Research Training in Systems Skin Biology

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT This new T32 application entitled Research Training in Systems Skin Biology is a combined pre- and post- doctoral training program (MPIs Kim and Millar Co-PDs). The rationale for this proposal is that Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) has a track record of success in dermatology, skin immunology, and epithelial biology such that it can leverage additional institutional strengths (e.g., neuroscience, translational medicine, etc.) to build an interdisciplinary training program in Systems Skin Biology. The central hypothesis is that such intersectional science is critically important for the training of future scientists within single organ systems like the skin. Finally, there is a major gap in our ability to train physician-scientist in a formalized manner which this T32 would provide a platform to do successfully. The overall objective of this program is to attract and train talented MD/PhD and PhD students and postdocs over 2 year periods, for successful, independent careers in Systems Skin Biology relevant to human disease. We have a diverse, well-funded faculty with broad interests in Systems Skin Biology in immunology and a strong pool of pre- and post-doc trainees that includes significant numbers of underrepresented in science (UiS) minorities. The program is designed to provide training by individual mentors performing research in all aspects of Systems Skin Biology relevant to human disease. The program is supported with strong oversight and administrative structure, significant didactic training in Systems Skin Biology, scientific writing and career development, and contains newly added state of the art evaluation approaches with defined goals and benchmarks for success so as to optimize the development of independent academic researchers in the field. The long-term goal of this program is to produce 1 MD/PhD or PhD scientist in investigative dermatology/skin biology research every 2 years who become independently funded via a K or R mechanism.