Training Program in Genome-Environment Interactions in Neonatal Disease

描述（由申请人提供）：早产仍然是一个重大的健康问题，越来越多的极低出生体重儿存活。因此，儿科医生面临着越来越多的婴儿患有不了解的疾病，其中早产是一个主要的致病因素。早产可能会暴露遗传和表观遗传易感性的特殊要求，以适应环境的托儿所。需要基于现代遗传分析的新见解来解决这一重要问题。很少有医生科学家或生物医学研究人员受过培训，以了解基因和环境之间的复杂相互作用，在不成熟的主机。拟议的新生儿教育中的基因和环境培训方案的总体目标是为临床和基础科学调查人员提供新生儿全基因组遗传和表观遗传研究的设计、实施和分析方面的研究培训。该计划旨在将基本遗传培训与全基因组调查独特需求的研究技能相结合。使用双导师模式，其中遗传学或表观遗传学导师协助受训者理解现代最先进工具的应用，而专注于新生儿生物学问题的导师则通过专门针对了解NICU疾病的临床或发育分析指导受训者。已组建了一个遗传学、表观遗传学和临床/转化研究专家小组，以促进这一培训工作。这些导师与费城儿童医院、宾夕法尼亚大学、麻省理工学院和斯托克斯研究所的优秀临床设施和研究核心相结合，将增强MD和PhD博士后研究员的培训经验，并使他们成为这一新兴研究领域的专家。 公共卫生相关性：越来越多的极早产儿在复杂的医疗问题下存活，反映了环境因素的影响，如早产本身或过渡到呼吸和喂养遗传易感的新生儿。很少有科学家受过训练，了解基因和早产儿独特环境之间的相互作用。本培训计划试图纠正这一缺陷。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Premature birth remains a significant health concern and an increasing proportion of very low birth weight infants are surviving. As a consequence, neonatologists are facing an expanding population of infants with poorly-understood diseases in whom prematurity is a major causative factor. Preterm delivery may expose genetic and epigenetic susceptibility to the extraordinary demands of adaptation to the environment of the nursery. New insights, based on modern genetic analysis are required to address this important problem area. Few physician-scientists or biomedical investigators are trained to understand the complex interplay between genes and environment in the immature host. The overall objective of the proposed Genes and Environment in Neonatal Education (GENE) Training Program is to provide research training for clinical and basic science investigators in the design, implementation and analysis of genome-wide genetic and epigenetic studies in neonates. The program is designed to integrate basic genetic training with research skills fundamental to the unique demands of genome-wide investigation. Using a two-mentor model in which a genetics or epigenetics mentor assists the trainee in understanding the application of modern state-of-the- art tools, while a mentor focused on biological problems in the neonate guides the trainee through clinical or developmental analyses specifically geared to understanding diseases in the NICU. A team of experts in genetics, epigenetics, and clinical/translational research has been assembled to facilitate this training effort. These mentors, combined with the outstanding clinical facilities and research cores of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania, the and the Stokes Research Institute will enhance the training experience of MD and PhD post-doctoral fellows and prepare them to become experts in this emerging field of research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: An increasing number of very premature infants are surviving with complex medical problems, reflecting the influence of environmental factors such as prematurity itself or transition to breathing and feeding on a genetically-susceptible neonate. Few scientists are trained to understand the interactions between genes and the unique environment of the premature infant. This training program attempts to correct that deficiency.