Postdoctoral Training for Translating Research in Regenerative Medicine

Project Summary/Abstract The current NIBIB T32 postdoctoral training program, "Training Without Borders: Translational Research in Regenerative Medicine" (2012-2017), has focused on two innovative features: (1) the concept of a geographically dispersed training faculty to harness a unique team of mentors; and (2) a combination of conventional academic training (state-of-the-art science, proposal writing, responsible conduct of research) together with training in translation and commercialization. This has resulted in a geographically dispersed "community of learning". The core strength of this program has been its interdisciplinary breadth, providing trainees with opportunities to conduct research on rationally designed biomaterials, bioactive microenvironments, cell profiling technologies, and regenerative biology. Based on this success the proposed training program (2018-2023) will retain the current structure, revise the mentor-institution network, and use a new paradigm - Bench-to-Business-to-Bedside (B3). While the term Bench-to-Bedside is often used to describe translation, we believe that the B3 model offers more relevant training in translation by providing trainees with mentoring constellations consisting of academic, industrial, and clinical subject matter experts. In addition to focusing on state-of-the-art science, postdoctoral training programs must improve the chances of their trainees finding employment across all sectors: academia, industry, and alternative career paths, in order to ultimately achieve clinical therapies. We have coined the term "innovation-primed science" to represent a range of breakthrough, innovation- generating scientific ideas that will offer our trainees a range of scientific projects to work on, from pioneering basic science to commercialization-ready projects, for which proof-of-concept has already been established. We will create a unique training infrastructure that is made up not only of the traditional academic mentors (scientific or clinical faculty who lead top laboratories), but also of a Translation Advisory Board (TAB) comprising experts in regenerative medicine and clinical practice, entrepreneurs, industrial scientists, investors, and leading subject-matter experts in translation and commercialization. The TAB will effectively fill the expertise gap among our academic faculty mentors, by completing a mentoring constellation of academic, industrial, and clinical experts for each trainee. A rich didactic program will combine both established approaches and new concepts to deliver a balance of experience to trainees while optimizing the expertise of 14 core mentors and 16 clinical, industrial and entrepreneurial advisors. Specific program elements are Individualized B3 Mentoring Constellations, Face-to- Face Interactions and Workshops, Online Interactions and Seminar Series, Defined and Monitored Integration of Didactic Elements during the Fellowship Term, Mentoring of Trainees and Professional Development, and Supporting Junior Mentors.