Research Training in Infection and Immunity - ABSTRACT The continually evolving risk of both known and emerging infections creates critical, unmet knowledge gaps that demand well-trained investigators who can address challenges spanning basic mechanisms, translational research, and clinical application. The overall goal of the Baylor College of Medicine Research Training in Infection and Immunity (BCM RTII) is to train a new generation of scientists to safely and ethically conduct multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art research in infectious diseases, while equipping them with the skills to become leaders in the field. The program will support four MD, MD/PhD, or PhD postdoctoral fellows each year for two years of mentored training. The training program includes a comprehensive curriculum designed to prepare fellows to think critically and independently; to identify important research questions; to rigorously and reproducibly generate new knowledge; and to develop as collaborative scientists capable of advancing the field. The program features three training tracks—laboratory-based research, patient-based research, and global and public health research—leveraging the exceptional resources of BCM and the broader Texas Medical Center. Areas of research focus include: 1) enteric pathogens; 2) vaccine development and testing; 3) HIV; 4) infection pathogenesis and immunity; 5) tropical medicine and public health; 6) microbiome and functional genomics; and 7) immunology and infections in immunocompromised hosts. Trainees will be supported by a highly qualified and well-funded pool of 33 faculty mentors spanning all career stages, with structured guidance from both MD and PhD co-mentors, individualized advisory committees, and robust research and career development activities. Training will emphasize rigor and reproducibility, responsible conduct of research, and professional skills including grant writing, leadership, and laboratory management. Core training activities for all MD and PhD trainees include developing and maintaining an IDP, attending the RTII Career Transitions Seminars, taking courses on clinical investigation, grants and contracts, and human subjects research; participating in team science and career development seminars; and attending a weekly clinical case discussion, a weekly journal club, and an annual scientific retreat. The Program Directors are Thomas Giordano, MD, MPH, and Indira Mysorekar, PhD, who oversee and administer the program guided by an Executive Committee, Selection Committee, and Internal and External Advisory Committees. Metrics of success will include the proportion of fellows who enter and remain in primarily research and research-related fields, their subsequent grant funding, and their scientific contributions to the field of infectious diseases. The BCM RTII program will be the only T32 in the region that offers patient-based and global or public health clinical research training for post-doctoral fellows across the breadth of infectious diseases, complementing laboratory-based research training and filling a critical gap in national workforce development. In doing so, the BCM RTII will play a critical role in sustaining and expanding the national infectious disease research workforce.
