Translational Epidemiology - Training for Research on Aging and Chronic disease

项目总结/摘要 慢性疾病给老年人带来了沉重的负担，并提出了独特的智力，方法， 以及对科学家和政策制定者的统计挑战。这些挑战是由 2019冠状病毒病大流行对患有慢性病的老年人造成的不成比例的影响。在这 重新提交我们的更新申请UCSF T32转化流行病学-研究培训 在我们成功的第一个资助周期的基础上，我们将继续开展老龄化和慢性病（TE-TRAC）项目。TE-TRAC 博士前和博士后受训人员侧重于影响老年人健康的老龄化和慢性病， 包括阿尔茨海默病和相关疾病、癌症、肌肉骨骼和心脏代谢疾病。 我们的T32计划为学员提供出色的定量研究技能和实质性的专业知识 与老龄化相关，强调：1）对老龄化流行病学的实质性理解和交叉点 与老龄人口健康相关的生物和社会过程; 2）严格的，可重复的分析 复杂数据的方法，包括因果推理和统计方法; 3）识别，访问， 链接和使用多层次的数据资源，如基于纵向调查的队列、电子健康记录或 “组学”信息; 4）转化研究的培训，以提供与政策，临床或 行为干预，以改善健康;和5）量身定制，以确保学员在研究中取得成功的导师 careers.对于博士前的学员，正式的课堂培训与应用研究轮换相结合， 课外活动，以促进研究专业知识的快速发展，并让学生接触到不同的 观点和方法。博士后学员建立个性化的研究议程，并奠定了 为他们未来的职业生涯打下基础。TE-TRAC设在流行病学和生物统计学系 在临床和人口研究方面具有深厚专业知识的教师导师来自加州大学旧金山分校， 其附属公司。TE-TRAC领导层与教师导师单独或通过导师 协作以促进最佳的指导技能发展。在最初的5年里，TE-TRAC成功地 招募了在专业上有突出进步的优秀学员。迄今为止，17名受训人员中有7名（41%） 来自科学界代表性不足的种族/族裔群体。符合NRSA的目标 计划，我们的校友都获得了理想的位置内（78%）和外（22%）学术界。TE- TRAC的候选人和导师都很优秀，因此我们必须高度重视 合格的博士前和博士后研究员，他们将从参与中受益，并丰富其他研究员的经验。 实习生因此，我们寻求从2个增加到3个第二年的博士预科和从2个增加到4个博士后 每个新来的队列的插槽数。一个外部咨询委员会将监测和评估该方案。关于TE- TRAC计划正在培养优秀的定量研究人员，以利用快速扩张的 方法和数据库，以解决老龄人口健康的紧迫问题。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Chronic diseases impose a crushing burden on older adults and present unique intellectual, methodological, and statistical challenges to scientists and policy makers. These challenges were highlighted by the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults with chronic conditions. In this resubmission of our renewal application for the UCSF T32 Translational Epidemiology - Training for Research on Aging and Chronic Conditions (TE-TRAC) program, we build on our successful first funding cycle. TE-TRAC pre- and post-doctoral trainees focus on aging and chronic diseases affecting the health of older adults, including Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, cancer, musculoskeletal, and cardiometabolic disorders. Our T32 program provides trainees with outstanding quantitative research skills and substantive expertise relevant to aging, emphasizing: 1) substantive understanding of the epidemiology of aging and the intersection of biological and social processes relevant to the health of aging populations; 2) rigorous, reproducible analytic methods for complex data, including causal inference and statistical methods; 3) data skills to identify, access, link, and use multi-level data resources, such as longitudinal survey-based cohorts, electronic health records or “omic” information; 4) training in translational research to deliver evidence relevant to policy, clinical, or behavioral interventions to improve health; and 5) mentorship tailored to ensure trainee success in research careers. For pre-doctoral trainees, formal classroom training is combined with applied research rotations and co-curricular activities to foster rapid development of research expertise and expose students to diverse perspectives and methods. Post-doctoral trainees build individualized research agendas and lay the groundwork for their future careers. TE-TRAC is housed in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and faculty mentors with deep expertise in clinical and population research are drawn from across UCSF and its affiliates. TE-TRAC leadership works closely with faculty mentors individually and via the Mentoring Collaborative to foster optimal mentoring skill development. In its first 5 years, TE-TRAC has successfully recruited excellent trainees who have made outstanding professional progress. To date, 7/17 (41%) trainees have been from racial/ethnic groups underrepresented in science. Consistent with the goals of the NRSA program, our alumni have secured desirable positions both inside (78%) and outside (22%) academia. TE- TRAC has been oversubscribed with strong candidates and strong mentors, requiring that we turn away highly qualified pre- and post-doctoral fellows who would benefit from participation and enrich the experience of other trainees. We therefore seek to increase from 2 to 3 second-year pre-doctoral and from 2 to 4 post-doctoral slots per incoming cohort. An External Advisory Committee will monitor and evaluate the program. The TE- TRAC program is training exceptional quantitative researchers prepared to leverage the rapidly expanding methodologic and data repertoires available to address urgent questions on the health of aging populations.