# Dermatology Research Training Program

> **NIH NIH T32** · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · $142,183

## Abstract

ABSTRACT:
An over-arching goal of the Department of Dermatology at The University of Texas Southwestern
Medical Center is to produce scientific leaders in skin biology and skin disease. To sustain this goal, we
seek to renew our T32 Dermatology Research Training Program, which primarily recruits MD/PhD or
MD candidates from dermatology residency applicants as early as the residency match. The program’s
success can be measured by our graduates’ achievements in acquiring federal grants as principal
investigators (over 60% of graduates to date) and leadership positions in academia and industry. These
accomplishments validate current policies: (1) selecting candidates with proven scientific achievements
and strong potential for independent investigation; (2) continuing a physician-scientist track that trains 2
yrs. in clinical dermatology and then 2 yrs. in research (historically fundamental and/or translational, but
with recent expansion into clinical); and (3) preceptorship under outstanding faculty from our Graduate
School of Biosciences. The program will continue to be administered: by the same director and 2 co-
directors (a senior one and a junior one who is a program alumnus) plus a new (internationally
renowned) PhD scientist, by a coordinator, and by 3 advisors who hold Dean-ship positions at
Southwestern. We gathered 38 potential preceptors (including a Nobel laureate and 9 members of the
National Academy of Science), all of whom have received NIH R01 grants and are effective mentors
and meaningful interactors with dermatology personnel. In the aggregate, our preceptors’ publications
rate a high mean H-index of 64. For the next funding cycle, we have already recruited 6 outstanding
post-doc trainees. The program was given exceptional reviews by Dennis Roop PhD in 2018 and by
Alice Pentland MD in 2019, with Dr. Pentland judging the program in the context of comments from the
Study Section.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10163802
- **Project number:** 5T32AR065969-07
- **Recipient organization:** UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Lu Le
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $142,183
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-07-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10163802

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10163802, Dermatology Research Training Program (5T32AR065969-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10163802. Licensed CC0.

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