Training Program in Cardiovascular Research

Project Summary This application for a training program in cardiovascular research aims to train young researchers committed to careers in investigative cardiology or allied fields and to provide them with the skills needed for success in modern multi-disciplinary research environments encompassing basic, translational, and/or clinical research. The program focuses in particular on emerging big data statistical modeling, bioinformatics, and integrative Omics training that is unique in the Boston landscape. Trainees may be MDs, MD-PhDs, or PhDs who have finished clinical or graduate training and are seeking further research training in cardiology. Important elements of the curriculum are supervision by faculty advisors, "team mentoring" to provide multiple perspectives on career and research decisions, individualized and common didactic curricula, formal mechanisms for bi-directional feedback and communication, as well as clearly defined expectations and milestones for trainees and mentors. Dr. Murray Mittleman is the Program Director, Dr. Jennifer Ho is Co- Director, and Drs. Robert Gerszten and Robert Yeh are the Associate Program Directors. Together, they provide senior leadership from diverse disciplines with longstanding commitments to mentoring. A Steering Committee comprised of basic and clinical faculty selects trainees from a large pool of candidates and monitors individual and programmatic progress. An External Advisory Committee ensures that the program remains current and responsive to rapid changes in the research environment. The training program benefits from strong institutional support and infrastructure, including those within the Cardiovascular Division, the Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, the Harvard School of Public Health and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. The Harvard Medical School Clinical and Translational Science Center (Catalyst) further enhances research, training, and didactic opportunities in clinical and translational investigation. The BIDMC Cardiovascular Division has a long and successful track record of training cardiovascular investigators. With this application, we seek to continue and enhance this tradition.