Enhancement training for the next generation of translational Ph.D. scientists

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) Program in Translational Medicine (PiTM) was first established in 2006 with funding support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and later supported by a T32 from the National Institutes of Health. The UNC PiTM is a unique program that fills unmet needs among biomedical graduate students at UNC. Unlike department- and disease-focused programs, the PiTM is cross- department, -diseases, and -disciplines, providing our trainees with a rich exposure to diverse topics in translational medicine. The primary objective of the PiTM is to train a cadre of PhD researchers with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize, appreciate, and address clinically-relevant biological problems related to human disease from the perspective of basic science. To accomplish this goal, the PiTM trains basic science PhD students to work in multidisciplinary teams composed of scientists, physician-scientists, and clinicians, using state-of-the-art experimental approaches and patient-derived resources. The trainees have a dual (scientist/clinical) mentored experience, a rigorous clinical exposure, and blended core coursework that enhances training in translational medicine. Trainees also receive additional training to build communication and leadership skills essential for future team science and community outreach endeavors. The PiTM structure includes both funded and unfunded trainees (~10-15 matriculants each year), each with access to the same rigorous training opportunities and experiences throughout their graduate tenure. This structure enables us to maximize diversity within the PiTM and enhance the training experience. With this current application, we request support for 6 1-year slots for outstanding PiTM trainees. The PiTM has over a decade of experience in best practices training over 150 basic science PhD students, 67% female and 19% underrepresented, to perform translational research. The proposed training leverages this experience to create a unique training model for preparing the next generation of PhD researchers to effectively lead and contribute to multidisciplinary teams of translational researchers.