South Texas Alzheimer's Disease Center Research and Education Core

到2050年，美国痴呆症护理的成本将达到1万亿美元。此外，这一负担将是最高的， 少数民族，一个本身就具有多样性的群体。德克萨斯州南部的西班牙裔/拉丁裔人口，包括 墨西哥裔美国人的血统，是全国增长最快的少数民族，但可悲的是， ADRD研究。接触和研究这一人群需要一个文化上协调一致的，高技能的群体， 研究人员和临床医生认识到，这一群体中的痴呆症可能具有不同的遗传，社会， 环境和行为风险和弹性因素，异质生物学（例如，更大的血管/代谢 贡献）和护理需求（例如，更高的照顾者负担）。扩大研究和临床劳动力 将有必要吸引相关学科的最聪明的头脑来研究痴呆症。它还要求 能够招聘，留住和支持研究员和教师的职业发展，与不同的种族，民族， 社会背景，为有前途的妇女和任职人数不足的妇女提供额外的有针对性的支助 少数族裔研究人员可能无法获得指导网络或关键信息。 STAC的研究教育核心（REC）将成为实现这一目标的领导者，并分享我们的 全国性的见解。REC由教授领导。卡瓦佐斯，梅斯特和马哈尼谁都有很深的根源， 西班牙裔社区和南德克萨斯州，成功的NIH和VA资助以及 学术指导，特别是少数民族（西班牙裔）MD和MD/PhD研究人员。他们将得到支持， 其他优秀的高级教师和一个令人印象深刻的干部新兴导师。REC将提供12个学分- 小时的痴呆症和发展补助金研究生证书，以介绍广泛的健康 专业人士在痴呆症研究的问题。我们REC的旗舰计划将是识别和支持 9名优秀教师候选人，通过2年K型奖，其中包括指导研究 经验，强大的职业指导，并最终在外部研究资金。我们的目标是让思想 ADRD研究的领导者。我们提出这些具体目标：1）培养一批研究人员， 和/或专注于西班牙裔健康的所有方面2）在临床，实验室，成像， 计算、组学、流行病学、生物统计学、社会科学和社区参与领域3） 强调培养临床医生、基础和人口科学研究人员成为独立的研究者 熟练的T1和T2翻译，团队科学和指导4）强调尖端的教学 技术和分析方法，重点是精确医学方法和最佳的， 以人为本的预防和护理。我们将仔细评估计划的有效性， 相应地UTHSA和UTRGV是西班牙裔教育和招聘以及STAC的国家领导者 REC将利用丰富的本地培训环境（AD-RCMAR、CTSI、Pepper、Nathan Shock、GRECC， 军事研究/研究人员）培养优秀的ADRD研究人员。

The cost of dementia care in the US will be $1 Trillion by 2050. Moreover, this burden will be highest among minorities, a group that is itself diverse. The Hispanic/Latino population of South Texas, comprised of persons of Mexican American ancestry, is the nation’s fastest growing minority but is woefully under-represented in ADRD research. Reaching and studying this population requires a culturally attuned, highly skilled cohort of researchers and clinicians who recognize that dementia in this group is likely to have different genetic, social, environmental and behavioral risk and resilience factors, heterogenous biology (e.g. greater vascular/metabolic contributions) and care needs (e.g. higher caregiver burden). Expanding the research and clinical workforce will necessitate attracting the brightest minds from related disciplines to dementia research. It also requires being able to recruit, retain and support the career growth of fellows and faculty, with diverse race-, ethnic-, social backgrounds, providing additional, targeted support for promising women and under-represented minority researchers who may lack access to mentoring networks or key information. The Research Education Core (REC) of the STAC, will be a leader in achieving this and sharing our insights nationally. The REC is led by Profs. Cavazos, Maestre and Mahaney who each have deep roots in the Hispanic community and South Texas, a superb track record of successful NIH and VA funding and of academic mentoring especially minority (Hispanic) MD and MD/PhD researchers. They will be supported by other outstanding senior faculty and an impressive cadre of emerging mentors. The REC will offer a 12 credit- hour Graduate Certificate on Dementia and developmental grants to introduce a wide range of health professionals to issues in dementia research. The flagship program of our REC will be to identify and support 9 outstanding faculty candidates, through 2- year K type awards that include a mentored research experience, strong career guidance and culminate in external research funding. Our goal is to grow thought leaders in ADRD research. We propose these Specific Aims: 1) Grow a cadre of researchers representing and/or focusing on all aspects of Hispanic health 2) Broad training across clinical, laboratory, imaging, computational, omics, epidemiology, biostatistics, social science and community engagement domains 3) Emphasis on training clinician, basic and population science researchers to become independent investigators skilled in T1 and T2 translation, team science and mentoring 4) Emphasis on instruction in cutting-edge technologies and analysis methods with a focus on precision medicine approaches and optimal, community and person centered prevention and care. We will carefully evaluate program effectiveness and adjust accordingly. UTHSA and UTRGV are national leaders in Hispanic education and recruitment and the STAC REC will leverage the rich local training environment (AD-RCMAR, CTSI, Pepper, Nathan Shock, GRECC, military research/researchers) to grow superb ADRD researchers.