Digestive Disease Training Program

PROJECT SUMMARY The purpose of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Digestive Disease Training Program is to train a cadre of researchers who will drive the future of liver and gastrointestinal (GI)-related biomedical research within three fundamental thematic areas: 1) Inflammation and Fibrosis; 2) Metabolic Disease; and 3) Organ and Tissue Failure. These themes are highly-relevant to major disease states affecting the health of the GI tract and liver and build upon the strengths of our established researchers. The emphasis of the program is to train graduate students in the art of basic biomedical research in a manner that will advance the study of the fundamental mechanisms underlying digestive and liver disease. Success will expand the pool of qualified digestive disease researchers and facilitate the development of novel treatments. Trainees will be selected from a pool of applicants that enter the MUSC College of Graduate Studies. After completing a basic biomedical sciences curriculum during their first year in as graduate students, trainees appointed to the Digestive Disease Training Program will take newly-developed courses that focus on digestive disease research and that complement their dissertation research projects. In addition, they will have access to courses offering instruction in professional development, experimental design and analyses, and rigorous, responsible conduct of research. Students’ coursework will be complemented with a number of enrichment activities including a Digestive Disease Seminar Series, a Journal Club, an Annual Digestive Disease Retreat, and numerous career development opportunities. The program will be supported by a growth in digestive disease research at MUSC that is driven by strategic institutional investments, programmatic support, and the recruitment of key faculty. MUSC’s robust clinical environment, commitment to diversity, and investments in numerous research cores will continue to advance digestive disease research on campus and provide trainees with a robust and scholarly training environment.