Vascular Biology, Signaling and Therapeutics training program

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ABSTRACT This training grant application is focused on vascular biology, signaling, and therapeutic development (VBST), and is designed for 4 pre-doctoral and 2 postdoctoral trainees. Vascular researchers increasingly work in a multi-disciplinary environment in which they seek diverse goals, from fundamental discovery research to translation of new findings into experimental therapeutics. Consequently, training of the next generation of vascular biologist requires pre- and postdocs to engage in highly defined research while also acquiring cross- disciplinary collaborative research skills and an understanding of translational opportunities. Our mission is to use a multi-disciplinary training approach in order to develop eminent vascular biologists with careers in academia, research institutions, and the biopharmaceutical arena. The VBST Training Program is organized around four thematic areas of research training: (1) Vascular Signaling, (2) Angiogenesis and Regeneration, (3) Vascular Therapeutics, and (4) Neurovascular Biology. Our organizational strengths include depth of vascular biology expertise and a highly-qualified cohort of scientists-in-training working in an exciting and multi-disciplinary environment. Mentor expertise is drawn from 9 departments (Physiology and Biophysics, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Pharmacology, Kinesiology, Ophthalmology, Neurology, Medicine, Bioengineering, Dentistry) and 4 Colleges (Medicine, Engineering, Applied Health Sciences, Dentistry) and VBST is associated with 3 clinical and translational entities (Center for Cardiovascular Research (CCVR), Center for Clinical Translation Science (CCTS) which includes the UICentre for Drug Discovery, and the Chicago Biomedical Consortium (CBC). An educational program for trainees encompasses curricular activities and collaborative training in drug development and clinical trials, with both pharma and university- based centers. VBST training opportunities are available via partnerships with Eli Lilly, AbbVie, and Genentech. To foster collaboration and extend the scope of research, each trainee has two mentors that are drawn from a different thematic area, and all trainees have curricular activities related to cardiovascular therapeutics. Upon entry into the program, trainees will formulate an Individual Development Plan (IDP) with their mentors' guidance, and will elicit advice from Theme Leaders. Thus, trainees have ample opportunities to advance to independence through support from experts in the field. We will enrich all the VBST trainees through required participation in VBST Annual Retreat, annual NAVBO-VASCULATA coursework, survival skills workshop, journal club, and career advice that underscore ethics and reproducibility in biomedical science. Thus, the VBST will provide an exciting, multi-disciplinary, and rigorous program and will prepare pre- and postdoctoral trainees to become vascular scientists of the highest caliber. These young scientists will be able to conduct cutting-edge research, work in teams, understand the current landscape of cardiovascular diseases and accelerate discoveries into treatment.