Training Program in Childhood Neuropsychiatric Disorders

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Project Summary This is an application for a 5-year renewal of the Yale University’s T32 Training Grant "Training Program in Childhood Neuropsychiatric Disorders" (T32 MH018268). Our program focuses on preparing scientists, in both clinical and basic sciences, for independent careers as field- leading investigators, conducting research on childhood neuropsychiatric disorders. Training programs like ours are urgently needed given: 1) the large number of children affected by or at risk to develop major mental illnesses; 2) the considerable costs to society associated with their care; 3) the limited efficacy and effectiveness of available treatment and prevention programs; 4) the small number of active investigators in the field; and 5) the emergence of relevant scientific and technological advances that have yet to be fully realized. Over the past 34 years, we have recruited 107 T32 Postdoctoral Fellows. A majority of these trainees have been women (56%) and close to 20% have been underrepresented minorities. In the last 15 years, 86% percent of the trainees completed at least two years of the T32 Fellowship. A majority of trainees, 80% continue to be actively involved in research concerning Childhood Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Most trainees have published multiple peer-reviewed papers and many trainees have obtained numerous independent research grants and career development awards. Their work has garnered international acclaim and many of our graduates are leading figures in their respective fields. Uniquely, this T32 program is fully united with a highly successful six-year integrated child, adolescent and adult research and clinical residency training program in child psychiatry. In this renewal, we seek to expand upon our existing collaborations involving joint training opportunities with adjoining departments and with nearby academic institutions with an emphasis in child mental health. We include explicit training in team science. We believe this training will augment the success of our trainees, reorienting the culture of the academic institution to better support, greater reward, and an enhanced quality of mentorship in clinical and translational research. We will continue to place a major emphasis on career development by providing individual mentoring along with experiential training in team science, complemented by didactic activities. A personalized training plan is developed for each trainee early during the course of the Fellowship and is monitored closely throughout. Enhancement of writing skills, guidance on balancing personal life and professional career, and exposure to cross-disciplinary co-mentors characterize our T32 Fellowship program.