# Training the Next Generation of Social and Behavioral Physician-Scientists in ADRD: The Indiana ADRD Medical Scientist Training Program

> **NIH NIH T32** · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · 2021 · $107,958

## Abstract

There is a critical need to grow and strengthen the pipeline of physician scientists who have expertise in
sociomedical and behavioral research and are dedicated to addressing the nation's challenges posed by
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). The Indiana ADRD Medical Scientist Training Program
(IADRD MSTP) was conceived to meet this need. This application leverages the strengths of our robust
infrastructure of ADRD research, world class graduate training programs in medical neurosciences and
sociology, and our existing MD-PhD program at Indiana University School of Medicine to train the next
generation of physician scientists who will become leaders in ADRD research. The Aims of the IADRD MSTP
are: 1) To recruit and train a competitive pool of diverse students who espouse a strong interest and
commitment to social and behavioral research and patient care focused on Alzheimer's disease and related
dementias; 2) To engage MD-PhD students early in mentored sociomedical and behavioral research that
integrates Indiana University's systems-based medical training curriculum with our cutting edge ADRD
research that reinforces commitment and minimizes attrition of physician-scientists ADRD; and 3) To graduate
students with dual MD-PhD degrees with strong methodological training in social and behavioral science and
experts in ADRD who will be competitive for residency and be successful independent investigators at the best
academic medical centers nationwide. To achieve these aims, we will develop an MD-PhD training program
with rigorous didactic training in social, behavioral, and clinical research methods, with flexibility to allow
students to focus their effort on one methodological area of interest; early initiation of ADRD research
experiences with multidisciplinary teams of mentors and advisors; and the provision of educational experiences
that enhance students' abilities to become independent researchers. The IADRD MSPT will leverage the
existing ADRD sociomedical, behavioral and clinical research infrastructure at Indiana University that has a
current portfolio of over $408 million in funded research and our internationally recognized and ranked doctoral
programs in Medical Neurosciences and Sociology to identify, train, mentor, and successfully graduate two
MD-PhD students per year. The program will be administratively successful with both its own independent
group of faculty advisors and its organizational integration with the existing successful MD-PhD program within
the IUSM that has an eleven-year track record of success and is supported by the NIH, Dean's office, Indiana
CTSI, and a dedicated $10M endowment to the program.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10340047
- **Project number:** 1T32AG074934-01
- **Recipient organization:** INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS
- **Principal Investigator:** CHRISTOPHER M CALLAHAN
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $107,958
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-30 → 2026-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10340047

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10340047, Training the Next Generation of Social and Behavioral Physician-Scientists in ADRD: The Indiana ADRD Medical Scientist Training Program (1T32AG074934-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10340047. Licensed CC0.

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