Summer Endocrine Research Training Program

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Abstract: This is a competing renewal application for a T35 short term medical student summer training program in endocrine research that has been funded by NIDDK for 15 years. The 2 Specific Aims are 1) To provide hands-on training in basic and clinical Endocrine-related research to medical students in a structured mentored environment; 2) To provide an interactive, educational experience that introduces medical students the fundamental skills necessary for basic, translational, and clinical Endocrine-related research. The program has supported the training of 6 second year medical students in endocrine research topics including diabetes – with a particular focus on diabetic kidney disease, endocrine malignancies, pituitary regulation of peptide hormone expression, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular complications of diabetes and obesity, hormonal regulation of metabolism, and stem cell biology. Trainees are selected from the first year class at University of Louisville School of Medicine (SOM) applying for the summer research scholar program (SRSP). A successful effort has been made to recruit students from underrepresented minorities and disadvantaged backgrounds. Students review the available projects submitted by 28 faculty research mentors and enter their 1st-3rd choices, allowing matching of trainees with mentors. In-person meetings between trainees and mentors assures the ‘fit’ in the middle of the Spring semester. During the 10 week summer training, students work with mentors on research projects in clinical or laboratory settings, complete training in the Responsible Conduct of Research, including managing scientific data, fabrication and falsification of data, plagiarism, publication practices and responsible authorship, mentorship, stewardship, and conflict of interest. Trainees working with human subjects complete human subject and IRB training. Trainees who use vertebrate animals in mentors’ labs complete and pass IACUC training courses. All trainees attend a weekly Summer Endocrine Research Training Class to introduce clinical/translational research in endocrinology. An essential component well- integrated into this class by T35 faculty mentors is discussion of methods for enhancing reproducibility. The Class culminates with each trainee presenting his/her research project to peers and mentors. Trainees also present their research results as posters at a SOM-wide, week-long celebration of Research!Louisville. Winners from the poster contest have the opportunity to attend the National Student Research Forum the following Spring. Trainees may choose to continue research as part of the Distinction in Research (DIR) track enrichment program that provides research experiences throughout the medical school curriculum, including in the third and fourth years, toward the goal of developing clinician-researchers. Student trainees have published in peer reviewed journals and/or presented their research in national or international forums and many have received the DIR notation on their medical school diplomas. Trainee career outcomes are tracked to assess the impact of this T35 program on careers as physician-scientists.