Enhancing Patient-Oriented Research and Training in OCD

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The proposed midcareer investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24) will support the career development of Helen Blair Simpson, MD PhD, a clinical researcher who is dedicated to improving the lives of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The Career Development Plan will enhance the candidate's ability 1) to conduct patient-oriented research by receiving training in three specific areas: functional magnetic resonance imaging, advanced statistical methods, and novel clinical trial designs; and 2) to mentor patient-oriented researchers by receiving training in scientific leadership and cultural competence. The Mentoring Plan describes training for research fellows, K-awardees, and junior faculty in patient-oriented research. Under supervision by the candidate, mentees will obtain hand-on experience in methods for conducting patient-oriented research and will develop their own independent research directions. The Research Plan includes funded projects that focus on clinical trials but that also include neuroimaging and translational studies that Dr. Simpson conducts in collaboration with imaging experts and basic scientists, making for a rich training environment. It also includes a New Research Project with two aims: 1) to identify neurocognitive, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging biomarkers for OCD; and 2) to explore whether the pattern of performance across these measures generates a new way to classify OCD. Capitalizing on existing resources so as to be accomplished within the limits of the K24 research budget, this project will 1) enhance Dr. Simpson's research program and advance her capacity to conduct patient-oriented research; and 2) provide excellent opportunities for mentoring clinician-investigators.