Interdisciplinary Training in Cardiovascular Research

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ABSTRACT This application is a competitive renewal of our (year 45) Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research (CVP) Training Program. The University of Arizona (UA) is a top 20 of Research I (R1) institutions and has a proven track record of mentoring, research and collaborations across departmental and institutional boundaries. The UA is the only R1 University with Hispanic Serving Institution and American Indian & Alaska Native-Serving (AIANSI) status with 20% of all graduate students from underrepresented populations (URPs). The UA has seen an unprecedented focus on heart, vascular and pulmonary research – bringing new, well-funded faculty, committed to mentorship, to this renewal application. Substantive improvements in infrastructure and new opportunities enable our trainees to gain true translational experiences. Two UA Colleges of Medicine - one in Tucson (UA-COM-T) and one in Phoenix (UA-COM-P) are committed to translational CVP research by building state-of-the art infrastructure through intra-institutional partnerships among key Research Centers. The CVP Program is organized into 3 strong, synergistic interdisciplinary research themes: 1) Molecular Basis of Cardiac Function and Disease, 2) Signaling in Vascular and Pulmonary Disease, and 3) Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Disease – Molecules to Treatments. This organization creates a robust pipeline of integrative basic and physician-scientist teams engaged in foundational physiological CVP research, with modern and relevant research proficiencies, with verbal and written communication, mentorship, collaborative and networking competencies. The CVP Program has evolved to meet the increased need for a diverse workforce and demand in health-related careers by delivering a contemporary didactic experience in physiological CVP research, applied research skills, and career development. All CVP Trainees benefit from state-of-the-art Core facilities, CVP disease-focused Research Centers, and unmatched Institutional resources to address the modern-era of data-driven research, including the “All of Us” Program, CyVerse and the Data Science Institute. The training plan aligns with the NIH mission of T32 translational research training where predoctoral, MD/PhD, clinical and postdoctoral trainees receive a broad background in biomedical and interdisciplinary research, multiple experimental approaches, and practical and ethical aspects of careers in science. Trainees also develop presentation and intrapersonal skills through journal clubs, MD/PhD colloquium, “meet the speaker” seminar program and attending institutional, national and international Cardiology and Pulmonary conferences. The postdoctoral training plan fosters a comprehensive path towards independence by expanding research focus, learning state-of-the-art techniques, and honing scientific writing skills. Formal courses with active-learning options are continuously revised (e.g., addition of courses on sex/gender differences and health disparities) and global training in building translational teams via the Eureka International Institute is available. >90% of trainees supported by this program remain in research-positions, a positive indicator of the success of our program.