# Pittsburgh Innovation in Collaborative Training of Residents Alliance > **NIH NIH R38** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2024 · $289,329 ## Abstract ABSTRACT. A critical need exists to enhance the clinician-investigator workforce and cultivate the next generation of clinician-investigators to pursue heart, lung, blood, and sleep research across the spectrum from basic/pre-clinical to clinical medicine. While many trainees express an interest in research during residency training, clinical demands limit opportunities to engage in meaningful, longitudinal investigations and acquire the fundamental skillsets that build the foundation of a clinician-investigator career. The overarching goal of the Pittsburgh Innovation in Collaborative Training of Residents Alliance, or PICTOR Alliance program, is to recruit, retain, and accelerate independence of a pool of resident-investigators to perform basic translational and clinical translational research using a highly integrative approach that draws upon the experience of a diverse group of established investigators focused on heart, lung, blood, and sleep research. The PICTOR alliance program will leverage existing mechanisms to recruit, select, and train the next generation of clinician-investigators within the Medicine, Pathology, Pediatrics, and Surgery departments at the University of Pittsburgh while developing an innovative, formalized structured program that integrates the four departments with the specific goal of training resident-investigators. Up to four outstanding residents per year will be selected to participate in either a basic translational or clinical translational track that will consist of an initial immersion in concentrated coursework designed to provide exposure to fundamental areas of life-science or biostatistics, followed by mentored research with tailored methodology training. As learning is a continuous pursuit through the lifetime of a career, PICTOR will include self-reflection, peer observation, and team building opportunities for resident-investigators through the creation of a central hub for peer exchange of ideas, team problem-solving and support, with the ultimate objective of promoting resilience and capacity for continued growth. A strong foundation of basic translational and clinical translational research exists at the University of Pittsburgh and the four departments have a rich history in training clinician-investigators in areas reflective of the NHLBI mission. Cross-disciplinary interactions will be promoted at the time of recruitment, through the stages of research immersion, and following the dedicated training period of one to two years. The four departments will likewise collaborate at the organizational level to provide supervision of the mentored experience to assess research competencies and milestones for resident-investigators. PICTOR alliance is an immersive structured program that promotes diversity of science and representation with the ultimate objective of transitioning promising young resident-investigators to individual career development research awards. ## Key facts - **NIH application ID:** 10809844 - **Project number:** 2R38HL150207-05 - **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH - **Principal Investigator:** Charles S Dela Cruz - **Activity code:** R38 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.) - **Funding institute:** NIH - **Fiscal year:** 2024 - **Award amount:** $289,329 - **Award type:** 2 - **Project period:** 2020-02-15 → 2029-01-31 ## Primary source NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10809844 ## Citation > US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10809844, Pittsburgh Innovation in Collaborative Training of Residents Alliance (2R38HL150207-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10809844. Licensed CC0. --- *[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*