Pediatric Neurointensive Care and Resuscitation Research

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Acute life-threatening insults in children such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and cardiac arrest (CA) are leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Injury to the central nervous system from these insults is the key determinant of unfavorable outcome. These neurological and multi- system insults require a multidisciplinary and multi-departmental response that must be coordinated from the field through to rehabilitation. Research training in pediatric neurointensive care and resuscitation is best served by a parallel multidisciplinary and multi- departmental program. Our unique postdoctoral program at the Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, supported by a T32 since 2000, establishes important links across the continuum of care of brain injured infants and children and facilitates rigorous scientific investigation across the key disciplines including pediatric critical care medicine, child neurology, pediatric neurological surgery, pediatric emergency medicine, neonatology, pediatric radiology, and physical medicine and rehabilitation. We train fellows in these pediatric disciplines in basic and clinical research in neurointensive care and resuscitation, linking them to senior scientists. In this competitive renewal application, funds are requested to support 4 positions each yr. Since its inception, the program has filled every position with high-quality fellows who have published numerous peer-reviewed papers and abstracts, and have won many awards. In the last funding cycle, 4 of the 6 graduated fellows have already acquired 5 K awards (two K12s, two K08s, and one K23); many have received advanced degrees. They are highly sought after as faculty; all are in academic positions. The research focus is on injury mechanisms, novel therapies, and outcomes after TBI and CA. We use a bench-to-bedside approach supported by federally funded studies by our faculty. We capitalize on the unique interaction between the Safar Center and the training programs at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and the Univ. of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and also take advantages of many unique resources and a Clinical and Translational Science Institute. The director, co-director, and mentors are dedicated, qualified scientists and proven educators. The research areas of each mentor ask important questions, suitable for career development and hypothesis testing. We integrate a curriculum in neurointensive care and involvement on a unique pediatric neurocritical care clinical service. Graduates can formulate, execute, analyze, present and publish experiments designed to answer key questions and are trained in grantsmanship and research integrity. The program has had success in diversity recruitment, notably, in recruiting applicants with disabilities.