Immunology Training Program - Immunological disorders comprise the most common, expensive, and life-threatening of human illnesses, the total cost of which consumes most of the total healthcare budget of the United States and many other countries. As many cancers and dementias linked to brain inflammation are incurable and fatal, immunological disorders are furthermore a key factor determining the human lifespan. The ability of medical science to attenuate both the suffering and death linked to chronic immunological disorders therefore requires comprehensive research into the fundamental immunological basis of these disorders so that improved care and treatment can be developed. Houston is the home to the largest cluster of healthcare institutions in the world, the Texas Medical Center, with more than 9,200 hospital beds, receiving more than 10 million patient visits per year. Additionally, the Houston area harbors a strong history of outstanding immunology research and training with an active, multidisciplinary and comprehensive research community. We propose to establish the Immunology Training Program (ITP), a collaboration of 21 Immunology research faculty from three outstanding and neighboring institutions: Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. These expert faculty have extensive and immunology-relevant research and mentoring experience across multiple areas of expertise, including cancer, asthma and other lung diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease. 4 ITP predoctoral trainees will be carefully selected from 12 participating departments and programs and have access to cutting-edge research experiences within the laboratories of ITP faculty as well as an educational program that has amalgamated the efforts of Immunology researchers and created the resources, personnel, funding and fertile ground to develop an ambitious, innovative and unparalleled research training opportunity. The program components will enable trainees to acquire the skills, expertise and intellectual abilities to foster innovative research that has a strong translational component and could influence patient care and to succeed in biomedical, Immunology-focused careers. Two-year training includes: 1) co-mentored research experience in aspects of Immunology; 2) specified curriculum including an ITP Foundations course and bioinformatics/data science/AI/machine learning; 3) career and professional development seminars and workshops, such a manuscript writing and mentor training, along with presenting their research at local and national conferences; and 4) responsible conduct of research and rigor and reproducibility courses and workshops. We believe we are poised to develop a unique, innovative and comprehensive training program that truly provides trainees with exceptional tools, techniques and abilities and to deliver a strong cohort of new, world-class leaders who will be adept at understanding the latest discoveries, methods and advances that will contribute to the care and treatment of immunological disorders.
