Want to learn more?
The TMM Pathway is designed to help students understand vital links between basic, translational, and clinical research; gain exposure to the available resources for these types of research; and obtain first-hand information from experts who are actively engaged in clinical trials and drug development. Students will gain a better understanding of the benefits and challenges of being a clinician-scientist and be better prepared to evaluate and incorporate the latest developments into their own clinical practice.
In preparation for their summer research experience, pathway students will participate in classes covering the following topics during the spring:
- Introduction to the Translational & Molecular Medicine Pathway
We shall discuss the rationale for pathway research, the available mentors, and the strategy and criteria for selection of mentors.
- How to read a research article; how to present a journal article
Pathway directors will provide guidance for students to understand research papers amid a busy schedule. Discussion will include effective ways to present research papers in a journal club.
- Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR), Rigor & Reproducibility
Using case studies, we will discuss common scenarios researchers might encounter in which RCR issues might arise and effective ways to deal with potential conflicts.
- Using on-line resources
The students will join force to present some of the most useful on-line resources for finding information and tools for clinical studies, medicine/drug profiles and pharmacological data, and basic biomedical research.
- How to write a project description and proposal; how to do a presentation
In an interactive session with real-life examples, we will discuss effective ways for scientific communication. This session will cover the general structure of a successful research proposal and common pitfalls in writing applications for funding. A related topic covered is how best to give research presentations, including common pitfalls in PowerPoint presentations.
- Statistics Primer for biomedical and clinical research
Scientists engaged in using statistics analysis of data will help the students to learn about the usefulness and pitfalls of a range of commonly used statistical tools for biomedical and clinical studies.
- Journal club presentation
The students assigned to groups present published research papers.
- Research proposal presentations
The students will take turns presenting their written research proposal for the internal and external funding sources.
- Introduction to the drug discovery process
Invited experts explain the general procedures for development of a new drug. These include identifying the best technical approaches, obtaining funding, establishing technical collaborations, and writing patent applications to protect intellectual property. Challenges and pitfalls in these processes are discussed using real-life examples.
- Introduction to clinical trials
Invited experts explain procedures for clinical trials. These include applying for trial approval, the sources of funding, identifying trial sites, planning trial duration, and setting criteria to proceed from stage to stage. Some of the commonly seen challenges and pitfalls in these processes will be discussed with real cases.
- Discussions with physician scientists
Clinician scientists discuss their choice of careers, the pros and cons of being a clinician-scientist, and how they balance medical practice and research.