Training Program in Imaging Sciences in Translational Cardiovascular Research

 描述（由申请人提供）：所有水平的生物成像能力-从分子到人-已经发展到前所未有的复杂水平，使得我们现在可以可视化迄今为止不可见的解剖，功能，细胞和分子过程，为研究疾病发病机制开辟了令人兴奋的新机会。为了使这种不断增长的“看”的能力，为了促进科学发现的床边翻译，图像必须理解什么问题在生物医学研究中是重要的，相反，生物医学科学家必须精通可能彻底改变他们工作的成像技术。然而，很少有科学家能够在成像科学和生物医学研究领域之间舒适地通勤，导致“脱节”，阻碍了成像科学和转化研究之间原本应该是强大的，双向促进的关系。为了弥合这一鸿沟，我们新的T32计划采用创新的教育模式，在广泛的尖端多模态成像平台上培训未来的临床和基础研究人员，因为他们追求假设驱动的研究，特别强调转化心血管研究。虽然有T32专注于传统的心血管成像工具（例如MRI，SPECT，Echo），但据我们所知，没有培训计划将生物成像全面整合到转化生物和物理科学中。我们的博士后学员（MD或PhD）将获得从分子到整个生物体的成像方法（“成像工具包”）和从基础到人群水平的转化研究（“转化工具包”）的“核心能力”-通过共同导师结构完成，每个学员都有一位来自成像科学的导师，另一位来自生物医学科学竞技场。我们的培训战略是围绕个性化发展计划，强调基于抽象的演示文稿，出版物，追求职业发展赠款，教学课程的完成，或硕士课程的完成可量化的结果。主任Villanueva博士是一位心脏病专家、成像专家和翻译研究员，具有丰富的指导经验。在实现成像科学和生物医学研究之间的相互关系所支持的这T32，她一直在分子探针和超声技术的发展，分子成像和治疗的最前沿。我们的培训委员会由主任和3名联席主任组成，他们在基础、转化和临床研究和培训方面具有专业知识。我们的15个成像学院体现了充分的 该中心拥有最先进的成像技术，16个生物医学科学学院提供心血管医学多层次的转化研究课题。该计划通过对心脏病学和心脏，肺，血液和血管医学研究所（VMI）的机构捐赠，临床科学转化研究所和超声分子成像和治疗中心的丰富基础设施，VMI核心以及与其他机构翻译T32的互动得到加强。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Capabilities for biologic imaging at all levels--spanning molecules to man--have evolved to an unprecedented level of sophistication such that we can now visualize anatomic, functional, cellular, and molecular processes heretofore invisible, opening exciting new opportunities to study disease pathogenesis. In order for this ever- growing capacity to "see," to facilitate bedside translation of scientific discoveries, images must understand what questions are important in biomedical research, and conversely, biomedical scientists must be fluent in the imaging technologies that could revolutionize their work. However, there is a paucity of scientists who can comfortably commute between the spheres of imaging science and biomedical research, resulting in a "disconnect" that stymies what should otherwise be a powerful, bi-directionally facilitative, relationship between imaging science and translational research. To close this chasm, our new T32 Program employs an innovative educational paradigm to train future clinical and basic researchers in a broad spectrum of cutting edge, multimodality imaging platforms as they pursue hypothesis-driven research, with a specific emphasis on translational cardiovascular research. While there are T32's focused on traditional cardiovascular imaging tools (e.g. MRI, SPECT, Echo), to our knowledge, no training program comprehensively integrates biological imaging within translational biological and physical sciences. Our post-doctoral trainees (MD or PhD) will acquire "core competencies" in imaging methods spanning molecular to whole organism ("imaging tool kit") and in the conduct of translational research spanning basic to population levels ("translational tool kit') -- accomplished through a co-mentorship structure, with each trainee having one mentor from the imaging sciences, and another from the biomedical science arena. Our training strategy is structured around Individualized Development Plans that emphasize quantifiable outcomes based on abstract presentations, publications, pursuit of career development grants, completion of didactic courses, or completion of Masters Programs. The Director, Dr. Villanueva, is a cardiologist, imaging specialist, and translational researcher with extensive mentoring experience. In actualizing the reciprocal relationship between imaging sciences and biomedical research espoused by this T32, she has been at the forefront of molecular probe and ultrasound technology development for molecular imaging and therapeutics. Our Training Committee comprises the Director and 3 co-Directors with expertise in basic, translational, and clinical research and training. Our 15 Imaging Faculty embody the full gamut of state-of-the-art imaging technologies, and 16 Biomedical Science Faculty offer multiple levels of translational research topics in cardiovascular medicine. The Program is enhanced by institutional endowments to Cardiology and the Heart, Lung, Blood, and Vascular Medicine Institute (VMI), a rich infrastructure from the Clinical Sciences Translational Institute and Cente for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics, VMI Cores, and interactions with other institutional translational T32s.