MERRIT: Multidisciplinary Engineering and Renal Research for Innovation of Technology

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PROJECT SUMMARY Trainees with engineering and technological backgrounds have been traditionally underrepresented in the kidney research field. We propose a new research educational program entitled MERRIT: Multidisciplinary Engineering and Renal Research for Innovation of Technology as a joint venture between Mount Sinai Division of Nephrology and Cooper Union School of Engineering. Our program will have three major foci: (1) building sustainable awareness of clinical and patient needs in the kidney field among engineering trainees; (2) creating innovative team-based and individual research experiences for undergraduate and graduate engineering students; and (3) organize and disseminate pedagogical and educational lessons from the program through web and media such that other institutions can develop similar programs successfully. We have assembled a mentoring team comprising physician scientists and transplant nephrologists and basic scientists in the kidney field as well as engineering faculty from electrical, mechanical and chemical engineering departments. Mentors with complementary skills from the two institutions will supervise patient-centered student-initiated design projects as well investigator-initiated individual kidney research projects. Through achievement of our aims, we will generate a sustainable pipeline for training of future kidney researchers and nephrologists that have a solid engineering background.