Training Program in Cardiovascular Research - Project Summary
This application for a training program in cardiovascular research aims to train young researchers committed to
careers in investigative cardiology or allied fields and to provide them with the skills needed for success in
modern multi-disciplinary research environments encompassing basic, translational, and/or clinical research.
The program focuses in particular on emerging big data statistical modeling, bioinformatics, and integrative
Omics training that is unique in the Boston landscape. Trainees may be MDs, MD-PhDs, or PhDs who have
finished clinical or graduate training and are seeking further research training in cardiology. Important
elements of the curriculum are supervision by faculty advisors, "team mentoring" to provide multiple
perspectives on career and research decisions, individualized and common didactic curricula, formal
mechanisms for bi-directional feedback and communication, as well as clearly defined expectations and
milestones for trainees and mentors. Dr. Murray Mittleman is the Program Director, Dr. Jennifer Ho is Co-
Director, and Drs. Robert Gerszten and Robert Yeh are the Associate Program Directors. Together, they
provide senior leadership from diverse disciplines with longstanding commitments to mentoring. A Steering
Committee comprised of basic and clinical faculty selects trainees from a large pool of candidates and
monitors individual and programmatic progress. An External Advisory Committee ensures that the program
remains current and responsive to rapid changes in the research environment. The training program benefits
from strong institutional support and infrastructure, including those within the Cardiovascular Division, the
Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, the Harvard School of Public Health and the Broad Institute
of MIT and Harvard. The Harvard Medical School Clinical and Translational Science Center (Catalyst) further
enhances research, training, and didactic opportunities in clinical and translational investigation. The BIDMC
Cardiovascular Division has a long and successful track record of training cardiovascular investigators. With
this application, we seek to continue and enhance this tradition.
