iPediHeart: Interdisciplinary Research Training Program for Pediatric Heart Disease

Summary/Abstract Section Congenital heart disease, the most common birth defect affecting 1% of births, remains the leading cause of birth defect-related mortality in the US and worldwide, accounting for nearly 50% of such deaths. Additionally, acquired heart diseases such as pediatric-onset heart failure and cardiomyopathy are increasingly recognized as distinct from adult-onset disease, with limited treatment options and insufficient evidence to guide existing therapies. Adult cardiovascular disease often originates in childhood, with a growing burden of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity among children. Together, these challenges underscore an urgent need to expand the pipeline of highly trained scientists and physician-scientists capable of advancing pediatric and congenital cardiology research. Further, scientific researchers are needed to investigate the genetics, molecule/cellular mechanisms, therapies, and outcomes for children with heart disease across the translational research spectrum. The proposed Interdisciplinary Research Training Program for Pediatric & Congenital Heart Disease (iPediHeart) T32 will address this workforce need by training Scholars in rigorous, multi-disciplinary research, from preclinical science to health services and population-level investigations. iPediHeart will leverage existing institutional partnerships to recruit a highly qualified pool of candidates committed to improving outcomes for children with heart disease. The faculty represent a broad group of investigators, including world-leading experts and promising early-stage faculty, ensuring individualized mentor-mentee pairings and collaborative mentorship structures. iPediHeart will advance three central training aims: (1) build research knowledge through an integrated core curriculum; (2) provide structured training in grant writing and scientific communication; and (3) deliver individualized mentorship, career development, and scholarly oversight. The two-year curriculum features a monthly colloquium for Scholar-led research discussions, an annual symposium highlighting innovative research, and interactive workshops designed to build grant writing skills, culminating in mock study sections simulating the peer-review process. Through this integrated, multi-disciplinary framework, iPediHeart will develop a sustained pipeline of scientists and physician-scientists who secure research-focused faculty positions, obtain independent funding, and advance the scientific foundation needed to improve outcomes for individuals affected by pediatric and congenital heart disease.