# Postdoctoral Training in Trauma and Burns

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · 2024 · $209,264

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The primary objective of our training program is to provide a comprehensive educational environment to young
physicians and/or scientists interested in academic translational research in the areas of burns and trauma.
Our training program is an integrated two-year research experience that offers up to three individual trainees,
at the postdoctoral level, highly structured research training in fundamental aspects of molecular biology,
physiology, biochemistry, metabolism, immunology, and cell biology as they pertain to the pathophysiologic
state post burn. The training program includes basic or bench research, animal research, and human or clinical
research studies in which the concepts of interpreting basic information from the laboratory and applying it to
clinical problems and clinical research are taught [bench-to-bedside]. Clinical, translational, and basic science
investigators focus their efforts to address problems pertinent to improving outcomes, survival, and the quality
of life of burned adults and children. The rationale for the faculty to participate in these mentoring activities, is
that we have seen how such experience has advanced burn and trauma care. Research trainees at our
institutions, supported by NIH training grants, such as this T32, have over the last 30 years, significantly
advanced our understanding of injury and treatment. During the past decade, pediatric mortality has decreased
from 32% to 17% for burns over 60% of the total body surface area. This decrease in mortality is due to
advancements in resuscitation, control of the metabolic response to trauma, control of infection, and early total
coverage of burn wounds, progress that is in large part due to our NIH post-doctoral fellows' research efforts.
From their research efforts, we have been able to decrease the length of hospital stay by half, and improve
psychosocial and functional outcomes. As mentors, we continue to direct our trainees' interest to the areas of
cardiopulmonary pathophysiology, responses to thermal injury at the molecular level, substrate metabolism,
immunology, infection, wound healing, scarring, rehabilitation, and the integrated and long-term outcomes of
burned adults and children. These outcomes are studied to determine the effect of interventions such as
clinical therapeutics or exercise/nutrition. Future advancements will be assured by NIH-funded training
programs such as ours.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10829796
- **Project number:** 5T32GM008256-32
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Celeste Campbell Finnerty
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $209,264
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1990-07-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10829796

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10829796, Postdoctoral Training in Trauma and Burns (5T32GM008256-32). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10829796. Licensed CC0.

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