Education

BSM PRIME – Program to Increase Mentoring in Behavioral Medicine & Sleep Disorders Research

Dates: July 19–31, 2026 (plus a mock NIH study session in July 2027 and a mid-year meeting)

Purpose: A National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)–funded program providing intensive didactic and mentored training to junior faculty in behavioral medicine and sleep disorders research. Focus areas include translational science, communication, research skills, professionalism, leadership, and responsible conduct of research.

What the Institute Provides:

• Core training from interdisciplinary faculty
• Mentor–mentee partnerships
• Skill development for innovative research and grant writing
• Ongoing remote mentorship and support

Eligibility:

• PhD, EdD, MD, or equivalent
• Junior faculty (NIH-defined)
• U.S. citizen or permanent resident

Click Here to Apply

T32 Program: Promoting Academic Workforce Development in Translational Behavioral and Cardio-Metabolic Research (PINNACLE) is an NHLBI-funded career advancing opportunity at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. It is a learning community providing intensive, didactic, and mentored research training to postdoctoral scholars, interested in developing careers in cardiometabolic research. It focuses on 6 core competencies: conceptual knowledge in translational sciences, communication skills, research skill development, professionalism, leadership and management skills, and responsible conduct of research. It empowers postdocs to conduct research by employing techniques at the forefront of their fields and to become innovative and creative leaders in the academic community.

Our Mission

• Provide fundamental training by interdisciplinary faculty in behavioral and cardiovascular health research using translational, population health, and innovative AI-enabled methods and tools
• Establish partnerships between mentors (Primary and Peer) and mentees based on mutual research interests and background
• Provide individualized academic coaching to mentees while developing skills needed to develop independent NHLBI-focused research careers
• Support mentees in developing and presenting real-world scientific data in various formats: poster and oral presentations
• Advise in developing ideas for innovative research and peer-reviewed publications
• Mentor postdocs while they develop their research proposals (e.g., F, K, or R mechanisms)

Program Highlights

• Seminars on specialized skills for research, professional and career development
• Multidisciplinary mentorship, individualized to meet the needs of mentees
• Hands-on research experience with access to national datasets and investigator-initiated studies.
• Salary based on NIH postdoctoral stipend scales

Eligibility

• PhD, EdD, MD or equivalent doctoral degree
• ESI, defined by the NIH criteria
• US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident
• Individuals with Disabilities
• For the pre-application, please click here.

Learn more about the PINNACLE Program, contact us at TSCS@miami.edu.

PINNACLE 2026 Cohort

Francisco M. Oliva, Ph.D.

Francisco M. Oliva, PhD, is a T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He earned his PhD in Health Sciences from Youngstown State University, where he investigated serotonin receptor signaling and monoamine regulation in cancer biology. His research advances his "SADness" framework, examining how chronic Stress, Anxiety, and Depression reshape monoamine systems to influence tumor development & progression. Born and raised in Miami, he is exploring how sleep and circadian disruption interact with stress biology to address health disparities in the communities he calls home.

Edilin Edgecomb, M.D.

Edilin Edgecomb, MD, is a T32 Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. She earned her Doctor of Medicine with a concentration in Epidemiology and Public Health from O&Med School of Medicine, Universidad Dominicana O&M, and completed advanced clinical research training at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. With extensive experience in thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, robotic-assisted surgical outcomes, health disparities, and community-based research, Dr. Edgecomb completed advanced postdoctoral training at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, leading multi-institutional trials and collaborating with MedTech industry partners to generate real-world evidence. At TSCS, she advances medical interventions through PCORI-funded clinical trials evaluating medical devices, pharmacotherapy, and psychotherapy to optimize patient outcomes in obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, and depression among underserved communities in South Florida.

BreAnne Young, Ph.D., MSPH

BreAnne Young, Ph.D., MSPH, is a T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. A triple University of Miami alumna, Dr. Young earned her PhD in Prevention Science and Community Health in the Department of Public Health Sciences, where her work focused on adapting and implementing evidence-based interventions for communities disproportionately impacted by HIV. She brings over a decade of experience in equity-focused and community-engaged research, partnering with priority populations to design and deliver culturally responsive interventions.

At TSCS, Dr. Young’s research integrates social, behavioral, and biological perspectives to examine how sleep and circadian processes influence cardiometabolic health. Her work leverages implementation science to optimize intervention delivery and advance sustainable, community-centered outcomes.

PINNACLE 2025 Cohort

Velarie Ansu, Ph.D.

Biography:Velarie Ansu is a T32 postdoctoral fellow at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine with a Ph.D. in Health Behavior (Epidemiology, Biostatistics minors) from Indiana University-Bloomington, along with graduate training in nutrition. Her research focuses on how diet, sleep, and circadian rhythms influence cardiometabolic health, with an emphasis on improving alignment among these behaviors to prevent disease. She is also interested in applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to generate personalized health insights and identify behavioral patterns that can help predict disease risk.

Brittany Larsen, Ph.D.

Biography: Dr. Brittany Larsen is a PINNACLE postdoctoral scholar who began her career as a Registered Dietitian. While practicing, Dr. Larsen quickly discovered a new career interest: research. She consequently returned to graduate school and earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Iowa State University in 2023, during which time she conducted research in a laboratory that focused on Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Larsen subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the MD Anderson Cancer Center before joining the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in 2025 in order to pursue her greatest research passion, which focuses on exploring novel biobehavioral strategies and digital approaches to reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk in aging populations.

Carolina Scaramutti, Ph.D.

Biography: Carolina Scaramutti, Ph.D., LMHC, is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Department of Data Science and Informatics. She currently leads a decentralized clinical trial funded by Merck, aimed at increasing the participation of underrepresented populations in clinical trials. Dr. Scaramutti is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida, with research centered on the intersection of data science, digital health, and mental health. Her work focuses on leveraging digital health tools to improve psychophysiological well-being and enhance family dynamics through technology-driven, evidence-based interventions.

The CrossROADS Program at the University of Miami is a two-year, NIH-funded training initiative dedicated to addressing one of Florida’s most pressing public health challenges: Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD). With more than 6 million cases nationwide, and Florida ranking second in prevalence, the urgent need for trained investigators and clinicians has never been greater. CrossROADS prepares the next generation of cross-disciplinary scientists to address this challenge.

Our Mission

To increase the number of investigators who can lead innovative, cross-disciplinary clinical and translational research, rapidly moving scientific discoveries from the laboratory into real-world clinical practice and improving health outcomes in affected populations.

Who We Train

Each year, CrossROADS selects exceptional postdoctoral trainees from clinical, biomedical, and psychosocial science backgrounds.

Program Highlights

• Comprehensive Mentorship: Each trainee is guided by a personalized mentoring team that may include a primary mentor, peer mentor, and additional clinical or career development mentors. 
  
• Structured Training:
  A two-year cross-disciplinary curriculum that integrates research, leadership, and professional development, building on the University of Miami’s more than 20 years of successful training program experience.
  
• Leadership Development:Trainees receive career coaching, professional development opportunities, and leadership training to prepare them for independent research careers.
  
• Community Collaboration: Training emphasizes collaboration with clinical partners and research stakeholders to ensure that scientific findings translate into improved patient and caregiver health outcomes.

Our Impact

CrossROADS graduates will emerge as leaders prepared to address the complex medical and clinical needs of individuals affected by AD/ADRD, equipped with the skills, networks, and expertise needed to advance research and improve patient care.

Learn more about the CrossROADS Program, including information about how to apply, by contacting us at TSCS@miami.edu.

2025 CrossROADS Cohort

The COMRADE Program, led by the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has successfully concluded its yearlong training and mentorship initiative. Designed for postdoctoral fellows from underrepresented minority groups, the program provided rigorous training in neuroscience, behavioral medicine, and health equity, with the goal of preparing fellows to launch independent research careers.

The curriculum featured an intensive two-week summer session, a year of mentorship from nationally recognized faculty, a midyear academic meeting, and a concluding one-week session with National Institutes of Health (NIH) staff, including participation in a Mock Study Section. Graduates of COMRADE leave equipped with the skills and guidance needed to pursue independent NIH research funding and advance the fields of neuroscience and health equity.

Sleep patterns and sleep disorders vary across populations, and some groups experience higher rates of conditions such as sleep apnea. The reasons for these differences are not fully understood, but preliminary evidence suggests that poor sleep outcomes may be influenced by biological factors, clinical factors such as excess weight, and lifestyle factors including shift work and stress.

How TASHE Works

The Tailored Approach to Sleep Health Education (TASHE) program aims to develop educational tools that address sleep health and sleep apnea in populations experiencing higher rates of sleep disorders. To that end, Girardin Jean-Louis, Ph.D., in the Department of Population Health, led a randomized controlled trial involving 194 participants at high risk for sleep apnea.

Participants in the intervention arm were given access to web-based information designed to address common barriers to sleep apnea care.

Participants in the attention-controlled arm received standard sleep information through the National Sleep Foundation website.

In this study, we hypothesized that exposure to tailored information about sleep apnea would improve sleep apnea health literacy. Our results demonstrated that theory-based educational approaches, such as our intervention, can be used successfully to deliver effective sleep health messages.

TASHE Education Materials

TASHE uses education and research to help individuals, families, and communities learn about the importance of sleep and how improving sleep health can lead to better health, wellness, and quality of life.

Get More Information

Learn more by reading our paper, “Tailored Approach to Sleep Health Education (TASHE): a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Web-Based Application,” published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

As the population of older Americans increases, a major public health priority is to identify approaches that support healthy aging and reduce the disabling effects of chronic diseases and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). An important focus of the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine (UM) is to determine whether the higher burden of ADRD observed in some populations may be associated with sleep deficiencies, including poor sleep, sleep apnea, and circadian misalignment. We aim to develop early intervention strategies that reduce the overall burden of disease, particularly in populations facing barriers to accessing personalized medical and psychological care.

Our program, supported by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) K07 award, contributes to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Strategic Goal 3 of strengthening the economic and social well-being of Americans across the lifespan. Our goal is to foster strong cross-campus collaborations between investigators in multiple disciplines at UM, NYU Langone, NYU, and other leading institutions to maximize the rigor and impact of innovative approaches aimed at improving brain health outcomes. We also aim to develop new curricula and research projects in translational sleep and circadian sciences.

Improving cardiovascular and brain health outcomes is an important area for translational research, and mentoring junior investigators in the field of translational sleep and circadian sciences is essential. We incorporate recommendations from the National Alzheimer’s Project Act and draw from NIH-sponsored studies identifying mentorship as a key factor in fostering successful research careers.

Our Vision and Mission

The vision of the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program is to serve as a collaborative learning laboratory and a university-wide resource to stimulate, support, and evaluate high-priority ADRD research, with particular attention to populations experiencing a greater burden of sleep-related health conditions. We have a three-part mission:

• To amplify, through core faculty, concurrent NIH-funded research that investigates mechanisms contributing to differences in health outcomes and tests multilevel interventions involving patients, clinicians, and healthcare systems to promote optimal aging and disease management among individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease.
• To mentor 12 junior scientists who are pursuing academic careers in aging research through UM- and NYU-based postdoctoral programs.
• To implement innovative research strategies in translational sleep and circadian sciences that improve health outcomes related to ADRD and translate research findings into clinical and public health practice.

Contact Us

For more information about the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program, please contact TSCS@miami.edu.

ACT Now! – Clinical Trials Education Initiative

The ACT Now! initiative focuses on improving awareness and understanding of clinical research studies and increasing participation in clinical trials.

Background

A number of factors may influence individuals’ decisions about whether to participate in clinical trials. These factors can include patient mistrust, perceived discrimination, transparency of research processes, awareness of research opportunities, language barriers, health literacy, invitations to participate in studies, social support, insurance coverage, and pre-existing health conditions.

Research suggests that enrollment in pharmacological clinical trials for certain conditions, including cancer and cystic fibrosis, can vary significantly across different population groups. Addressing barriers to clinical trial enrollment is important for increasing participation in clinical research.

The program also aims to improve understanding of the different types of clinical trials that extend beyond pharmacological drug testing. These include mechanistic studies, exploratory and pilot studies, interventional trials, and behavioral trials.

To support greater awareness of clinical research opportunities, the program proposes an accessible electronic health (eHealth) educational tool designed to improve clinical trial literacy. This cluster randomized study will test the effectiveness of a web-based educational platform designed to increase understanding of clinical trials, improve decision-making confidence, and encourage participation in clinical research studies.

The project will develop an accessible web-based resource that provides educational materials about clinical trials and explains how individuals can participate in research studies.

Objective

The ACT Now! initiative provides an online educational platform designed to improve public understanding of clinical trials and support informed decision-making about research participation. The program aims to expand awareness of how clinical trials work and how participation in research can contribute to advances in medical knowledge and patient care.

Contact Us

For more information about the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program, please contact TSCS@miami.edu.

The T32 Program on Behavioral Cardiovascular Health Research is a two-year initiative designed to advance the academic careers of postdoctoral scientists pursuing research in behavioral cardiovascular health. Grounded in leading behavioral theories, the program provides trainees with rigorous didactic training in cardiovascular, behavioral, and population health sciences, complemented by career development workshops and individualized mentoring.

Over the course of the program, fellows implement individualized development plans, build research and professional skills, and receive intensive guidance in NIH grant writing and academic career preparation. A structured mentoring team supports each trainee in developing independent research agendas aimed at reducing the burden of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases through behavioral science and translational models.

The program addresses a critical need in the academic workforce by preparing a new generation of investigators to lead research, secure competitive funding, and contribute to advancing knowledge and improving health outcomes in cardiovascular medicine.