Doctoral Program in Human Nutrition and Metabolism

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Postdoctoral Training Program in Human Nutrition and Metabolism combines outstanding resources for nutrition research with a uniquely qualified faculty of scientists in human nutrition to train physicians, other graduate-level health professionals, and selected Ph.D.s to conduct research in human nutrition, metabolism, and the biological sciences basic to nutrition. Participating institutions include the U.S.D.A. Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Tufts-New England Medical Center, the Tufts University School of Nutrition Science and Policy, the Tufts University School of Medicine and the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences. The Boston Obesity Research Center complements these institutional resources. There are 37 faculty members in this program 28 of who are preceptors and 9 of who are supporting faculty. The preceptors serve as principal investigators for over 20 NIH grants and have trained over 215 pre- and post-doctoral trainees over the last 15 years. Faculty research ranges from molecular and cellular biology to epidemiology and policy in areas of nutritional science relevant to the prevention and treatment of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke and osteoporosis. The program primarily recruits physicians, although other graduate-level health professionals and selected Ph.D.s are also recruited, and the program has actively sought out minority trainees. Renewal of four funded slots is requested. Trainees pursue an academically rigorous three year training program in which they have the additional options of obtaining either a Ph.D. in nutrition or an M.A. in clinical care research. Progress in the program is monitored by a Steering Committee that includes the trainees' preceptors or thesis advisors. Research education is complemented by a rich schedule of research conferences and seminars and, for trainees with health professional degrees, by clinical training in an inpatient nutrition support service, and by rotation in outpatient nutrition subspecialty clinics. Trainees acquire a broad background in basic nutritional science and nutrition research, familiarity with the current literature in nutrition and disease, training in the use and interpretation of methodologies to assess the nutritional status of individuals and populations, and a sophisticated understanding of the applications and limitations of research design and biostatistical methodologies.