The purpose of the training program is to provide systematic multidisciplinary predoctoral and postdoctoral research training into the biobehavioral and psychosocial factors involved in the pathogenesis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases as well as the prevention of such diseases in high risk populations. Research training is also offered for study of neural, hormonal and immunological mechanisms that may link biobehavioral variables to cardiovascular pathology. Training is closely coordinated with several extramurally funded NIH NHLBI grants including a program project, """"""""Biobehavioral Bases of CHD Risk and Management,"""""""" a large multi-center longitudinal epidemiological study, """"""""Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)"""""""" and multiple RO1 grants. The program project consists of integrated, multidisciplinary projects examining the clinical and/or preclinical markers of CHD risk associated with type 2 diabetes (Project 1), metabolic syndrome (Project 2) or hyperlipidemia (Project 3) and their involvement in the progression or amelioration of atherosclerotic CHD processes. In each project we examine modification of risk factors through interventions such as dietary restriction, exercise, stress management and/or manipulation of social environment. Outcome variables include measures of glycemic control/insulin resistance and/or dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, inflammation and overt manifestations of disease. Projects 1 and 2 recruit patients from a large community health center serving low income Blacks and Hispanics/Latinos and Project 3 examines Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits and knockout mice. In the HCHS/SOL study the Miami field center is conducting physical exams and interviews as well as follow- ups of 4000 Cuban, South and Central Americans drawn from 24 census tracts to assess health, health risks and practices. Trainees will include 5 predoctoral and 2 postdoctoral fellows who are expected to spend at least two years in the program. Although emphasis at both the pre- and post-doctoral level is upon research, available didactic training includes multiple courses in advanced statistics as well as epidemiology, behavioral medicine, mechanisms of disease, neuroscience and molecular biology. Trainees usually undergo rotations through our program project cores in Biochemistry and Metabolism, Cardiovascular Measurement, and Data Management and Statistics. All trainees receive individual mentoring and participate in relevant program project and other research meetings.
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