Training in Translational Research in Alzheimer's and Related Dementias (TRIAD)

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ABSTRACT Our T32 training program entitled “Training in Translational Research In Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (TRIAD)” aims to provide cross-disciplinary training from bench to bedside, to produce a new translational workforce that is critically needed to advance effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). We will continue to support 4 predoctoral and 4 postdoctoral trainees who will receive rigorous training through a transdisciplinary and integrative mentoring program that spans the discovery continuum from molecular/ biochemical methods, preclinical translational approaches, and clinical research. The thematic focus is on major ADRD risk factors, including cerebrovascular dysfunction, neuroinflammation, brain injury, and genetic/lifestyle risks. The 23 faculty mentors include well-funded investigators with established and extensive collaborative relationships and successful track records in training. The faculty mentors encompass diverse yet complementary areas of expertise along the translational continuum from cell and molecular biology, genetics, and data science, through preclinical model systems, therapeutic development, neuroimaging, biomarkers, neuropathology, clinical trials, and longitudinal clinical studies. The majority (20) of these mentors are faculty in the University of Kentucky Sanders Brown Center on Aging, which includes a long-standing NIA-funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC). The two-year training plan will emphasize 1) experiential research and learning of core competencies required to become independent leaders in clinical/ translational research, 2) a tailored educational plan that emphasizes the translational continuum from basic science to clinical to community, and 3) multidisciplinary mentoring from highly committed program faculty. Each trainee will develop an individualized development plan to enable advancement to independent research and funding. Trainees will participate in a structured educational program that includes a dedicated AD101 course, training in the responsible conduct of research, Good Research Practice training, data science, and workshops and seminars. Trainees will gain career development experiences through the monthly trainee-organized team meeting, presentations at the annual Markesbery Symposium on Aging and Dementia, and grant writing workshops. Trainees will also have the opportunity to participate in an experiential learning externship, which can include an off-site training course, visiting a collaborator’s lab to develop additional research skills, or visiting another ADRC to observe/shadow/learn specific aspects based on the trainee’s research interests. Quantitative and qualitative metrics for evaluation of trainees, mentors, and the training program will assure a high-quality and effective training experience. Overall, this T32 program is uniquely positioned to fill a growing need for a diverse, translational research workforce with the cross-disciplinary team science skills required to conduct rigorous and cutting-edge basic, translational, and clinical research to develop and advance effective interventions for ADRD.