# Translational Research Workforce Training: Leveraging the Veterinary Specialist

> **NIH NIH U01** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2022 · $339,116

## Abstract

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Project summary
 Advances in human health rely on valid animal models of disease. Inbred or genetically engineered rodent
models can answer important questions about disease pathogenesis and test promising therapies, but can
sometimes fail to predict disease responses seen in humans.
 Spontaneously occurring diseases in companion and other domestic animals can complement the use of
engineered laboratory models to understand human diseases, especially those that involve complex genetic
traits, disease-modifying gene loci, environmental-gene interactions, or chronic disease progression.
Veterinary clinician-scientists have expertise in these naturally occurring animal diseases, and have much to
contribute to interdisciplinary research teams that are working to solve human health problems.
 The purpose of this proposal is to support the development of veterinary specialists into clinician-scientists
capable of being productive contributors to translational research. This proposal outlines 3 initiatives: 1)
targeted post-residency Translational Research Fellowships for veterinary specialists, to perform research with
inter-disciplinary teams on spontaneous diseases shared by humans and animals; 2) a Translational Research
Immersion Program for early career clinical faculty, to provide key training in grant writing and mentorship, and
showcase successful models of interdisciplinary research collaborations; and 3) convene Translational
Research Summits for established veterinary and human medical researchers working on the same diseases,
to accelerate the use of spontaneous animal models to understand human disease.
 The long-term goals of this Translational Research Workforce Training proposal are to catalyze
interdisciplinary translational research among veterinarians, basic scientists, physicians and other
human health professionals. These three initiatives will provide a generalizable model to recruit clinical
specialists of all backgrounds to centers of excellence within the CTSA network, provide immersion research
training for clinical faculty followed by evidence-based mentoring support, and bring together clinicians and
scientists from different walks of life to collaborate around shared disease interests.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10475602
- **Project number:** 5U01TR002953-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** LAUREN A TREPANIER
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $339,116
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-15 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10475602

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10475602, Translational Research Workforce Training: Leveraging the Veterinary Specialist (5U01TR002953-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10475602. Licensed CC0.

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