Biomedical Research Training Research Articles

The Moderating Effect of Faculty Mentorship on Undergraduate Students' Summer Research Outcomes.

Summer undergraduate research experience (SURE) programs are proven interventions that provide undergraduate students with opportunities to develop research skills under the mentorship of a faculty member. These are essential programs, particularly for members of underrepresented minorities, because SUREs are known to broaden their participation and increase retention. We present the results of a study investigating the influence of faculty mentorship quality on the quality of research presentations for undergraduate students attending a 10-week, distributed, multi-institutional SURE program focused on biomedical research training. Upon returning to the home institution, students presented research posters at a local symposium. Poster presentations were judged using a scale validated as part of this project. Combining collected information on student demographics and their self-reported assessments of research gains and belonging to the scientific community, we made use of data analytics methodologies to appropriately merge and analyze the data to address the overarching research question: What are the independent and combined effects of the quality of faculty mentorship and student characteristics on the quality of SURE student poster presentations? Results show that faculty mentor quality functions as a moderating influence for student characteristics on research presentation quality. Implications and recommendations for SURE program implementation are discussed.

Contributions Made by Undergraduates to Research Projects: Using the CREDIT Taxonomy to Assess Undergraduate Research Experiences

The authors developed a novel tool, the CREDIT URE, to define and measure roles performed by undergraduate students working in research placements. Derived from an open-source taxonomy for determining authorship credit, the CREDIT URE defines 14 possible roles, allowing students and their research mentors to rate the degree to which students participate in each role. The tool was administered longitudinally across three cohorts of undergraduate student-mentor pairs involved in a biomedical research training program for students from diverse backgrounds. Students engaged most frequently in roles involving data curation, investigation, and writing. Less frequently, students engaged in roles related to software development, supervision, and funding acquisition. Students' roles changed over time as they gained experience. Agreement between students and mentors about responsibility for roles was high.

Developing a culture of safety in biomedical research training.

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is committed to supporting the safety of the nation’s biomedical research and training environments. Institutional training grants affect many trainees and can have a broad influence across their parent institutions, making them good starting points for our initial efforts to promote the development and maintenance of robust cultures of safety at U.S. academic institutions. In this Perspective, we focus on laboratory safety, although many of the strategies we describe for improving laboratory safety are also applicable to other forms of safety including the prevention of harassment, intimidation, and discrimination. We frame the problem of laboratory safety using a number of recent examples of tragic accidents, highlight some of the lessons that have been learned from these and other events, discuss what NIGMS is doing to address problems related to laboratory safety, and outline steps that institutions can take to improve their safety cultures.

Exploring Gender Differences in Student Evaluations of Faculty in a Graduate Clinical Translational Research Program.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. There has long been an underrepresentation of women in medicine and biomedical research; this is often described as a "leaky pipeline," as the more senior the level of rank, the fewer women are appointed. In evaluating a faculty member for promotion, student evaluations of faculty teaching are often considered; therefore, if gender biases are reinforced by student evaluations of teaching, the gender gap in faculty promotion could remain or increase. In this study, we examine student evaluations of faculty teaching in a graduate biomedical research training program, using data gathered during two academic years. While female faculty received higher quantitative ratings of teaching, subtle gender differences in language existed in the student comments, indicating that implicit biases about women may be present in student evaluations of faculty teaching.

The NIH "BEST" programs: Institutional programs, the program evaluation, and early data.

Biomedical research training has undergone considerable change over the past several years. At its core, the goal of graduate and postdoctoral training is to provide individuals with the skills and knowledge to become outstanding scientists and expand knowledge through the scientific method. Historically, graduate school training has focused on preparation for academic positions. Increasingly, however, a shift toward preparation for a wider range of career options has emerged. This is largely because most biomedical PhD graduates do not become Principal Investigators in academic laboratories. Here we describe an National Institutes of Health Common Fund program with the major goal of culture change for biomedical research training and training that prepares individuals for a broader expanse of careers in the biomedical research enterprise. These "Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training" (BEST) awards, issued in 2012 and 2013, provided support to institutions to develop innovative approaches to achieving these goals, as a complement to traditional training. Awardees were tasked with catalyzing change at their institutions and sharing best practices across the training community. Awardees were required to participate in a cross-site evaluation that assessed the impact of BEST activities on three main areas: (a) trainee confidence and knowledge to make career decisions, (b) influence of this added activity on time in training, and (c) ability of the institutions to sustain activities deemed to be beneficial. Here we present the fundamental approach to the BEST program and early evaluative data.

Building a center of excellence in biomedical research in an unfavorable environment: the Malaria Research and Training Center in Mali.

By choosing a capacity-building strategy based on human resources, the late Professor Ogobara Doumbo and Professor Yeya Toure have succeeded in establishing a center devoted to malaria research in the economically unfavorable environment of Mali. By taking advantage of the advent of a pluralist democracy in Mali in 1991, the Malaria Research and Training Centre (MRTC) has become a model of excellence in training in biomedical research and a renowned clinical research center. Since 2003, MRTC researchers have conducted more than 20 phase-1 and -2 clinical trials of antimalarial vaccines, thus becoming a reference both in Africa and globally. The MRTC owes its success to several factors. While the focus on human capacity building has been critical for sustainability, the quality of the partnerships and the density of the partnership network have also played a critical role. The NIH partnership enabled us to construct new buildings to house modern laboratories. These facilities made it possible to conduct leading-edge research programs, the results of which in turn provided access to significant other funding sources, not only to finance new projects, but also to purchase modern heavy equipment. Lastly, it has been possible to set up a policy for training Malian researchers at the Masters and PhD levels, with the aim of fueling a critical mass of scientific expertise. The combination of each of these factors has created an environment conducive to sustainable research and whose recent results have heightened expectations for a rich future.

Sex‐Dependent Murine Hepatic Mitochondrial and Mitophagy Responses to High‐Fat Diet and Exercise

Excessive accumulation of hepatic fat (steatosis) is closely associated with obesity and hepatic insulin resistance, a critical factor for the development of type 2 diabetes. Exercise is a therapeutic that mitigates hepatic steatosis putatively through enhanced mitochondrial function and quality, but sex specific differences are unknown. Here we examined if a high fat diet (HFD) elicited sex‐specific reductions in hepatic mitochondrial respiration and mitochondrial recycling (autophagy/mitophagy) pathways and whether exercise (voluntary wheel running [VWR]) restored these impingements. Male and female wild type (WT, C57BL/6J) mice (n=6–7 per sex, per treatment) housed at thermoneutrality (~80°F) were fed low fat diet (LFD) or HFD (45%kcal fat) for 16 weeks with or without access to VWR for the final 8 weeks. Female mice had significantly reduced hepatic triacylglycerol (TAG) compared to males (p<0.0001) and both sexes showed resistance to increases in TAG with HFD, potentially due to thermoneutral housing inducing higher TAG on a control diet. There was a dose‐dependent increase in maximal state 3 (ADP stimulated) respiratory capacity with HFD and HFD+VWR that was potentiated in females. HFD elicited an increase in H2O2 in males that was reduced with exercise while females had reduced mitochondrial H2O2 production in both conditions. Interestingly, neither glutathione (GSH), glutathione disulfide (GSSG) or the GSH:GSSG ratio, markers of oxidative stress, were different between the groups. Males had a consistent reduction in mitochondrial complex I‐V expression with HFD+VWR. Females had reduced expression of complex I with HFD and HFD+VWR but otherwise retained expression of complexes II‐V. Citrate synthase, a marker of hepatic mitochondrial content, was reduced by HFD in both males and females. However, HFD+VWR further reduced citrate synthase in males but restored activity in females to the level of the LFD cohort. Since mitochondrial content is regulated by mitophagy proteins, we examined the mitophagy regulating BCL2/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa protein‐interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) and Parkin proteins. Males had reduced BNIP3 expression on the LFD that was increased with HFD. HFD elicited no change in females, however, HFD+VWR drastically reduced BNIP3 levels in both sexes. Parkin was unchanged with HFD in both sexes yet had divergent responses with HFD+VWR as males had reduced expression and female expression increased. Overall, these data show sex‐specific hepatic triglyceride, mitochondrial, and mitophagy responses to HFD and exercise and provide cautionary evidence of studying hepatic steatosis in single sex models.Support or Funding InformationFunded by: Veterans Affairs Merit Review; 1I01BX002567‐01 (JPT), KUMC Biomedical Research Training Program (CSM), K‐INBRE grant number P20 GM103418 (CSM), CTSA grant from NCATS awarded to the University of Kansas for Frontiers: University of Kansas Clinical and Translational Science Institute (# TL1TR002368) (CSM)This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Noncommunicable Diseases in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Strategic Approach to Develop a Global Implementation Research Workforce.

Globally, most of the burden from noncommunicable disease is now evident in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). At the same time, many effective noncommunicable disease interventions are now available and recommended for implementation and scale-up across LMIC health systems-yet are not being widely implemented. Understanding optimal and sustainable implementation strategies for these interventions within the LMIC context will need locally led and conducted implementation research- a research capacity which currently is lacking. The National Institutes of Health institutes, centers, and offices work with the Fogarty International Center to support biomedical research and research training across the globe. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes' Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science has a strategic focus on implementation research in global health. The Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science is considering strategies for developing research capacity and skill sets to conduct this priority research along with National Institutes of Health institutes and centers and other key global institutions that highly value implementation research. Short-term and medium-term strategies will be needed along with building on current efforts and investments and considering new efforts to address gaps. Developing and sustaining this research workforce will present many challenges and require much effort, but the returns could be transformative in advancing the prevention, treatment, and control of noncommunicable diseases within LMICs.

Using 'collective omics data' for biomedical research training.

Systems-scale molecular profiling data accumulating in public repositories may constitute a useful resource for immunologists. It is for instance likely that information relevant to their chosen line of research be found among the more than 90,000 data series available in the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus. Such 'collective omics data' may also be employed as source material for training purposes. This is the case when training curricula aim at the development of bioinformatics skills necessary for the analysis, interpretation or visualization of data generated on global scales. But 'collective omics data' may also be reused for training purposes to foster the development of the skills and 'mental habits' underpinning traditional reductionist science approaches. This review describes a small-scale initiative involving investigators, for the most part immunologists, having engaged in a range of training activities relying on 'collective omics data'.

Refining a Summer Biomedical Research Training Program for American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Students

Literature shows that students who enter the science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical-related (STEMM) pipeline at earlier stages of their career are more likely to be successful. This is especially true for underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students. Despite the increasing number of students entering the pipeline, American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) students still have a higher attrition rate compared to other ethnic groups. Educators and government agencies have worked to improve the success rate for AIAN students across all levels and fields by developing various programs aimed at training and mentorship. In 2007, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD, increased their outreach efforts for recruiting AIAN students for the summer internship program. Our goal was to develop a culturally tailored research-training program that could recruit and retain AIAN students into STEMM degrees and careers. We adapted an existing program that provides training in biomedical science and mentorship at an NINDS research laboratory. From 2007 to 2016, of the 41 AIAN interns who participated, 35 (85%) remained in STEMM fields. Five interns obtained post baccalaureate positions at NIH and four entered graduate or medical school. These successful outcomes were brought about only after navigating myriad obstacles. We identified obstacles for AIAN student participation, and made adaptations to the summer internship. We made design decisions regarding recruitment, feasibility, lab placement and mentorship, supporting research and social networking, and sustaining AIAN culture. This design case highlights the obstacles and strategies for success that we developed.

Elevated O‐GlcNAc Exacerbates Pro‐Inflammatory Cytokine Secretion from CD4+ T cells

Chronic inflammation is a feature of obesity and enhances the risk of atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, and autoimmunity. Specifically, pro-inflammatory TH17 CD4+ effector T cells are increased in metabolic diseases. However, a clear molecular mechanism linking metabolic changes with pro-inflammatory T cells is lacking. We hypothesize that elevated levels of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc), a post-translational modification of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins, promotes pro-inflammatory CD4+ T cell function. Since production of O-GlcNAc involves input from carbohydrate, amino acid, fatty acid, and nucleic acid metabolism, the modification acts as a sensor of a cell's nutritional status. To investigate the role of O-GlcNAc in a setting of metabolic disease, we analyzed O-GlcNAc levels in CD4+ T cells from mice fed a high fat and cholesterol “Western” diet. Naïve CD4+ T cells from obese mice have elevated O-GlcNAc levels compared to cells from mice fed standard chow. When polarized to a TH17 lineage, cells from obese mice secrete more IL-17A, the eponymous TH17 cytokine. Importantly, when naïve CD4+ T cells from lean and obese mice are polarized to a TH17 lineage in the presence of Thiamet-G (TMG, an inhibitor of the enzyme that removes O-GlcNAc (O-GlcNAcase, OGA)) the cells from lean mice secrete levels of IL-17 comparable to those from obese mice and IL-17 secretion was exacerbated in cells from obese mice. Transcript levels of IL-17 are similarly elevated in both lean and obese mice TH17 cells treated with TMG. RORγt (retinoic acid-related orphan receptor gamma) acts as the TH17 master transcription factor, orchestrating the TH17 differentiation program. Uniquely among the CD4+ effector T cell master transcription factors, RORγt is regulated by fatty acid ligands which promote or repress its activity. Acetyl CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), the rate limiting enzyme in fatty acid synthesis, is known to enhance generation of TH17 cells by producing ligands that increase the activity of RORγt. We discovered that ACC1 is O-GlcNAcylated. Furthermore, lipidomics analysis identified clear differences in the lipid environment of T cells isolated from lean and obese mice −/+ TMG. Thus, abnormally elevated O-GlcNAc levels may favor the generation of ligands that enhance RORγt activity at the IL-17 promoter. More directly implicating O-GlcNAc's regulation of RORγt, chromatin immunoprecipation of RORγt and O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT, the enzyme that modifies proteins with O-GlcNAc) at the IL-17 promoter and an enhancer, CNS2 (conserved noncoding sequence 2), is increased with TMG treatment. Collectively, our data suggest that elevated O-GlcNAc levels increase pro-inflammatory IL-17 secretion from TH17 cells through alteration of the lipidome and direct effects on the IL-17 promoter complex. Further study into the molecular mechanism of how O-GlcNAcylation promotes pro-inflammatory TH17 T cell function will provide insight into how nutritional excess worsens inflammation. Support or Funding Information This research was supported by NIH grant R01DK100595-01, NIH grant R01DK091277-03, COBRE P30GM122731, and a KUMC Institute of Reproductive Health and Regenerative Medicine pilot grant. MM is supported by a KUMC Biomedical Research Training Program grant. Elevated O-GlcNAc increases pro-inflammatory IL-17 cytokine secretion from TH17 cells This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Defining research priorities in cystic fibrosis. Can existing knowledge and training in biomedical research affect the choice?

The aim of this report is to assess whether the research issues priorities are perceived differently according to the Stakeholders (SH)'s individual knowledge of research topics and degree of training in biomedical research. Four groups of SH were enrolled in this study: 1. Skilled SH, specifically trained in biomedicine; 2. Unskilled untrained SH who responded to a written questionnaire in 2015; 3. SH who were trained for one year in a course delivered by professionals; 4. Untrained SH who responded to an online questionnaire in 2017. The large ranking order variability observed among groups addresses the question that the choices are markedly influenced by the SH's backgrounds. Such results emphasize the need to consider the education level and the delivery of ad hoc training activities by professionals to broaden the base of SH who may be considered qualified to transfer the Patient Centered Outcome Research principles into practice.

An entrepreneurial training model to enhance undergraduate training in biomedical research

BackgroundUndergraduate students who are interested in biomedical research typically work on a faculty member’s research project, conduct one distinct task (e.g., running gels), and, step by step, enhance their skills. This “apprenticeship” model has been helpful in training many distinguished scientists over the years, but it has several potential drawbacks. For example, the students have limited autonomy, and may not understand the big picture, which may result in students giving up on their goals for a research career. Also, the model is costly and may greatly depend on a single mentor.Key highlightsThe NIH Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) Initiative has been established to fund innovative undergraduate research training programs and support institutional and faculty development of the recipient university. The training model at Morgan State University (MSU), namely “A Student-Centered Entrepreneurship Development training model” (ASCEND), is one of the 10 NIH BUILD-funded programs, and offers a novel, experimental “entrepreneurial” training approach. In the ASCEND training model, the students take the lead. They own the research, understand the big picture, and experience the entire scope of the research process, which we hypothesize will lead to a greater sense of self-efficacy and research competency, as well as an enhanced sense of science identity. They are also immersed in environments with substantial peer support, where they can exchange research ideas and share experiences. This is important for underrepresented minority students who might have fewer role models and less peer support in conducting research.ImplicationsIn this article, we describe the MSU ASCEND entrepreneurial training model’s components, rationale, and history, and how it may enhance undergraduate training in biomedical research that may be of benefit to other institutions. We also discuss evaluation methods, possible sustainability solutions, and programmatic challenges that can affect all types of science training interventions.

Critical race theory as a bridge in science training: the California State University, Northridge BUILD PODER program

Background and purposeUnconscious bias and explicit forms of discrimination continue to pervade academic institutions. Multicultural and diversity training activities have not been sufficient in making structural and social changes leading to equity, therefore, a new form of critical consciousness is needed to train diverse scientists with new research questions, methods, and perspectives. The purpose of this paper is to describe Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD); Promoting Opportunities for Diversity in Education and Research (PODER), which is an undergraduate biomedical research training program based on transformative framework rooted in Critical Race Theory (CRT).Key highlightsBy employing a CRT-informed curriculum and training in BUILD PODER, students are empowered not only to gain access but also to thrive in graduate programs and beyond. Poder means “power” or “to be able to” in Spanish. Essentially, we are “building power” using students’ strengths and empowering them as learners. The new curriculum helps students understand institutional policies and practices that may prevent them from persisting in higher education, learn to become their own advocates, and successfully confront social barriers and instances of inequities and discrimination. To challenge these barriers and sustain campus changes in support of students, BUILD PODER works toward changing campus culture and research mentoring relationships. By joining with ongoing university structures such as the state university Graduation Initiative, we include CRT tenets into the campus dialogue and stimulate campus-wide discussions around institutional change. Strong ties with five community college partners also enrich BUILD PODER’s student body and strengthen mentor diversity. Preliminary evaluation data suggest that BUILD PODER’s program has enhanced the racial/ethnic consciousness of the campus community, is effective in encouraging more egalitarian and respectful faculty-student relationships, and is a rigorous program of biomedical research training that supports students as they achieve their goals.ImplicationsBiomedical research programs may benefit from a reanalysis of the fit between current training programs and student strengths. By incorporating the voices of talented youth, drawing upon their native strengths, we will generate a new science that links biomedical research to community health and social justice, generating progress toward health equity through a promising new generation of scholars.

Evaluating efforts to diversify the biomedical workforce: the role and function of the Coordination and Evaluation Center of the Diversity Program Consortium

BackgroundThe National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Diversity Program Consortium (DPC) includes a Coordination and Evaluation Center (CEC) to conduct a longitudinal evaluation of the two signature, national NIH initiatives - the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) and the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) programs - designed to promote diversity in the NIH-funded biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences research workforce. Evaluation is central to understanding the impact of the consortium activities. This article reviews the role and function of the CEC and the collaborative processes and achievements critical to establishing empirical evidence regarding the efficacy of federally-funded, quasi-experimental interventions across multiple sites. The integrated DPC evaluation is particularly significant because it is a collaboratively developed Consortium Wide Evaluation Plan and the first hypothesis-driven, large-scale systemic national longitudinal evaluation of training programs in the history of NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences.Key highlightsTo guide the longitudinal evaluation, the CEC-led literature review defined key indicators at critical training and career transition points – or Hallmarks of Success. The multidimensional, comprehensive evaluation of the impact of the DPC framed by these Hallmarks is described. This evaluation uses both established and newly developed common measures across sites, and rigorous quasi-experimental designs within novel multi-methods (qualitative and quantitative). The CEC also promotes shared learning among Consortium partners through working groups and provides technical assistance to support high-quality process and outcome evaluation internally of each program. Finally, the CEC is responsible for developing high-impact dissemination channels for best practices to inform peer institutions, NIH, and other key national and international stakeholders.ImplicationsA strong longitudinal evaluation across programs allows the summative assessment of outcomes, an understanding of factors common to interventions that do and do not lead to success, and elucidates the processes developed for data collection and management. This will provide a framework for the assessment of other training programs and have national implications in transforming biomedical research training.

Abstract 2836: Mitochondrial genomic backgrounds differentially affect nuclear DNA methylation and gene expression

Abstract Accumulating data implicate mitochondrial genetics and metabolism as contributors to metastatic efficiency. With only 13 proteins encoded by the mtDNA genome, the mechanism(s) by which the coordination of multiple genes involved in metastasis could occur is unclear. We hypothesized that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphisms would differentially regulate nuclear DNA (nDNA) methylation and gene expression. To test the hypotheses, we created Mitochondrial Nuclear Exchange (MNX) mice, by transferring an oocyte nucleus from strainx into an enucleated oocyte from strainy. The mice show that mammary tumor formation and metastasis are regulated by inherited mitochondrial polymorphisms (PMID: 26471915). Age-matched, male mouse brains were collected and pooled from four litter mates representing each of the wild-type and MNX mice (8 groups). Genome-wide nDNA methylation (Mouse methyl-Seq) and gene expression (RNA-Seq) were measured and results validated in independent replicate samples. Significant, selective and reproducible differential DNA methylation and gene expression were observed and validated between strains having identical nDNA, but different mtDNA. While the signal(s) from mitochondria altering methylation is not fully defined, the findings support the hypothesis and demonstrate how mitochondrial genetic alterations could be one of several quantitative trait loci involved in complex phenotypes, such as metastasis. The results also suggest that mtDNA polymorphisms could serve as predictive biomarkers for cancer aggressiveness. Support: Susan G. Komen for the Cure (SAC11037), Natl Fndn Cancer Res, Biomedical Research Training Program, Kansas Bioscience Authority, CA134981, P30-CA168524. Citation Format: Carolyn J. Vivian, Amanda E. Brinker, Stefan Graw, Devin C. Koestler, Christophe Legendre, Gerald C. Gooden, Bodour Salhia, Danny R. Welch. Mitochondrial genomic backgrounds differentially affect nuclear DNA methylation and gene expression [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2836. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2836

Group Coaching, Grounded in Theory and Evidence, Deployed through the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) to Complement Research Mentoring and Increase Diversity

Biomedical research training has historically relied almost exclusively on mentoring by research advisors as the vehicle for developing the talents of young scientists. Following an apprenticeship model, it affords almost a limitless array of permutations and combinations among mentors and trainees. It also allows for maximum variations in approaches to mentoring. However, it also leads to extreme variability in terms of what is ‘taught’ and opportunities made available to those in training, often leading to unpredictable outcomes, and/or underdevelopment or loss of scientific talent. This potential loss of talent can have especially high impact for individuals from underrepresented groups. As an alternative and complementary approach to more fully develop scientific talent, several variations of group coaching processes have been created and studied. All incorporate both practical and theoretical underpinnings and have established evidence of efficacy, and in one case intensive analysis through a randomized controlled trial. Based on both evidence of impact and theoretical strengths, they are now being expanded beyond their home institutions or limited missions to national impact through the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) funded by NIH.This presentation will highlight the theoretical basis, designs, and impacts to date of 4 different grant writing group coaching models being deployed and compared through NRMN. The presentation will also describe the career coaching group model with an expanded focus beyond grant writing that has evolved from a randomized controlled trial. The refined career coaching model is being tested in collaboration with the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). All of the coaching models augment and complement research and other mentoring trainees are receiving. The models also all employ coaches who are highly skilled and successful scientists, usually with extensive mentoring experience, who are provided with additional training in the respective group coaching models. The models differ in the time each group operates (ranging from 3–12 months), and the career stages and readiness of participants to be actively writing a proposal. Unique to these group coaching models, they all acknowledge and make visible the underlying social science theories and practices that influence the environments where research training takes place. Evidence to date supports these group coaching models as valuable adjuncts to classical research mentoring, with the ability to positively impact maximal development of research talent and increase contributions from underrepresented groups.Support or Funding InformationSupported by NIH DP4 GM0096807, R01 GM107701, R35 GM118184, U54 GM119023 and ASPET Big Idea Award

Career Satisfaction and Perceived Salary Competitiveness among Individuals Who Completed Postdoctoral Research Training in Cancer Prevention.

Studies examining career satisfaction of biomedical scientists are limited, especially in the context of prior postdoctoral training. Here we focused on career satisfaction defined as satisfaction with one’s career trajectory and perceived salary competitiveness among a predominantly Ph.D.-trained population of scientists who completed cancer prevention-related postdoctoral training between 1987–2011. National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program (CPFP) alumni (n = 114), and previous recipients of NCI-sponsored Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA/F32) postdoctoral fellowships (n = 140) completed online surveys. Associations of career satisfaction and perception of salary competitiveness with demographic, training, and employment-related factors were examined using logistic regression. Overall, 61% reported high levels of satisfaction with their career trajectory to-date. Higher salary (odds ratio [OR] = 2.86, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.07–7.69) and having more leadership roles (OR = 2.26, 95% CI:1.04–4.90) were independently associated with higher career satisfaction. Persons with race/ethnicity other than white (OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.20–0.82) or age ≥ 50 (OR = 0.40, 95%CI: 0.17–0.94) had lower career satisfaction levels. There were no statistically significant differences in career satisfaction levels by gender, scientific discipline, or employment sector. 74% perceived their current salary as competitive, but persons with 5–9, or ≥10 years in their current position reported lower levels (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.15–0.65; and OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16–0.87, respectively), as did individuals in government positions (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.11–0.98). These data add to the understanding of career satisfaction of those with advanced training in biomedical research by examining these measures in relation to prior postdoctoral research training and across multiple career sectors.

Use of a Grant Writing Class in Training PhD Students.

A well-written application for funding in support of basic biological or biomedical research or individual training fellowship requires that the author perform several functions well. They must (i) identify an important topic, (ii) provide a brief but persuasive introduction to highlight its significance, (iii) identify one or two key questions that if answered would impact the field, (iv) present a series of logical experiments and convince the reader that the approaches are feasible, doable within a certain period of time and have the potential to answer the questions posed, and (v) include citations that demonstrate both scholarship and an appropriate command of the relevant literature and techniques involved in the proposed research study. In addition, preparation of any compelling application requires formal scientific writing and editing skills that are invaluable in any career. These are also all key components in a doctoral dissertation and encompass many of the skills that we expect graduate students to master. Almost 20 years ago, we began a grant writing course as a mechanism to train students in these specific skills. Here, we describe the use of this course in training of our graduate students as well as our experiences and lessons learned.

Retracted Publications Within Radiology Journals.

The purpose of this study was to characterize trends related to retracted publications within radiology journals. PubMed was queried to identify all articles with the publication type "retracted publication" or "notification of retraction." Articles published within radiology journals were identified using Journal Citation Reports' journal categories. Available versions of original articles and publication notices were accessed from journal websites. Citations to retracted publications were identified using Web of Science. Overall trends were assessed. Forty-eight retracted original research articles were identified within radiology journals since 1983, which included 1.1% of all PubMed "retracted publication" entries. Distinct PubMed entries were available for the retracted publication and retraction notification in 39 of 48 articles. The original PDF was available for 37 articles, although the articles were not watermarked as retracted in 23 cases. In six cases with a watermarked PDF, further searches identified nonwatermarked versions. Original HTML versions were available for 13 articles but 11 were not watermarked. The mean (± SD) delay between publication and retraction was 2.7 ± 2.8 years (range, 0-16 years). The mean number of citations to retracted articles was 10.9 ± 17.1 (range, 0-94 citations). Reasons for retraction included problematic or incorrect methods or results (although it typically was unclear whether these represented honest errors or misconduct) in 33.3% of cases, complete or partial duplicate publication in 33.3% of cases, plagiarism in 14.6% of cases, a permission issue in 8.3% of cases, the publisher's error in 6.3% of cases, and no identified reason in 6.3% of cases. One or no retractions occurred annually from 1986 to 2001, although two or more retractions occurred annually in nine of the 12 years from 2002 through 2013. Retraction represents an uncommon, yet potentially increasing, issue within radiology journals that publishers have inconsistently and insufficiently addressed. Greater awareness and training in proper biomedical research conduct, as well as establishment and enforcement of standardized publishers' policies, are warranted.