Training

The ITS is developing training programs for scholars at all stages of training.

The K12 program for junior faculty will be part of the UTMB Clinical Research Scholars Program (CRSP).  The CRSP prepares scientists to become independent clinical investigators and improve understanding of disease mechanisms, prevention and treatment.  Scholars form a peer group, and benefit from interactions within the group as they pursue the common goal of becoming skilled and funded clinical researchers.  The program focuses on preparing an initial successful grant application in a structured and mentored environment.  It also provides more advanced training for success in funded research, productive grant management, and planning for a successful competitive renewal application.  Scholars pursue individual, defined programs of education and skills development under the guidance of mentors of their own choosing.  The process may also include earning a M.S. or Ph.D. degree through the Clinical Science Graduate Program.  The endpoint of the program is attainment of independent funding from NIH or other funding agency.
For more information, visit http://intranet.utmb.edu/gcrc/education/Ed_Career.htm or contact the Clinical Research Education Office at creo.utmb@utmb.edu .

Human Pathophysiology and Translational Medicine (HPTM) PhD program. The Institute for Translational Science (ITS) will house the new Human Pathophysiology and Translational Medicine (HPTM) PhD program designed to train biomedical translational researchers who possess an integrated understanding of the mechanistic pathophysiology of human diseases, and the methodological and teamwork skills necessary to translate basic scientific knowledge into improvements in health care. These objectives will be achieved by engaging HPTM students in an innovative educational curriculum driven by experiences and situations that resemble the practice of translational scientists, while promoting the development of skills necessary for autonomous learning. We will create and implement a core curriculum consisting of an interdisciplinary foundational course, a clinical encounters program, an interprofessional course in translational research design, training in team building, and a Clinical Problems and Basic Science Solutions Seminar Series. Discipline-specific elective courses will also be developed. Courses will be based on the active learning approach of process-oriented guided inquiry (POGIL). Dissertation projects will be mentored through Multidisciplinary Translational Teams (MTTs) composed of basic science and clinical faculty. The program capitalizes on several existing strengths and programs at UTMB, including the ITS, NIH funded translational research programs in emerging infectious diseases and biodefense, and a strong culture of educational innovation. We anticipate that graduates of the HPTM program will be able to demonstrate a broad understanding of normal and disease-altered structure and function of the human body from molecular to organismal levels, develop meaningful pre-clinical models of human disease, appreciate limitations of current standards of care for human disease, identify therapeutic or diagnostic needs within their field of research, and collaborate effectively with academic physicians in the conduct of translational research. We will begin accepting applications for the new HPTM program in the fall of 2010.