Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Type 1 Diabetes and Biomedical Engineering

在美国和世界各地，1型糖尿病(T1D)的发病率仍在上升。幸运的是， 患有这种疾病的人现在活得更长了，这在很大程度上是因为以科技为基础的显著进步 疾病管理策略，如连续血糖监测仪、胰岛素泵和允许 因为它们整合到了现在所知的“人工胰腺”中。然而，绝大多数T1D患者 在达到临床血糖目标方面仍然存在困难，因此，器官、神经和血管发育 随着时间的推移造成损害。此外，对许多人来说，T1D管理的成本构成了相当大的财务负担， 临床抑郁症和焦虑症的患病率在患有抑郁症和焦虑症的人中高得不成比例 一个T1D诊断。因此，即使不是迫切需要创新疗法和技术，也有持续的需要。 不仅进一步推进T1D护理，而且在预防或逆转该疾病的手段方面取得进展。 这反过来又需要培养一代同时对 T1D病因(包括系统免疫学、人类胰腺和胰岛细胞生物学方面的专业知识)，以及 也可以为这类干预的材料、组织和细胞工程做出贡献。总体目标 我们在T1D和生物医学工程方面的跨学科研究生计划是提供一个完整的和 高度协作的培训体验；这将把博士前学生培养成具有技能和技能的毕业生 对于连接这两个重要学科的职业至关重要的知识。博士前候选人选择联合 导师(一名T1D和一名生物医学工程)来自不同的教职员工，研究兴趣涵盖：1) 免疫学/遗传学(自身免疫、eQTL和基因/表型分析、先天免疫、基因编辑、T 细胞工程)；2)干细胞生物学/治疗(细胞治疗、iPSC生成、细胞支架)；3)疾病 建模(活体胰腺切片培养、胰岛免疫芯片、动物模型)；4)生物统计学/生物信息学；5) 临床/转化研究(临床试验、治疗开发、行为研究、临床 心理学)。这一培训基础设施进一步得到了大学NIH支持的CTSI以及 学院和中心由隶属于该培训计划的教职员工指导。培训计划是 主要是指导性的，学员75%以上的时间用于独立研究活动和 其余的时间花在正规课程和会议上。培训的重点是以疾病为导向的研究 课程根据每个学员的个人需求量身定做。到目前为止，协调一致的努力还扩大到 严格的计划评估，促进实习生的职业发展，并招聘代表不足的人 少数族裔(URM)、残疾和女性候选人。从这个项目产生的实习生一直高度重视 在研究出版物、通过F31奖项获得独立资金方面取得成功，以及 随后的职业发展。我们相信这个项目将继续培养出独一无二的毕业生 准备满足一个至关重要的社会需求，以改善T1D患者和高危人群的生活。

The incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains on the rise in the U.S. and around the world. Fortunately, individuals with the disease are now living longer, largely due to dramatic improvements in technology-based disease management strategies such as continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and algorithms allowing for their integration into what is now known as an “artificial pancreas.” However, the vast majority of T1D patients still experience difficulty in achieving clinical glycemic targets and as result, develop organ, nerve and vascular damage over time. Additionally, to many, the cost of T1D management presents a substantial financial burden, and the prevalence of clinical depression and anxiety disorders is disproportionately high in persons living with a T1D diagnosis. As such, there is a continuing, if not urgent need for innovative therapeutics and technologies to further advance not only T1D care but in addition, progress towards a means to prevent or reverse the disease. This, in turn, forms the need to train a generation of scientists who simultaneously have in-depth knowledge of T1D etiopathogenesis (including expertise in systems immunology, human pancreatic and islet cell biology), and also can contribute to the materials, tissue, and cellular engineering of such interventions. The overall objective of our Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in T1D and Biomedical Engineering is to provide an integrated and highly collaborative training experience; this, to develop pre-doctoral students into graduates having skillsets and knowledge vital for careers that bridge these two important disciplines. Pre-doctoral candidates select co- mentors (one T1D and one Biomedical Engineering) from a diverse faculty with research interests spanning: 1) Immunology/Genetics (autoimmunity, eQTL and genotype/phenotype analysis, innate immunity, gene editing, T cell engineering); 2) Stem Cell Biology/Therapeutics (cell therapy, iPSC generation, cell scaffolds); 3) Disease Modeling (live pancreas slice culture, islet-immune chip, animal models); 4) Biostatistics/Bioinformatics; and 5) Clinical/Translational Research (clinical trials, therapeutic development, behavioral research, clinical psychology). This training infrastructure is further enhanced by the university’s NIH supported CTSI as well as Institutes and Centers directed by faculty members affiliated with this training program. The training program is largely preceptorial, with more than 75% of the trainee’s time devoted to independent research activities and the remainder spent in formal courses and conferences. Training is focused on disease-oriented research with a curriculum tailored to each trainee’s individual needs. To date, a concerted effort has also been extended to rigorous program evaluation, fostering trainee career development, and recruitment of underrepresented minority (URM), disability, and female candidates. Trainees emanating from this program have been highly successful in terms of research publications, acquisition of independent funding through F31 awards, and subsequent career development. We believe this program will continue to produce graduates who are uniquely poised to address a vital societal need to improve the lives of those with and at risk for T1D.