Skeletal Disorders Training Program

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Washington University School of Medicine and the affiliated Barnes-Jewish Hospital have a 40-year tradition of excellence in musculoskeletal research, patient care, education and training. In 2011, the Skeletal Disorders Training Program (SDTP) was established under the leadership of Dr. Roberto Civitelli, with the purpose of training the next generation of skeletal investigators, and it was renewed in 2015. This SDTP provides the educational and mentoring infrastructure of the WU Musculoskeletal Research Center, a partnership between the Departments of Medicine (Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases) and Orthopaedic Surgery, supported by a NIAMS-funded P30 award, thus integrating the complementary aims of this T32 and the P30 into a unified structure. The SDTP offers 3 pre- and 3 post-doctoral positions and has so far enrolled 27 trainees (12 graduate students and 15 post-doctoral fellows). Of these, 5 have progressed to faculty appointments, 5 to permanent positions in industry; one has been awarded a K99/R00 grant; 5 have received an F-type award. Together, they have published 104 articles directly linked to this program and received numerous awards and recognitions. This SDTP offers research training in 5 thematic areas, reflecting the focus and common interests of the participating faculty: 1) Musculoskeletal Biomechanics; 2) Skeletal Development and Regeneration; 3) The Skeleton and Other Systems; 4) Skeletal Immunology; 5) Tumor-Skeleton Interactions. Mentors selected for this SDTP are drawn from 9 academic Departments and Programs at WU. The program is based on 4 training domains: 1) mentored research training; 2) curriculum coursework; 3) enrichment activities; 4) career development. The training program builds on the graduate programs administered by the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences and the Department of Biomedical Engineering and leverages the Institute for Translational and Clinical Sciences and other institutional resources. Specific innovations proposed include,1) development of non-academic research training opportunities; 2) expansion of training in rigor and reproducibility; 3) addition of a mentor education plan; 4) enhanced participation of previous trainees and creation of an Alumni Network; 5) new efforts in increasing participation of URM to the program; 6) increased emphasis on career development training. These new SDTP trained researchers will make the future discoveries in the genetic and molecular bases of skeletal disorders, and eventually improve the treatment of osteoporosis, inflammatory osteolysis, osteoarthritis, bone metastasis, and other skeletal disorders that afflict a large proportion of the elderly population.