Mechanisms of cardiovascular disease

This is an application for the first competing renewal of a Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional National Research Service Award (T32) entitled Mechanisms of Cardiovascular Disease. Building on the long tradition of NIH-sponsored cardiovascular research training at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, this program draws on the talents and experience of 14 faculty members representing 7 different departments to train young investigators working within 3 areas of thematic focus: 1) Myocardium – Injury and Aging, 2) Vascular Development and Disease, and 3) Metabolism – Cardiovascular Risk. The mission of this program is to provide the next generation of investigators, including both pre- and postdoctoral trainees, with state-of- the art concepts, experiences, and skills required to initiate and sustain successful long-term independent careers in cardiovascular research. The experience with our first group of trainees has been gratifying, as these individuals have developed their research projects, presented their work in both national and international forums, published extensively in high profile journals, and in several cases, gone on to full-time academic positions for further research. For the next funding cycle, we plan to build on interactions with academic clinical cardiologists, which have benefitted our current trainees, and we request the addition of 1 predoctoral training position, based on the growth of the Einstein Graduate school. We are confident that our program will continue to produce outstanding new cardiovascular investigators, and thereby contribute to advances in cardiovascular health in the US and around the world.