This new interdisciplinary proposal for a Bioengineering Training Grant in Cardiovascular Pathophysiology is center in the recently established Institute for Medicine and Engineering (IME), an interschool initiative at the University of Pennsylvania. The proposal recognizes the need to train research and clinical fellows at the pre- and postdoctoral levels in quantitative cardiovascular pathophysiology particularly as it pertains to biomedical engineering at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. Hypothesis-driven and design-driven approaches to knowledge will be addressed. Fourteen interdisciplinary basic and clinical scientists in bioengineering and biomedical research interact within the IME with collaborative outreach to an additional 45 Members of the Institute. The core training investigators are recipient of approximately $10m (principally NIH and NSF) research grant support, with an additional $9m pending grant support. Eight of the training faculty are Full or Associate Professors together with 6 outstanding Assistant Professors. The IME with its state-of- the-art research labs and core laboratory facilities is adjacent to both the School of Medicine and the School of Engineering. A well-attended benchmark Interdisciplinary Seminar Series (46 lectures/year) will be developed to a full course, and a new graduate course in mechanotransduction that will complement current interdisciplinary graduate courses is proposed together with intensive short-courses, and a specialized Practicing Responsible Science course. Three pre- and 3 postdoctoral trainees are proposed for the first year increasing by one each year up to the 4th year (steady state 6/6). Two years of support will normally be provided. Trainees will be selected following competitive review by a Steering Committee of 5 faculty that will be carefully balanced to represent the interdisciplinary nature of the grant. Trainee selections will be made on the basis of academic record, quality of research abilities, and commitment to research in interdisciplinary cardiovascular biology. Postdoctoral M.D. and/or Ph.D. trainees will be expected to develop significant independence during their training period. Predoctoral trainees will be registered in one of the graduate programs of the Biomedical Graduate Group (Basic science, MSTP) or the Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering Graduate Groups of the School of Engineering. Predoctoral trainees will be required or encourage to complete a 42 hour course in mechanotransduction in cardiovascular biology; all trainees are required to complete the Seminars/Journal Club/Discussion course. The IME interacts extensively with all clinical and basic departments of both schools. Responsiveness to 1) minority recruitment efforts, and 2) ethical conduct of research, are documented. An External Advisory Committee is named.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 168 publications
