The Stanford Training Program in ELSI Research

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In 2016, we established a T32 research training program at Stanford University to create independent ELSI scholars who can conduct rigorous research on ethical, legal, social or policy implications of genetics and genomics (ELSI). This program built on 10 years of experience in training ELSI researchers. With support of the T32 award, we have appointed 7 postdoctoral scholars into the program, all women, one Latina and one African-American. The goal of this renewal is to train 7 more postdoctoral fellows and to continue our successful contribution to the diversity and excellence of the ELSI research communities. Program: Multi- and interdisciplinary three-year postdoctoral training. A total of seven postdoctoral predoctoral fellows will have completed their training over the five-year award period. Trainees: PhDs and PhD candidates recruited from diverse backgrounds, including genetics, biological sciences and engineering, medicine, computer and information sciences, philosophy, health services research, anthropology, and other social sciences. Mentors: Multiple mentorship model, tailored to individual trainee needs and interests. Trainees are assigned a primary mentor responsible for overall development of the trainee’s plans, and secondary mentors assigned based on specific career, research methods, and topic area needs. Program Co-Directors: Mildred Cho, PhD, the current director of the research training program, will be joined by Holly Tabor, PhD as a Co-Director, bringing her experience in ELSI research and training. Program Faculty: 14 Program Faculty from 9 primary departments and centers, representing Schools of Medicine, Humanities and Sciences, Law, and Engineering who conduct ELSI-relevant research. Core Faculty members Holly Tabor, PhD David Magnus, PhD, Hank Greely, JD and Kelly Ormond, MS are experienced mentors in the program. Four new faculty were added, broadening the range of opportunities for ELSI research projects and methodological approaches for fellows. Education Program: Individualized training program for each trainee that includes core courses in bioethics, and human genetics, elective courses, and program-specific ELSI seminars, providing rich interdisciplinary interaction with faculty and trainees from this program and from other training programs. Career development opportunities include participation, research ethics and clinical ethics consultation, an award-winning grant writing academy and the opportunity to obtain a teaching certificate through Stanford University. Research Program: Mentored research by trainees will bring together faculty from diverse disciplines to identify and address important and novel ELSI issues through empirical or normative research. Trainees have numerous opportunities to conduct research as part of ongoing ELSI projects as well as to develop new ideas, and to present their research at professional meetings and publish in peer-reviewed journals.