WRIGHT CENTER TRANSLATIONAL BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES (TBS) T32 TRAINING PROGRAM
About the TBS Program
Funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) T32TR004362
The TBS Program will provide comprehensive training for predoctoral students that fosters an understanding of the mechanistic paradigms of disease pathology and allows them to understand and participate in the translation of laboratory-based findings, dissemination of research, and implementation of discoveries to improve health outcomes. The program will prepare students for independent research careers in the broad area of translational science as well as equip them with the confidence to work across disciplines and with diverse stakeholders.
- Develop scientific expertise in trainees by designing and implementing structured and personalized education and training plans to help trainees become knowledgeable about translational science and proficient in study design and execution, data analysis, grant writing, and publishing in accordance with best regulatory and ethical practices.
- Implement a novel, interdisciplinary mentoring approach matching trainees with translational and clinical mentors from across VCU as well as from other universities and with community partners to encourage interdisciplinary, scientifically rigorous, and clinically relevant research.
- Cultivate trainees’ career development skills to prepare them to address translational science issues as part of the biomedical research workforce.
- Focus on training predoctoral students belonging to underrepresented minority groups to increase the diversity of the biomedical workforce
Program Details
Devanand Sarkar, PhD is a Professor in Human and Molecular Genetics; Co-Director of the Wright Center’s doctoral program in Clinical and Translational Sciences (CTS); and Associate Director of Training and Education at VCU’s Massey Cancer Center (MCC). He has been the PI on multiple grants from NIH, DOD, and foundations in the field of liver cancer and fatty liver disease. Dr. Sarkar also has extensive experience mentoring predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers and medical, undergraduate, and high school students, and he is an investigator on a collaboration between researchers from VCU and VSU to reduce cancer disparities and provide hands-on research opportunities to URM students to increase the diversity of the biomedical research workforce
Gretchen Neigh, PhD is a Professor in Anatomy and Neurobiology, Co-Director of the CTS Program, and Director of Translational Research for VCU’s Institute for Women’s Health. She has been PI on multiple NIH and foundation grants in the fields of behavioral psychoneuroimmunology and neuroendocrinology with a special focus on the consideration of sex and gender in research. D. Neigh is also a Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER)-trained mentoring education facilitator and has successfully mentored postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduates.
Maghboeba Mosavel, Ph.D. is a Professor in Health Behavior and Policy and Associate Vice President for Community Partnerships, VCU Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness, and Success. She is an expert in community engaged research and health disparities in African American/Black populations. She has federal research funding for community-academic research partnerships focusing on behavioral health interventions. In addition, Dr. Mosavel has federal funding to train researchers in dissemination and implementation science and to provide research opportunities for students from underrepresented minority groups. She has mentored and successfully trained predoctoral students, and she prioritizes creating inclusive and supportive scientific environments
Program Requirements
- Bioinformatics (3 credits): Introduction to vital informatics and artificial intelligence topics including in the areas of data management and best practices; reproducibility of results; methods for data capture; machine learning/feature engineering; bioinformatics analysis; natural language processing; large language models and prompt engineering; ethics in AI; working with human data; and the honest broker process at VCU.
- Clinical Practicum (2 credits): Training in the language and processes of clinical and translational research by engaging in discussions with clinical research team members, shadowing clinician researchers, and developing clinical research protocols.
- Research Reproducibility and Transparency (1 credit): Discussion of issues related to reproducibility and transparency in research including evaluation of extant literature, hypothesis testing, rigorous experimental design, bias, and research approaches to data; experimental models, transparency in methods, authenticity of reagents and material sharing, and consideration of biological variables including gender, race, age, and health disparities; data recording, analysis, and interpretation; and data reporting, sharing, and transparency.
- Community Engaged Research (3 credits): Training in theories, principles, and strategies of conducting community engaged research in the context of translational research. In addition, students participate in hands-on field experience working closely with a community partner and using participatory research methods to address a community partner need.
- Engagement with Translational/Community Stakeholders: Collaborate with a community/translational stakeholder to learn from the stakeholders’ knowledge of their communities and their lived experiences.
- Mock Study Section: Prior to the submission of F30/F31 grant, participate in mock study section reviews of your grant application by faculty researchers with successful funding records.
- External Grant Submission: Develop and submit an extramural grant to fund dissertation research (e.g., NIH F30 or F31).
- First-Author Publication: Develop and publish at least one first-author manuscript describing original research. Submissions to high profile journals strongly encouraged.
- “Discovery Dialogues” Seminar Series: Work with translational/community stakeholder mentor to develop and present your research to a lay audience in a useful and informative manner.
- Career Development Activities: Attend at least six professional development sessions annually that align with your career interests.
- Eligibility: Each year, two highly qualified applicants will be selected to participate in the TBS Program for 2-3 years.
- Citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United States or permanent residents of the United States
- Full-time PhD or MD-PhD students who have successfully (GPA≥3.2 for all students and for MD-PhD students, they must be in good standing with the medical school and MD-PhD program) completed the first year of the Wright Center’s Clinical and Translational Science Doctoral Program
- Have selected a translational research mentor for their dissertation research
Applicants will submit an application that includes 1) academic record (for MD-PhD students, this will include their record in the medical school program), 2) biosketch, 3) statement of interest in translational science, 4) description of previous research and productivity, and 5) three letters of recommendation from people familiar with their scientific training. Candidates will also interview with the TBS Program Directors, and they will give a formal presentation of their previous research experience and discussion of their research and career goals.
Scholars will be selected based on a) demonstrated interest in a career as a clinical and translational scientist, b) previous research experience and productivity, c) strength of letters of recommendation, and d) “goodness of fit” between candidate’s research interests and translational science principles.