Training Program in Genome-Environment Interactions in Neonatal Disease

描述（由申请人提供）：早产仍然是一个重大的健康问题，出生体重极低的婴儿存活的比例越来越高。因此，新生儿科医生正面临着越来越多的婴儿患有人们知之甚少的疾病，其中早产是主要的致病因素。早产可能暴露遗传和表观遗传易感性，以适应托儿所环境的特殊需求。需要基于现代遗传分析的新见解来解决这一重要问题领域。很少有内科科学家或生物医学研究人员受过培训，能够理解未成熟宿主体内基因和环境之间复杂的相互作用。拟议的新生儿教育基因与环境（GENE）培训计划的总体目标是为临床和基础科学研究者提供新生儿全基因组遗传和表观遗传研究的设计、实施和分析方面的研究培训。该计划旨在将基本的遗传训练与研究技能结合起来，以满足全基因组调查的独特需求。采用双导师模式，遗传学或表观遗传学导师帮助学员理解现代最先进工具的应用，而专注于新生儿生物学问题的导师则指导学员通过临床或发育分析，特别是针对NICU疾病的理解。一个由遗传学、表观遗传学和临床/转化研究方面的专家组成的团队已经成立，以促进这项培训工作。这些导师，结合费城儿童医院、宾夕法尼亚大学和斯托克斯研究所优秀的临床设施和研究核心，将加强医学博士和博士后研究员的培训经验，并使他们成为这一新兴研究领域的专家。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Premature birth remains a significant health concern and an increasing proportion of very low birth weight infants are surviving. As a consequence, neonatologists are facing an expanding population of infants with poorly-understood diseases in whom prematurity is a major causative factor. Preterm delivery may expose genetic and epigenetic susceptibility to the extraordinary demands of adaptation to the environment of the nursery. New insights, based on modern genetic analysis are required to address this important problem area. Few physician-scientists or biomedical investigators are trained to understand the complex interplay between genes and environment in the immature host. The overall objective of the proposed Genes and Environment in Neonatal Education (GENE) Training Program is to provide research training for clinical and basic science investigators in the design, implementation and analysis of genome-wide genetic and epigenetic studies in neonates. The program is designed to integrate basic genetic training with research skills fundamental to the unique demands of genome-wide investigation. Using a two-mentor model in which a genetics or epigenetics mentor assists the trainee in understanding the application of modern state-of-the- art tools, while a mentor focused on biological problems in the neonate guides the trainee through clinical or developmental analyses specifically geared to understanding diseases in the NICU. A team of experts in genetics, epigenetics, and clinical/translational research has been assembled to facilitate this training effort. These mentors, combined with the outstanding clinical facilities and research cores of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania, the and the Stokes Research Institute will enhance the training experience of MD and PhD post-doctoral fellows and prepare them to become experts in this emerging field of research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: An increasing number of very premature infants are surviving with complex medical problems, reflecting the influence of environmental factors such as prematurity itself or transition to breathing and feeding on a genetically-susceptible neonate. Few scientists are trained to understand the interactions between genes and the unique environment of the premature infant. This training program attempts to correct that deficiency.