Summer Environmental Health Sciences Training Program

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Abstract: This proposal is a competing renewal application for a T35 short term medical student summer training program in environmental health science research that has been funded by NIEHS for 15 years. The Specific Aims are: 1) To provide hands-on training in basic and clinical environmental health-based research to medical students in a structured, mentored environment; 2) To provide an interactive, educational experience that introduces medical students to the fundamental skills necessary for basic, translational, and clinical Environmental Health Sciences-based research. The Distinction in Research Track (DIR), a feature added in the previous award period, enhances training for our students to function as environmental health sciences specialists in an academic health center setting. This NIEHS T35 training program encourages students to participate in the DIR for a continued longitudinal research experience in the 2nd – 4th years of medical training, allowing them to develop research-oriented skills to complete a clinical or translational research project in the third/fourth years. Publication of peer-reviewed articles, as some trainees have achieved, as well as the strength of residency training and first permanent position as physician-scientists are tracked as outcomes. The program will support training of 8 second year medical students in environmental health sciences research topics related to chemical exposure induced chronic diseases including diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, cancer and hormonal regulation of metabolism. UofL medical students in the top half of the first year class choose from research projects submitted by 23 mentors in the Schools of Medicine and Public Health (ranking them 1-5 for interest). Trainees to be appointed to the T35 training grant are selected after in- person meetings between trainees and mentors to assure `fit'. A successful effort has been made to recruit students from underrepresented minorities and disadvantaged backgrounds. During the 11-week summer training, students work with mentors on their research project in clinical or laboratory settings and complete training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (topics include: reproducibility, fabrication and falsification of data, plagiarism, managing scientific data, publication practices, mentorship, responsible authorship, stewardship, conflict of interest). Trainees working with human subjects complete human subject and IRB training prior to beginning their research. Trainees who use vertebrate animals in mentors' labs complete and pass IACUC training courses. All trainees will attend a weekly “Environmental Health Sciences Conference” designed to introduce clinical and translational research in environmental health sciences to T35 trainees. The conference culminates with each Trainee presenting his/her research project to peers and mentors. Trainees also present the results of their research as posters with peers at a School of Medicine week-long research celebration that includes nationally recognized physician-scientists as keynote speakers. Poster contest Winners are eligible to attend the National Student Research Forum the following Spring.