PROJECT SUMMARY Vascular surgery is expected to see a workforce shortfall in the future. This T35 program will expose medical students to vascular surgery and the research that informs it. The aim is to meet the needs of our aging population, satisfying the strategic vision of NHLBI including understanding human biology, reducing human disease, developing workforce and resources, and advancing translational research. Students will be selected from within the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Recruits will work on defined research projects that emphasize vascular biology and ways that research can modify disease. They will also be exposed to clinical educational experiences that can help them identify mentors for the future. Evidence suggests that mentorship is one of the most important factors that influence students career choices in medicine. The goal is to have a representative workforce that can take on the clinical and research challenges of vascular disease in an aging population. In addition to laboratory or outcome research, students will attend clinical conferences, research seminars and didactic lectures. They will be encouraged to submit abstracts and be part of manuscript development. They will also have access to tuition benefits and travel expenses related to their research. The researchers chosen as faculty as a whole have research priorities that are inline with the eight objectives of NHLBI, including 1 - understanding normal biological function and resilience 2 - investigating newly discovered pathobiological mechanisms important to the onset and progression of heart, lung, blood and sleep related (HLBS) diseases 3 - investigating factors that account for differences in health among populations 4 - identifying factors that account for individual differences in pathobiology and in responses to treatments 5 - developing and optimizing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to prevent, treat, and cure HLBS diseases 6 - optimizing clinical and implementation research to improve health and reduce disease 7 - leveraging emerging opportunities in data science to open new frontiers in HLBS research and 8- developing, diversifying, and sustaining a scientific workforce capable of accomplishing the NHLBI’s mission. The faculty preceptors are from the Departments of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Vascular Medicine Institute, Department of Cardiology and Department of Bioengineering. All are well funded with strong mentoring histories in pre and post graduate experiences.