The Duke Department of Pediatrics has received a Child Health Research Career Development Award (CHRCDA) from the National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (K12-HD105253), entitled Duke Center for Advancement of Child Health (CAtCH). Under the leadership of Principal Investigators Ann Reed, MD, Samuel L. Katz, MD Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Rheumatology, and Corinne Linardic, MD PhD, associate professor of pediatrics in the Division of Hematology-Oncology, Duke CAtCH is intended to foster the maturation of pediatric early-career investigators into independent physician-scientists who are skilled in cutting-edge methods of laboratory and clinical research and who pursue long-term academic careers investigating important issues related to child health.
The department has a strong history of training physician-scientists, including previous CHRCDA scholars. Duke CAtCH is based on a pool of outstanding candidates strengthened by a robust internal pipeline for early-career physician-scientists; innovative approaches to increase representation of groups underrepresented in medicine; a strong didactic curriculum; an excellent departmental program of research support; experienced preceptors, who perform state-of-the-art laboratory and clinical research; an innovative Peer Mentor Program; and an excellent research environment. Two scholars will be supported each year, and each scholar will be supported for approximately two years. Scholars will be individuals with an MD degree or joint MD/PhD degrees who have completed pediatric subspecialty training and are dedicated to an academic career in basic, translational, or clinical research. Participants will be selected from junior faculty in the Department of Pediatrics, with particular emphasis on recruitment of women and individuals from groups underrepresented in medicine. The program preceptors are drawn from four broadly defined areas of research excellence:
- ‘Omics’ Discovery
- Infection & Inflammation
- Technologies Emerging in Child Health (including Biomedical Engineering and Artificial Intelligence) and
- Outcome Science.
The program preceptors are all characterized by a strong track record in research, funding, and mentoring. Scholars will also benefit from a structured Peer Mentor Program, an extensive grant writing curriculum, didactic courses complementing research experiences, and a community-based mentoring experience. The scholars will have access to the extensive career development resources and shared research facilities at Duke University. Duke CAtCH will foster the development of successful, independent physician-scientists, committed to using innovative research methods to advance child health.
Please visit the Child Health Research Carer Development Award (CHRCDA) Program website for additional information.