Multidisciplinary Training Program in Cardiovascular Disease

The Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute at BUMC

The NIH-sponsored Multidisciplinary Training Program in Cardiovascular Disease is now in it’s 37th year, and presently directed by Dr. Bolotina.In 1974, the Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute (WCI) was established, dedicated to U.A. and Helen Whitaker, to foster advances in research, education, and treatment of cardiovascular disease.Over the years, this single program has graduated 140 fellows, most of whom currently hold academic positions. The primary focus of our program is to provide postdoctoral training to PhD or MD fellows in hands-on interdisciplinary cardiovascular research with a particular emphasis on translation of basic science discoveries into clinical research and medical practice.

The program involves more than 40 expert investigators from seven basic science and four clinical divisions and departments.  This center developed a highly interactive research and training environment with successful collaborative initiatives representing major fields of cardiovascular biology. Those involve (and not limited to)

• Cardio-metabolic research,
• Cardiovascular proteomics,
• Framingham Heart Study,
• Impact of diabetes and obesity on cardiovascular function,
• The effect of hypertension on the blood vessel wall,
• Molecular markers for atherosclerosis,
• Cardiac ischemia and heart hypertrophy,
• The role of nitric oxide in vascular disease,
• Basic cellular studies of molecular and genetic mechanisms of cardiovascular function in health and disease that involve advanced cellular imaging, electrophysiology, molecular biology and transgenic mouse models.
• Thrombosis-induced Cardiovascular Disease

The strength of our program is in vertical integration of basic and clinical research programs that enrich the training experience, permitting the trainee to identify clinically relevant basic research questions, become familiar with multiple disciplines, and eventually acquire the skills to succeed in discovering and applying basic insights into pathophysiological mechanisms of cardiovascular disease. The total annual research funding of the Mentors/PIs within our program over the past several years has typically been >$20,000,000 per year. In addition to outstanding Mentors, our training program is further strengthened by it’s close affiliation with the Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research, advanced Core Facilities, by Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (http://ctsi.bu.edu/), and outstanding environment of the Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, which provide a perfect research environment for postdoctoral training

The program offers:

• A carefully planned and closely mentored research project under the direction of an established NIH-funded investigator;
• Development of experimental skills in advanced research setting;
• Development of understanding and essential skills for multidisciplinary collaborative studies;
• Continues enrichment of theoretical background and development of a big picture;
• Development of the skills of public presentation through annual presentations at the “Work-in-Progress” seminars, with a feedback from the Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute faculty and staff;
• Development of the skills for independent research planning and timely execution, with  assessment of a trainees progress by the mentor, as well as by the senior committee members;
• Introduction to different funding opportunities and development of grant writing skills;
• Development of paper writing skills;
• Strong mentorship program that fosters career development.