Integrated Physiology Training: Molecule to Organism

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Project Summary Scientific training in the Physiological sciences in the U.S. has undergone a transformation largely toward molecular mechanisms and away from whole animal integrative physiology, creating a shortage of scientists and educators with mastery of integrative physiology. The Physiology training program at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is an exception to this trend. Our training program offers multidisciplinary instruction and cutting-edge integrative physiology research training emphasizing the integration of knowledge from the molecule to cell to organ to organism. Trainees develop the critical thinking, integrative reasoning, and technical skills participating in research focused on the prevention and control of HLBS diseases such as hypertension, metabolic disease, epilepsy and chronic respiratory diseases. Our current proposal maintains a focus on critical thinking, organ systems physiology and translational research training with enhancements in: 1) interdisciplinary instruction, 2) self-directed learning, 3) the trainee candidate pool, 4) the acceleration of reaching training milestones, 5) instruction in rigor and reproducibility in the scientific method, and 6) the recruitment of students from populations underrepresented in science and medicine. Trainees are recruited nationally from geographically diverse areas and selected on a competitive basis on undergraduate academic credentials, previous research experience, and commitment to a career in research in the Physiological Sciences. Students are full-time PhD candidates, and must successfully complete the course and research requirements, including passing the Qualifying Exam before being considered for NIH training grant support. Selection of T32 trainees will be based on several performance metrics in coursework and research productivity, in addition to the alignment of their research focus in the Physiological sciences and the candidate’s potential for a successful career in the biomedical sciences. An innovative feature of the training program is to meet the anticipated need to train students in integrative physiology to meet the growing need for such expertise in the era of Team Science and in the post-genomic era. Research training is under the direct supervision of highly skilled and experiences faculty preceptors in the basic sciences (primarily Physiology) and enhanced by clinical faculty. Trainees will undergo continuous evaluation of progress by Individual Development Plans that facilitate career development and progress toward individualized trainee goals. The success of our program in training is evidenced by a high completion rate and publication record of the twelve T32 supported graduates in the past 10 years, who had 25 first-authored and 42 co-authored publications (~5.6/trainee). The high number of co-authored publications reflects the highly collaborative environment among our faculty and Team Science approach. Each of these trainees has gone on to academic research, teaching or patient care positions indicative of the success of our approach to ensuring the future of integrative physiology into the future. Based on the long-term success of our training program, we hereby request funds to support 8 predoctoral students in each of the next 5 years.