) This is a competitive renewal of a highly successful T32 training grant at the University of Colorado to support the training of post-doctoral fellows (MD and PhD) who wish to prepare for careers in cardiovascular research. The broad objective of this training program is to create an environment that will provide the next generation of cardiovascular researchers with training that is linked to the broad research goals of the NIH/NHLBI strategic plan: 1. to understand the molecular and physiologic basis of cardiovascular health and disease; 2. to develop personalized preventive and therapeutic regimens for cardiovascular diseases and 3. To generate an improved understanding of the processes involved in translating research into practice. We are proud of the success of our trainees over the past decade, the vast majority of whom have become full-time members of academic faculty. However, we also recognize that the landscape of academic medicine is changing and we are committed to providing our trainees with the skills that they will need to succeed in this changing landscape. To meet this objective, we have assembled a group of mentors from the rich cardiovascular research community at the University of Colorado campuses in Denver and Boulder and we have developed a comprehensive training plan that includes new emphasis on team science, management of ?big data?, and entrepreneurship. The specific goals of the training program are: 1. To assemble a group of established scientists with a shared commitment to training the next generation of cardiovascular investigators. Focus areas of investigation sub served by the trainers is consistent with the NIH/NHLBI strategic plan and includes faculty with an interest in basic biology of the cardiac myocyte and the vasculature; integrative and human physiology; and health services and outcomes research. We have modified our roster of trainers from the time of the previous submission to include several more junior scientists so that we can develop a program that provides training to the trainers (as well as the trainees) and contributes to the maintenance of a community of cardiovascular scientists. 2. To develop a program of didactics and a multi-tiered mentoring process designed specifically for trainees supported by this grant that includes both depth of domain specific scientific training and the acquisition of integrative skills that cross disciplines and that will provide our trainees with the fluency necessary to build team-oriented investigative approaches to cardiovascular disease. This latter area will include didactics that are specific to this training program, including topics in cardiovascular science, entrepreneurship; a mini-course focused on techniques in cardiovascular research; an informatics tutorial specifically focused an informatics approaches to large data sets; access to degree granting programs (PhD and/or MSPH) in both Health Services Research and Health Information Technology; and an adjunctive mentoring program focused on career guidance 3. To implement a recruitment strategy that will allow us to attract top MD, MD-PhD, and PhD candidates, especially those from underserved minority groups, in order to provide them with cross-disciplinary training in cardiovascular research that will prepare them for future academic careers.
Despite substantial diagnostic and therapeutic advances, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in western society, This fact speaks to the overwhelming need to focus the next generation of clinicians and scientists on this health concern, not only at the level of basic cell biology, but also as it impacts the entire organism and society at large. This integrated approach to training is central to this training grant.
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