Saturday, November 23, 2024
11/23/2024
1 In its most recent research plan, the NHLBI’s National Center for Sleep Disorders Research identified the need 2 to foster a strong and diverse workforce as its central priority. The Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep 3 Medicine Program for Training in Sleep, Circadian and Respiratory Neurobiology, is based at the Brigham and 4 Women’s Hospital and conducted in partnership with the Morehouse School of Medicine. Over the past 24 years, 5 this program has evolved to rise to the new challenges in our field, including increasing diversity, equity and 6 inclusion of the workforce, such that 8 of our 19 currently-appointed trainees (42%) are from under-represented 7 race/ethnicity, disability, or disadvantaged backgrounds. This program provides targeted, structured, and 8 comprehensive research training to prepare outstanding individuals of diverse backgrounds for academic 9 positions in the broad fields of sleep, circadian and respiratory neurobiology. For each trainee, the training 10 program consists of core required courses and activities, elective courses and activities, and an intensive 11 research experience. Cross-disciplinary and translational research is a highlight of this program, and formal 12 mentoring and tracking components are integral features. Intensive research training experiences are available 13 across the breadth of sleep, circadian and respiratory neurobiology areas, including basic, translational, and 14 clinical research opportunities, with two program projects that span multiple laboratories and institutions. There 15 are 27 Full Preceptors that span 9 institutions, including 2 medical schools, with extensive experience and 16 demonstrated success at training pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellows, well-funded research programs 17 (supported by $31 million of direct costs annually), and outstanding resources that trainees utilize for research. 18 In addition, we have 7 Associate Preceptors who are actively being trained to be our next generation of mentors. 19 Our training record over the past decade reveals the success of our efforts to train leaders in academic sleep 20 science. Of our pre- and post-doctoral trainees funded by this training grant over the last 15 years, 96% and 94% 21 of our pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees, respectively, are currently active in academic/research-intensive 22 careers, with 77% of our post-doctoral trainees currently employed in academic research careers. Of the 37 23 post-doctoral trainees who were supported by this training grant before 2014, 54% report being PI on a research 24 grant (54%), almost all of whom have a faculty rank of Assistant Professor or higher. These data demonstrate 25 the successful record of our participating faculty at training both pre- and post-doctoral trainees for research- 26 intensive careers. Funds are requested to support four pre-doctoral graduate students, three pre-doctoral short- 27 term summer minority medical students, and eight post-doctoral trainees. Based on our highly competitive 28 application process, we are confident these slots will be filled by outstanding future leaders. This program has 29 grown and been refined over the two decades since its inception and meets the nationally-recognized need to 30 increase the number of diverse, highly-qualified investigators in sleep and circadian science and medicine.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
