Predoctoral Training Program for Alzheimer’s Disease at the Interface of Data Science, Engineering and Biology

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Project Summary/Abstract The overarching goal of this Training Program for predoctoral students based at the at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is to provide cross-disciplinary training for future innovative leaders in translational ADRD research. Our training will emphasize the application of data science and engineering principles to ADRD biology and translational research through interdisciplinary research projects and coursework. The proposed Training Program will provide trainees with a keen understanding of the interdisciplinary and translational nature of ADRD research, which is firmly based on fundamental research in biological sciences, data science and engineering, leading to innovative new scientific disciplines and technologies, novel AD drug development, and translation of discoveries to the clinic. Training faculty are actively involved in research programs spanning: 1) data science as applied to ADRD, including medical imaging; 2) pharmacologic interventions for ADRD; and 3) structural biology of protein folding/tau. The Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) will be our clinical training partner through a subcontract and will provide ample access to educational and research opportunities to our trainees. Key aspects of the Training Program include: [1] a set of five courses to maximize didactic training among the key disciplines, including a new course entitled “Data Science and ADRD” and summer bootcamp “Data Science and ADRD: Hands-on Training and Research Challenge”. Development and launch of the new data science course and summer bootcamp have been funded by a supplement to the current NIA T32, with their inaugural runs planned for 2022; [2] a core course entitled “Perspectives in Alzheimer’s Disease Research” that is taken by all trainees and open to other RPI students; [3] a seminar series (Frontiers in Alzheimer’s Research) and related research symposia that builds on campus-wide programs at RPI and clinical and industry partners; [4] a student-run seminar program, in which trainees present their research to their peers and training faculty; [5] training in responsible conduct of research; [6] Co-advising and multidisciplinary PhD thesis committee with ADRD expertise; [7] translational and clinical internship at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) and industrial partners; [8] poster presentation and participation at annual meetings of the Rensselaer Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS) and Institute for Data Exploration and Applications (IDEA); [9] entrepreneurship and commercial translation training; and [10] an annual retreat in contemporary research in AD and related dementias at which trainees and members of the larger campus community interact with prominent researchers in the field.