Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Type 1 Diabetes and Biomedical Engineering

项目摘要/摘要 在美国，糖尿病的发病率已经上升到这样的程度，这种疾病现在通常被称为 “大流行”。虽然这个问题的大部分注意力都集中在2型糖尿病上，但1型糖尿病(T1D) 这是这一增长的一部分，并伴随着较高的长期发病率和死亡率。疾病 在过去的十年中，对患有T1D的患者的管理有了戏剧性的改善；收益主要归功于 “技术”(例如，连续血糖监测仪、胰岛素泵、给药装置)。因此，既有一个 继续，如果不是迫切需要创新疗法和技术，不仅应对T1D护理，而且 此外，带来长期希望的方法是预防/逆转这种疾病的方法。这又反过来， 形成了培养一代未来科学家的需要，他们可以为此类设备的工程做出贡献 同时，有深入的知识将他们的研究联系起来，以解决预防、逆转和 疾病的治疗。为此，我们提议的培训计划的总体目标是提供 针对这一需求的经验。具体地说，佛罗里达大学针对第一类的跨学科培训 糖尿病和生物医学工程计划将提供跨学科的综合努力，旨在 将博士前学生(需要四个职位)培养成具有关键技能和知识的毕业生 试图在这两个重要学科之间架起桥梁。博士前候选人可以选择共同导师(一名T1D 和一个生物医学工程)，来自不同的基础科学、翻译和临床学院。研究 培训人员的兴趣包括：1)免疫学/遗传学(自身免疫、基因/表型、先天 免疫)；2)干细胞生物学/治疗(细胞治疗、iPSC生成、细胞支架)；以及3) 临床/转化性研究(临床试验、治疗开发、改进疾病管理)。 重要的是，该学院在积极合作方面有着良好的记录。临床应用的基础设施 研究将由大学的CTSI以及由教员指导的研究所和中心来加强 这一培训计划的成员。培训，包括课程，侧重于针对疾病的研究。 与T1D相关，包括动物模型和人类中与疾病相关的研究。培训 该计划在很大程度上是指导性的，学员75%以上的时间用于独立研究 活动，其余时间在正式课程和会议上度过。课程是为学员量身定做的 个人需求。一项协调一致的努力也已扩展到严格的计划评估，监测 受训人员的需要，包括职业发展和招募少数族裔。受训人员来自 在过去的几十年里，导师实验室在研究出版物和 他们随后的职业发展。总而言之，我们相信，从这个项目毕业的候选人将 为影响T1D患者生活的重要社会需求做出贡献。

Project Summary/Abstract Within the U.S., the incidence of diabetes has risen to the extent that the disorder is now often referred to as a “pandemic”. While most attention to this problem has been directed at type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes (T1D) represents part of this increase and carries with it higher levels of long-term morbidity and mortality. Disease management of those with T1D has, over the past decade, seen dramatic improvement; gains largely due to “technologies” (e.g., continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps, delivery devices). As such, there is both a continuing, if not urgent need for innovative therapeutics and technologies to deal with not only T1D care but in addition, methods that deliver the long held hope for a means to prevent/reverse the disease. This, in turn, forms the need to train a generation of future scientists that can contribute to the engineering of such devices while at the same time, have in-depth knowledge to link their research to address the prevention, reversal and treatment of the disease. With this, the overall objective of our proposed training program is to provide an experience directed at this need. Specifically, The University of Florida Interdisciplinary Training for Type 1 Diabetes and Biomedical Engineering Program will provide an interdisciplinary, integrated effort designed to develop predoctoral students (four positions requested) into graduates having skill sets and knowledge vital for attempts that bridge these two important disciplines. Pre-doctoral candidates may select co-mentors (one T1D and one Biomedical Engineering) from a diverse basic science, translational, and clinical faculty. Research interests of the training faculty include: 1) Immunology/Genetics (autoimmunity, genotype/phenotype, innate immunity); 2) Stem Cell Biology/Therapeutics (cell therapy, iPSC generation, cell scaffolds); and 3) Clinical/Translational Research (clinical trials, therapeutic development, improved disease management). Importantly, the Faculty has a strong track record of active collaboration. The infrastructure for clinical research will be enhanced by the university’s CTSI as well as Institutes and Centers directed by faculty members of this training program. Training, including curricula, is focused on disease-oriented research relevant to T1D and includes disease-related research in both animal models and humans. The training program is largely preceptorial, with more than 75% of the trainee’s time devoted to independent research activities and the rest spent in formal courses and conferences. The curriculum is tailored to trainees’ individual needs. A concerted effort has also been extended to rigorous program evaluation, monitoring of trainee’s needs including career development, and recruitment of minorities. Trainees emanating from mentors laboratories over the past decades have been highly successful in terms of research publications and their subsequent career development. In sum, we believe candidates graduating from this program will contribute to a vital societal need directed at impacting the lives of those with T1D.