Hematology T32 Research Training Program

Our Program is in its 44th year of funding from the National Institutes of Health. We focus on providing an intensive postdoctoral research training experience intended to lead to an academic career that involves hematology-related research. In this Program, trainees will work for two or three years with an expert faculty mentor on a scientifically important research project. Upon completion of our Program, the trainee will be competitive for national funding, such as a K or R award. Our Program recognizes that many skills are needed to sustain a career as an independent and funded researcher, and it is designed with this in mind.

Two tracks are typical for entry:

  1. Research-focused fellows from the Hem/Onc fellowship are often supported on the grant after being identified in the first year of fellowship.
  2. Independent PhD and non-fellow MD postdoctoral candidates who are interested in pursuing hematology-related research.

The University of Minnesota Medical School provides a large and resource-rich environment that promotes the development of research and academic career skills. Within the Medical School, the HOT Division is a research-intensive group. We have world-leading programs in sickle disease, immunotherapy, signal transduction, vascular biology, stem cell biology, bone marrow transplantation, and hemostasis & thrombosis. These and other topic areas are available for trainee research.

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Program Goals

The ultimate goal of our Hematology T32 Research Training Program is to position trainees to compete successfully for academic faculty positions that focus on hematology-related research.
To facilitate the achievement of this goal, we aim for our trainees to attain the following core competencies:

  • Critically review current literature
  • Formulate hypotheses, design sound experiments
  • Select valid methods and apply appropriate tools for data analysis
  • Produce high-quality research data.
  • Trouble-shoot experimental protocols
  • Critically analyze and interpret results
  • Engage in effective written and oral communication
  • Communicate research results in at least 2-3 peer-reviewed journals
  • Write an application for a career development award (K equivalent) as well as foundation grant applications.
  • Effective networking, team management, and mentoring skills
  • Identify and resolve common ethical dilemmas that arise in research
  • Identify what constitutes research misconduct
  • Understand and adhere to compliance issues involving animal use, laboratory safety, and biosafety
  • Understand how research on human subjects is regulated by the federal government

In addition to these core competencies, trainees wishing to pursue a career as a physician-scientist will receive training in clinical research:

  • Develop a research protocol
  • Recruit and retain study subjects
  • Obtain informed consent
  • Protect privacy and confidentiality
  • Ensure participant safety and reporting adverse events
  • Ensure data quality and accuracy

Trainee Expectations

  • Conducting research: trainees are expected to spend 75% (Heme/Onc MD fellows) or 100% (non-MD fellows) time conducting research during their training years.
  • Payback year: the NIH requires a payback year in service after the first year of support on the grant. Typically, a second year on the grant fulfills this requirement.
  • Coursework and training activities: a full complement of required and individualized training activities are designed for each trainee with the input of the mentor and program director.
  • Abstract: trainees are expected to submit an abstract to a national meeting at the end of their first year. 
  • Publication: trainees are expected to submit at least one publication by the end of their first year of training, and additional publications in following years.
  • Grant submission: trainees are expected to submit at least one grant annually in their second and third year.
  • Presentations: trainees are required to present locally at the HOT Division’s Garibaldi Research Conference or other intramural conference identified as appropriate (annually) and, if an abstract is selected for oral presentation, to present at national meetings (travel funds available).

Required Courses

School of Public Health Courses

Semester courses in these 3 core areas in the School of Public Health are required, with personalized options available for individual trainee needs and prior coursework:

Biostatistics

  • PUBH 6414 - Biostatistical Literacy I or
  • PUBH 6450 - Biostatistics I

Ethics

  • PUBH 6741 - Ethics in Public Health: Professional Practice and Policy and/or
  • PUBH 6742 - Ethics in Public Health: Research and Policy

Grantsmanship

  • PUBH 6348 - Writing Research Grants
  • Funds for electives of interest to individual trainees are available.


Additional Required Courses

Responsible Conduct of Research

All trainees are required to take the Office for the Vice President of Research’s online Responsible Conduct of Research course. In addition, the Department of Medicine hosts a mandatory RCR course for T32 trainees with high-level faculty presenting historical and current concerns and information about topics ranging from data management and sharing to conflict of interest, authorship, human and animal subjects, societal and environmental impacts of research, and collaborative research including collaborations with industry. Trainees meet with mentors regularly regarding RCR issues and mentors actively participate in RCR case discussions with trainees.

Writing for Publication/Grants

HOT Division hosts a series of seminars covering topics important to developing skills to successfully write for publication and grants. Visual displays of data, engaging storytelling, writing abstracts, manuscripts, specific aims, and basic structure of NIH and other grant proposals are covered.

Journal Club/Garibaldi Research Conference

HOT Division conferences cover seminal and current articles in the literature and highlight ground-breaking research currently being conducted by faculty in our division and in related departments. Additional special topic conferences may be assigned to individual trainees as appropriate.

Faculty by Research Domain

The Hematology Research Training Program at the University of Minnesota brings together top faculty researchers from five hematology-related domains.

  • Transplant Biology/Immunology
  • Vascular Biology
  • Stem Cell Biology/Gene Therapy
  • Thrombosis Hemostasis/Red Cells
  • Malignant Hematology Biology/Translational Science

Each faculty member is listed under his/her primary domain, however many of them hold appointments in multiple departments and make significant contributions to more than one area of research.

Transplant Biology/Immunology

Vascular Biology

Stem Cell Biology/Gene Therapy

Thrombosis Hemostasis/Red Cells

Malignant Hematology Biology/Translational Science

 

Program Director

Dr. Gregory Vercellotti

Contact Us

Program Administrator
Heidi Goski
laws0067@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-6919

Mailing Address
Hematology Research Training Program
420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 480
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Attn: Heidi Goski

Campus Address for Courier Deliveries
Phillips Wangensteen Building
Suite 14-100 
516 Delaware Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455