Program Summary/Abstract This training grant is founded on the belief that a new model is needed for training the cutaneous biologists of the future. The model of being either a researcher or a clinician ought to be supplanted by one where talented and enthusiastic individuals have exposure to the information, techniques and colleagues necessary for the growing need for collaborative science. In addition, there is a clear need for a program that is suitable for physician postdoctoral fellows, especially since CTSA funded K awards are extremely limited. We will continue to develop such a cadre through our novel training program with a customized curriculum of investigative and clinically relevant experiences, individually tailored to each trainee and focused on a clinical area or disease process. Specifically, each curriculum will comprise 1) laboratory-based research, guided by their Mentor and Mentoring Committee composed of program members with complementary strengths and expertise; 2) didactics chosen with the translational aspects of that research project in mind; and 3) focused clinical involvement (for physician trainees) complementary to the research project. In addition to providing our trainees with rigorous scientific instruction in the specific area of their choosing, we shall mentor and guide them to ensure a successful transition to productive investigative careers, preparing them for independent skin biology and skin disease related biomedical research. We propose to engage two MD, PhD or MD/PhD trainees annually into a two-year postdoctoral training program with an optional third year. We have assembled a stellar team of mentors in broad areas relevant to cutaneous biology and skin diseases, and an innovative guidance program to ensure that we grow mentors as well as trainees.

Program Narrative To develop a cadre of talented physician and non-physician investigators devoted to the study of skin biology and skin diseases, we propose a novel training program with a customized curriculum of basic, translational and clinical experiences, individually tailored to each trainee and focused on a specialized skin disease or process; specifically, each curriculum will comprise 1) laboratory-based research, guided by a mentor and committee with diverse strengths and expertise; 2) didactic translational aspects for that research project; and 3) for physician trainees, focused clinical involvement relevant to the disease or process targeted by the research project. In addition to providing our trainees with rigorous scientific instruction in the specific area of their choosing, we shall mentor and guide them to ensure a successful transition to productive academic careers, preparing them for independent dermatology-oriented biomedical research. We propose to engage two trainees trained as physicians or non-physicians into a two-year postdoctoral training program, with a third optional year, for which we have assembled a stellar team of mentors in broad areas relevant to dermatology, and an innovative guidance program to unite the lab-bench, translational and clinical aspects of the training.