Introduction

The Neurobehavior, Neuroendocrinology, and Genetics of AD research training program provides interdisciplinary training in the neurobehavior, neuroendocrinology, and neurogenetics of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and related dementias. Converging evidence across a number of disciplines indicates that the expression of AD involves multiple systems, in which interactive mechanisms culminate in a final common pathophysiology. Often, however, basic science approaches to the study of AD focus narrowly on a single potential mechanism, whereas clinical research in AD is non-mechanistic or without clear theoretical grounding. Our training program focuses on training clinical researchers who can conduct critical translational research in AD, that is, research that translates the advances of basic science into the clinical arena. Analogously, findings from careful clinical research may also translate into the basic science domain by providing an impetus for studies aimed at elucidating cellular or molecular genetic mechanisms of clinical phenomena.

In particular, we train clinical researchers in two areas of study, neuroendocrinology and neurogenetics, that hold promise for increasing our understanding of the pathogenesis of AD, and for developing new therapeutic approaches to treating AD.

Current Training Activities

Our program benefits greatly from the rich training environment of the University of Washington, one of the largest graduate and post-doctoral training centers in the country, and one of the largest recipients of federal research funding. While maintaining a unique training focus on translational clinical research, our program interacts frequently with other training programs that emphasize training in basic science. Our training program is tailored to the interdisciplinary training of M.D. and Ph.D. fellows who will conduct human research in the area of AD and related disorders, with a special emphasis on neurobehavior, neuroendocrinology and clinical neurogenetics. In accordance with this selective focus, we have maintained a smaller and more specialized training program. We have, however, provided ample opportunity for cross-talk between the two programs.

The following research infrastructure provides an extensive array of training opportunities for our fellows:

Centers:

• Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
• Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center
• Nathan Shock Center for Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging
• Northwest Geriatric Education Center

Training Grants:

• Neurobehavior, Neuroendocrinology, and Genetics of AD (this grant)
• Genetic Approaches to Aging

Individual Investigator Grants :

• More than 50 individual grants from NIH, VA, or foundation sources studying clinical research questions relevant to AD or related disorders
• More than 100 individual grants studying aspects of the basic biology of neurodegenerative disease
• We have developed a core series of seminars that all fellows attend, along with training faculty and other faculty and trainees

Each trainee is assigned a primary mentor and spends a majority of his or her time within the laboratory or research environment of that mentor. Due to the highly interactive nature of our faculty, nearly all trainees collaborate with other training faculty as well.

Training

The core curriculum of the training program is as follows: all fellows take the “Translational Research in Alzheimer's Disease and Neurodegeneration: From the Bench to the Clinic” and “Biological Aspects of Aging” courses. Fellows choose an additional required course, either Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Genetics, Neurobiology of Behavior, or Neuroepidemiology, depending on their particular research interests and background. All fellows also participate in the biweekly training program journal club, and in the School of Medicine-sponsored workshops focusing on research ethics, and NIH grantsmanship.

All fellows participate in active research. At the time of recruitment, each fellow's interests is ascertained and matched with a primary mentor on the training faculty. This mentor works closely with the fellow to structure a tailored training and research program. In order to maximize their research exposure during the fellowship period, fellows are encouraged to immediately join in ongoing research studies; concurrently, they work with their faculty mentors to develop their own research projects that will provide a solid basis for establishing an independent research career. Fellows may spend the first few months of their fellowship learning techniques or otherwise laying groundwork for their studies. By six months into the training period, they are expected to have initiated an independent project. During the course of their fellowship, fellows will also be encouraged to augment their research experience by collaborating with training faculty other than their primary mentors. As noted previously, fellows will be offered the opportunity to participate in both clinical (human) and basic science projects, although the primary emphasis of the training program will be on clinical research.

The minimum fellowship period is two years. It is expected that most M.D. fellows will remain for a two-year period, although they will be strongly encouraged to remain for a third fellowship year. Ph.D. fellows are typically expected to remain for three years. Given the length of time necessary to complete experimental clinical research studies, the optimal fellowship length for all fellows is three years; however, due to the vagaries of the job market, fellows may need to leave sooner to take advantage of promising opportunities. Fellows are also encouraged to apply for other sources of funding both to provide experience in applying for grants, as well as to free up a training slot.

One of the primary goals of the training program is to provide a framework which integrates clinical and basic science approaches to the study of AD, and fosters the development of critical translational research. The course curriculum and ongoing journal club have successfully provided a formal interactive structure between clinical and basic science components of the program. In addition, many of the core training faculty have research programs that include clinical and basic science components.

In addition to the core curriculum, for fellows with health professional degrees, tailored training curricula are developed to provide a solid foundation for a competitive research career. The curricula address each of the following essential components for developing a successful competitive research career: 1) the identification of an area of interest and appropriate research questions that will serve as the focus for the trainee's independent research program; 2) the ability to select, design, and carry out a programmatic series of experiments that will significantly advance our knowledge of this area of interest; 3) the ability to obtain resources to carry out the planned research program; and 4) establishing a place in the scientific community through communicating one's work and developing a network of colleagues and potential collaborators with similar research interests.