UTMB Clinical and Translational Science Award

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ABSTRACT This TL1 Training Core, in support of the UTMB CTSA U54 application, will provide “predoctoral students (3 trainees/year) with a deep orientation to translational science, and postdoctoral fellows (3 scholars/year) with advanced research training aligned with the CTSA's goals of advancing therapeutics (drugs, devices, diagnostics and preventatives), clinical interventions, and behavioral modifications to improve human health.” Existing curricula and training programs at UTMB, as elsewhere, excel at developing discipline-specific knowledge and technical skills, but are less effective at developing the core skills and competencies essential for the effective and efficient practice of team-based translational science; these are: team management, shared leadership, conflict resolution and negotiations, interprofessional communication, entrepreneurship, and the regulatory and ethical issues associated with human subjects research and clinical trials. To address this gap, we will build on our CTSA hub's successful application of a hybrid industry “work team”-academic approach to translational research using a Multidisciplinary Translational Team (MTT) model. We will also use a training model that is based on our successful implementation of a competency-driven curriculum for a new translational PhD program. We will recruit from a sufficiently large pool of trainees in any of our 13 biomedical graduate programs, including a large proportion of underrepresented minorities, which is mirrored by a diverse faculty. Of key importance, the GSBS and the UTMB Provost initiated and fund financial supplements for students recruited as Presidential Scholars to encourage the enrollment of outstanding graduate students. Potential trainees will be advised to pursue laboratory rotations with MTT-based faculty. Once a mentoring team is selected, students and their mentors will apply for training positions (predoctoral fellowship) in the TL1 Training Core. Postdoctoral scholars will be specifically recruited to the program by MTT-based mentors (Program Faculty). Among others, three particularly innovative components of the required curriculum include: 1) the Interprofessional Translational Research Design Course, which includes medical students and PhD students working in teams; 2) the Clinical Encounters Program, which addresses the need for trainees and scholars to be educated in the human health- and disease-related aspects of their research; and 3) dissertation/postdoctoral research projects co-mentored by both scientific and clinical experts. Lastly, our training program's evaluations will use relevant, validated assessment tools such as the Teamwork Competency Test and others. Primary financial resources, space, and staff are committed by UTMB to provide oversight, key core resources, integrative programs and seminars for this Training Core. The Graduate School of Basic Sciences also provides financial and infrastructure support for the Training Core. Lastly, the supporting letter from the UTMB Provost enumerates the current and future commitments to the ITS, which assure the success of this oversight entity for our innovative training program.