Research Training in Pediatric Nephrology

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The Pediatric Nephrology Training Program at the University of Michigan is designed to recruit the best post- doctoral trainees and prepare them for a career in Basic, Epidemiology/Outcomes or Clinical Research. Training will be carefully designed and individually tailored for each trainee and will combine a didactic program with a mentored research experience. The proposed Training Program will provide 2 or more years of postdoctoral research training in Nephrology to MD trainees in 2 areas: a) Basic Laboratory Research; and b) Clinical Investigation and Epidemiology research. Ph.D. trainees will receive intensive basic laboratory training in a lab performing pediatric nephrology/developmental research. Four trainees will be appointed yearly. The Training Program will be provided by 42 faculty members from 8 departments and 3 schools/colleges, all of whom have substantial training experience. Given the considerable scientific collaboration among the various members of the Program Faculty, there will be ample opportunity for a given trainee to gain research experience in more than one research setting during his or her training experience. The majority of trainees will enroll in intensive didactic programs depending on their research track. Those in the basic science track will complete a three month Postgraduate Research Training Program. Those in the clinical investigation and epidemiology research track will typically complete a Masters of Public Health program in Biostatistics and Epidemiology or a Masters of Science program in the Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis course. Weekly seminar series conducted by the Training Program will complement the formal curricula. Mentored research will be supported by the resources of the Medical School, the Department of Pediatrics, The Division of Pediatric Nephrology, the Division of Nephrology, the individual faculty members, and by the George M. O'Brien Renal Center (for basic research), the Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center (for epidemiology/outcomes research), and Arbor Research (for clinical or epidemiology/outcomes research). All trainees will be required to submit individual fellowship or grant applications and abstracts for national meetings during their training. Based on this training and the excellent track record of graduates from the Training Program in Nephrology, fellows will be well positioned for independent careers in Pediatric Nephrology research. RELEVANCE (See instructions): Pediatric Nephrology has faced ongoing physician shortages and has one of the oldest workforces of any Pediatric subspecialty. This contributes to a higher percentage of children than adults starting dialysis without prior nephrologist care and a lack of improvement in patient outcomes. In the 2007 Annual Data Report of the United States Renal Data System the need to "focus on developing new approaches in treating this most vulnerable population" was cited. Our trainees will develop and implement new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.