Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Type 1 Diabetes and Biomedical Engineering

1型糖尿病（T1 D）的发病率在美国和世界各地仍在上升。幸运的是， 患有这种疾病的人现在活得更长，这主要是由于基于技术的 疾病管理策略，如连续葡萄糖监测仪、胰岛素泵和算法， 将它们整合到现在被称为“人造胰腺”的东西中。然而，绝大多数T1 D患者 但仍难以达到临床血糖目标，结果是器官、神经和血管发育 随着时间的推移，此外，对许多人来说，T1 D管理的成本是一个巨大的经济负担， 临床抑郁症和焦虑症的患病率在患有抑郁症和焦虑症的人中不成比例地高， T1 D诊断因此，如果不是迫切需要创新的治疗方法和技术， 不仅要进一步推进T1 D护理，而且要进一步发展预防或逆转疾病的手段。 这反过来又形成了培养一代科学家的需要，他们同时对以下方面有深入的了解： T1 D发病机制（包括系统免疫学、人类胰腺和胰岛细胞生物学方面的专业知识），以及 也可以有助于这种干预的材料、组织和细胞工程。总体目标 我们在T1 D和生物医学工程的跨学科研究生课程是提供一个综合的， 高度合作的培训经验;这，发展博士前的学生成为毕业生有技能， 知识至关重要的职业生涯，桥梁这两个重要的学科。博士前候选人选择共同- 导师（一个T1 D和一个生物医学工程）来自不同的教师，研究兴趣包括：1） 免疫学/遗传学（自身免疫、eQTL和基因型/表型分析、先天免疫、基因编辑、T 细胞工程）; 2）干细胞生物学/治疗学（细胞治疗、iPSC生成、细胞支架）; 3）疾病 建模（活胰腺切片培养、胰岛免疫芯片、动物模型）; 4）生物统计学/生物信息学;以及5） 临床/转化研究（临床试验、治疗开发、行为研究、临床 心理学）。该大学的NIH支持的CTSI以及 学院和中心由隶属于本培训计划的教师指导。培训计划是 主要是指导性的，学员75%以上的时间用于独立的研究活动， 其余用于正式课程和会议。培训的重点是以疾病为导向的研究， 根据每个学员的个人需求量身定制的课程。迄今为止，还作出了协调一致的努力， 严格的计划评估，促进受训人员的职业发展，并招聘代表性不足的人 少数民族（URM），残疾人和女性候选人。从这个项目中产生的受训人员已经高度 在研究出版方面取得成功，通过F31奖项获得独立资助， 随后的职业发展。我们相信，该计划将继续产生谁是独特的毕业生 准备解决一个至关重要的社会需求，以改善那些与T1 D和风险的生活。

The incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains on the rise in the U.S. and around the world. Fortunately, individuals with the disease are now living longer, largely due to dramatic improvements in technology-based disease management strategies such as continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and algorithms allowing for their integration into what is now known as an “artificial pancreas.” However, the vast majority of T1D patients still experience difficulty in achieving clinical glycemic targets and as result, develop organ, nerve and vascular damage over time. Additionally, to many, the cost of T1D management presents a substantial financial burden, and the prevalence of clinical depression and anxiety disorders is disproportionately high in persons living with a T1D diagnosis. As such, there is a continuing, if not urgent need for innovative therapeutics and technologies to further advance not only T1D care but in addition, progress towards a means to prevent or reverse the disease. This, in turn, forms the need to train a generation of scientists who simultaneously have in-depth knowledge of T1D etiopathogenesis (including expertise in systems immunology, human pancreatic and islet cell biology), and also can contribute to the materials, tissue, and cellular engineering of such interventions. The overall objective of our Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in T1D and Biomedical Engineering is to provide an integrated and highly collaborative training experience; this, to develop pre-doctoral students into graduates having skillsets and knowledge vital for careers that bridge these two important disciplines. Pre-doctoral candidates select co- mentors (one T1D and one Biomedical Engineering) from a diverse faculty with research interests spanning: 1) Immunology/Genetics (autoimmunity, eQTL and genotype/phenotype analysis, innate immunity, gene editing, T cell engineering); 2) Stem Cell Biology/Therapeutics (cell therapy, iPSC generation, cell scaffolds); 3) Disease Modeling (live pancreas slice culture, islet-immune chip, animal models); 4) Biostatistics/Bioinformatics; and 5) Clinical/Translational Research (clinical trials, therapeutic development, behavioral research, clinical psychology). This training infrastructure is further enhanced by the university’s NIH supported CTSI as well as Institutes and Centers directed by faculty members affiliated with this training program. The training program is largely preceptorial, with more than 75% of the trainee’s time devoted to independent research activities and the remainder spent in formal courses and conferences. Training is focused on disease-oriented research with a curriculum tailored to each trainee’s individual needs. To date, a concerted effort has also been extended to rigorous program evaluation, fostering trainee career development, and recruitment of underrepresented minority (URM), disability, and female candidates. Trainees emanating from this program have been highly successful in terms of research publications, acquisition of independent funding through F31 awards, and subsequent career development. We believe this program will continue to produce graduates who are uniquely poised to address a vital societal need to improve the lives of those with and at risk for T1D.