical pediatric cardiology fellowship training program;a collaborative clinical faculty in pediatric cardiology and pediatric cardiac surgery with an extensive track record of publications, research funding and participation in multi-institutional studies;exceptional faculty strengths in cardiovascular developmental biology, cardiac morphogenesis, extracellular matrix biology, cardiac hypertrophy, remodeling, wound healing, cellular repair, stem cell biology, tissue engineering, bioengineering and prosthetic device development;a wide array of didactic training opportunities in clinical research methodology through the NIH-funded CTSA program;a well-developed, successful Master of Science in Clinical Research degree program;clinical and basic science research environments with proven minority recruitment success;substantial institutional commitment;the Darby Children's Research Institute;and an NIH/NCRR Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) in cardiovascular developmental biology. An integrated multi-year evaluation plan will document and assess the extent to which program goals and objectives are met and provide critical information for ongoing improvement and enhancement.
This research training program in pediatric cardiology will help address a national critical shortage of clinical and translational researchers in the field by identifying and training outstanding physicians in the principles and practice of pediatric cardiac clinical research, as well as interrelated fields that are relevant to pediatric cardiology, such as heart development and remodeling, wound healing, stem cell biology and tissue engineering.
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