Advanced Training for Leadership in Urology and Urological Research

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application requests support for the training of basic scientists and board-eligible urologists for careers as independent investigators committed to the study of genitourinary biology and pathology. Diseases of the urogenital system affect over 50 million Americans. Training highly qualified physician-scientists and basic scientists in urogenital system research is an important national health need. The proposed training program will build on a history at the University of Virginia of training biomedical scientists and will develop scientists who will continue to meet the biomedical research challenges of the future, The program will equip both clinical and basic scientists with research experience using modern research tools and provide them with the knowledge base needed for the unraveling of urogenital disorders. The training program is tailored to accommodate doctoral-level candidates from diverse academic backgrounds, whether they be post-residency trainees (M.D.'s) or post-doctoral basic scientists (Ph.D.'s). Formal instruction will be available in subjects from biostatistics to cell and molecular biology. In addition, the trainees will participate in a UVA Certificate Program focusing on one of five different topic areas ranging from clinical research to public health, courses that can be used in pursuit of an M. P. H. degree. As "pre-faculty", our trainees will also have the unique opportunity to participate in the University of Virginia School of Medicine's Faculty Development Program which covers topics from grant writing, to resume building, to time and resource management. All mentors hold tenure-track appointments in the School of Medicine and are P.l.'s of at least one active grant relevant to the urogenital system. Each has significant experience with postdoctoral trainees. The institutional environment offers a rich mixture of seminars, visiting professors, and conferences. These create stimulating academic exchanges in preceptors' labs that have nationally recognized strengths in genitourinary system studies. Areas of interest to this application include NIH supported research into obstructive uropathy and renal development, the pharmacology of bladder and urogenital smooth muscle, testicular and epididymal function, sperm biology, and urologic oncology. It is the goal of this program to train both physicians and basic scientists for careers in urogenital investigation that will match or exceed those of their mentors.