Building Bridges in the Bronx: Montefiore-Einstein Explore Translational Science Program (Bronx MEETS)

ABSTRACT The Harold and Muriel Block Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR), a partnership between Montefiore Health System and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has a longstanding mission to provide high-quality and comprehensive training and career development programs for clinical research professionals. The ICTR also places a strong emphasis on developing a research workforce that represents the composition of our Bronx community. We propose to build upon an established and enduring biomedical educational collaboration between the ICTR and Lehman College, by exposing individuals interested in the biomedical sciences early in their training to participate in a new 10-week summer program focused on translational science, the field of investigation that aims to understand the scientific and operational principles underlying each step of the translational process. This CTSA Research Education R25 at Einstein-Montefiore will develop and support Building Bridges in the Bronx: Montefiore Einstein Explore Translational Science Program (Bronx-MEETS) to provide undergraduate and graduate student participants with opportunities to conduct research across the translational research spectrum and learn about the complex processes and innovative solutions needed to efficiently translate observations in the laboratory, clinic and community into interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public (Aim 1). Participants will also be integrated into a multi-level translational science mentoring network that will help them develop connections with others in the Einstein community at various educational and professional stages and expose them to different academic and career paths (Aim 2). A robust and innovative approach to evaluation will consistently assess and enhance the curriculum and mentoring paradigm using a novel Continuous Quality Improvement framework that will incorporate participant and mentor feedback (Aim 3). The overarching goal of Bronx-MEETS is to inspire and encourage participants from the Bronx to pursue further study and careers in clinical and translational research.