We offer a comprehensive 2-year multidisciplinary training program in cardiovascular epidemiology for MDs and PhDs to pursue an academic and scientific research career addressing contemporary training needs of the specialty and using epidemiological databases as a foundation. The program goals are: 1. to graduate 5 postdoctoral trainees every 2 years in 3 different tracks: a. three trainees in the translational epidemiological research track; b. one trainee in the statistical genetics-genomics track; c. one trainee in the bioinformatics- computational biology track. 2. to graduate at least 20% underrepresented minorities. 3. to enable trainees to transition to independence, faculty status or a first job. To achieve these goals, we offer the following specific aims: (1) Provide broad multidisciplinary training (including course work) in approaches to cardiovascular epidemiological research with a curriculum mapped to the three tracks and corresponding core competencies. (2) Feature carefully planned and mentored track-specific independent, original research projects for each trainee under the direction of an established NIH- or NSF-funded investigator; and to provide authentic mentorship (including career guidance, an IDP, grant writing) and professional development to facilitate transition to independence, faculty status or a first job. (3) implement a recruitment strategy to recruit and retain trainees from diverse backgrounds, including URM. (4). Evaluate each component of the training program comprehensively. The program includes required coursework (leading to a master's or doctoral degree in epidemiology, as appropriate given past training and career goals of trainees), attendance at a broad range of seminar series in each of the three tracks, interaction with outstanding faculty mentors with expertise in translational and cohort-based research, and participation in specific programs aimed at transdisciplinary collaboration. Also included are journal clubs, Work-in- Progress presentations, discussion groups, career counseling, a journal internship and a trainee exchange program. The training leverages the extensive epidemiological databases and Omics resources at FHS, and data from other cohort studies that are part of the CHARGE consortium. Trainees will develop professional skills in writing grants, scientific manuscripts, oral presentations, and undergo training in the responsible conduct of research, team science, and leadership and industry collaborations. Overall, the program is designed to prepare the future world leaders in cardiovascular epidemiology.

Public Health Relevance

We offer a comprehensive two-year multidisciplinary training program in cardiovascular epidemiology for MDs and PhDs to pursue an academic and scientific research career addressing contemporary training needs of the specialty and using epidemiological databases (including from the Framingham Study) as a foundation. The program will graduate five postdoctoral trainees every two years in three different tracks (translational epidemiological research, statistical genetics-genomics, and bioinformatics-computational biology), with at least 20% underrepresented minorities. We will provide our trainees with multidisciplinary training that includes a broad curriculum to develop core competencies, mentored research projects under the direction of outstanding faculty, comprehensive mentorship, and appropriate career support to facilitate transition to independence.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Institutional National Research Service Award (T32)
Project #
1T32HL125232-01A1
Application #
8999434
Study Section
NHLBI Institutional Training Mechanism Review Committee (NITM)
Program Officer
Silsbee, Lorraine M
Project Start
2016-04-01
Project End
2021-03-31
Budget Start
2016-04-01
Budget End
2017-03-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Boston University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
604483045
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
Echouffo-Tcheugui, Justin B; Niiranen, Teemu J; McCabe, Elizabeth L et al. (2018) Lifetime Prevalence and Prognosis of Prediabetes Without Progression to Diabetes. Diabetes Care 41:e117-e118
Lin, Hsuan-Ping; Baghdasarian, Siyouneh; Singer, Martha R et al. (2018) Dietary Cholesterol, Lipid Levels, and Cardiovascular Risk among Adults with Diabetes or Impaired Fasting Glucose in the Framingham Offspring Study. Nutrients 10:
Graff-Radford, Jonathan; Raman, Mekala R; Rabinstein, Alejandro A et al. (2018) Association Between Microinfarcts and Blood Pressure Trajectories. JAMA Neurol 75:212-218
Sponholtz, Todd R; Vasan, Ramachandran S (2018) Contribution of the neighborhood environment to cross-sectional variation in long-term CVD risk scores in the Framingham Heart Study. PLoS One 13:e0201712
Guercio, Brendan J; Zhang, Sui; Niedzwiecki, Donna et al. (2018) Associations of artificially sweetened beverage intake with disease recurrence and mortality in stage III colon cancer: Results from CALGB 89803 (Alliance). PLoS One 13:e0199244
Corlin, Laura; Ball, Shannon; Woodin, Mark et al. (2018) Relationship of Time-Activity-Adjusted Particle Number Concentration with Blood Pressure. Int J Environ Res Public Health 15:
Meng, Huicui; Matthan, Nirupa R; Fried, Susan K et al. (2018) Effect of Dietary Carbohydrate Type on Serum Cardiometabolic Risk Indicators and Adipose Tissue Inflammatory Markers. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 103:3430-3438
Castro-Diehl, Cecilia; Wood, Alexis C; Redline, Susan et al. (2018) Mediterranean diet pattern and sleep duration and insomnia symptoms in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Sleep 41:
Sponholtz, Todd R; Palmer, Julie R; Rosenberg, Lynn A et al. (2018) Exogenous Hormone Use and Endometrial Cancer in U.S. Black Women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 27:558-565
Sponholtz, Todd R; Palmer, Julie R; Rosenberg, Lynn et al. (2017) Reproductive factors and incidence of endometrial cancer in U.S. black women. Cancer Causes Control 28:579-588

Showing the most recent 10 out of 13 publications