Multiple studies by national task forces and committees have concluded that the number of veterinary scientists trained in biomedical and infectious disease research falls far below national needs. This is the third competing renewal application of a T32 program initially funded in 2002. The goal of this training program is to continue to address this national need by providing training in molecular and mechanistic research methods to enable post-DVM/VMD candidates to conduct translational research. The training program is built upon the strong history and experience in post-DVM research training at Colorado State University, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and melds molecular multidisciplinary methodologies with translational application. Critical thinking in experimental design and data interpretation, manuscript and grant writing, publication, communication skills, and ethical conduct of research are stressed in this balanced and well-mentored program. The Program action plan is to recruit rigorously selected, diverse, post-DVM/VMD candidates who will be provided with training in translational research applications emphasizing experimental and/or natural disease animal models. The Program is fueled by an abundant supply of talented candidates and a large elite faculty of NIH-funded mentors representing 12 research concentrations and all four departments of the CVMBS. Mentor faculty comprise 15% of CVMBS faculty and were awarded $22.8M in direct cost dollars in the most recent fiscal year. Eight-five percent of completed trainees (17/20) are currently employed in research related positions; 7 of 8 trainees (88%) who have submitted NIH K Series Career Development Awards have been funded; 5 of 25 completed or enrolled trainees (20%) are from under-represented minority groups. The targeted outcome of the program is to continue to select and produce DVM/VMD-PhD scientists who emerge prepared as successful funded principal investigators conducting translational biomedical research contributing to national needs and challenges in human, animal, and environmental health. The intent is that this training program represents a targeted action in response to the 2015 NIH Physician Scientist Workforce Working Group Report calling for more translational scientists with credentials to fill an alarming gap in the biomedical workforce pipeline, and to contribute to the national and global research needs.
This research training program requests resources for stipend and tuition to support graduate training of veterinarians to meet needs in public and human health. As many emerging infectious diseases of humans arise in animals, and since many human cancers and environmental diseases are first recognized and their treatment or prevention first studied in animals, veterinarians trained in research are essential to advancement and maintenance of human and animal health.
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