Pathogenesis, Targeted Therapeutics, and New Vaccines for Childhood Disease

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Project Summary The goal of this renewal application is to continue our K12 training program for early career pediatricians with both the aptitude and passion to become the next generation of basic and translational physician scientists. The results of our first funding cycle have been excellent, and lessons learned are incorporated to further strengthen the program. The overarching theme for the program is elucidation of the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of childhood diseases, leading to identification of therapeutic targets. Our focus is career development in the following areas where Vanderbilt has internationally recognized programs of discovery combined with a record of excellence in research mentorship: 1) Lung Disease and Development, 2) Heart Disease and Development; 3) Obesity and Metabolism (including diabetes) 4) Neurological Disorders; 5) Cancer Biology, 6) Genetics and Genomic Medicine, and 7) Infectious Diseases, including emerging pathogens. The program offers an integrated pediatric department and medical school training program for four pediatric K12 scholars to receive up to three years of support that includes intense scientific mentorship and personalized career development. The scholars will have access to a cadre of well-established faculty including 33 carefully selected senior investigators, all with sustained NIH funding coupled with a successful track record of mentoring early career scholars. Also, we have selected 8 pediatric ‘next generation mentors’, with K or early R01 funding that will be well positioned for full mentorship in the future. The Department of Pediatrics is fully integrated into the Vanderbilt School of Medicine and health system, a leading NIH funded academic medical center. All departments, hospitals, research laboratories and core facilities reside on a single campus offering an integrated research environment for scholars. Through multiple training grants, there is a strong pipeline of future K12 scholars. Program leadership will also conduct a national search to identify a group of K12 scholars, including underrepresented minorities, that will thrive in this collaborative environment. Each scholar will have an individualized training program developed by the PI and training directors in collaboration with a multidisciplinary mentorship team and will be supported by a broad array of institutional and departmental resources. The primary focus for each scholar will be their mentored research project, but they will have opportunities to participate in an array of training opportunities to support their research and career development goals. To avoid distraction from research time, we will carefully define required activities from optional program opportunities. Required elements include weekly attendance at lab meetings and with their primary mentor, monthly group meetings with program leaders, six- monthly scholar oversight committee meetings, and annual evaluations of scholars and program. They will also have confidential face-to-face meetings with two outside advisors (Drs. Arnold Strauss and George Dover). These plans provide an optimal environment for developing the next generation of pediatric physician scientists.