# Training Program in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases Research

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2024 · $366,007

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The UAB Training Program in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Disease Research (Director: John D. Mountz, MD,
PhD; co-Director: Kenneth Saag, MD, MSc; and Associate Director: Andre Ballesteros, PhD) is built on the
longstanding strengths in adult and pediatric rheumatology, immunology, musculoskeletal medicine, and our
expertise in both early and later phase translational investigation. Over a past 5 year funding period, we built a
highly successful program with an outstanding group of core mentors, a comprehensive and flexible training plan,
and a balanced mix of basic and clinical trainees from a diverse set of backgrounds. In this resubmission
application, we seek to continue to focus on training and career development of highly qualified pre-doctoral and
postdoctoral (PhD, MD/PhD, or MD) trainees who are committed to careers in biomedical research that will serve
the mission of NIAMS. This program has brought together the Divisions of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology
and Pediatric Rheumatology, the Comprehensive Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, Bone, and Autoimmunity Center
(CAMBAC), and other directly relevant departments and programs to provide a vibrant and effective
interdisciplinary training environment. The proposed research training program will continue to enhance the
integrated, interwoven fabric of collaborative science, which ranges from fundamental molecular discovery to
applied clinical and translational research. It incorporates an established, well-funded faculty committed to training
in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). We have organized our program around three groups of
mentors represent a diverse set of UAB Departments and Programs at UAB: 1. Core Mentors: established,
extramurally (primarily NIH) funded investigators with programs focused on RMDs committed to training the
next generation of researchers; 2. Content Mentors: a) clinicians or researchers with expertise in RMDs but
whose role is primarily supportive; or with research funding in areas complementary to, or synergistic with,
RMDs; and 3. Mentors in Training: Early career faculty who will be developed into outstanding research
mentors to further strengthen the RMD research environment. Trainees will be selected for their commitment to
research and academic medicine, and the members of the UAB training faculty are fully committed to continuing
to provide mentorship, support, and guidance to additional young investigators to help them develop into
independent researchers who will advance our knowledge of RMDs. The UAB Rheumatology T32 program reflects
a focused, relevant, multi-disciplinary translational research training program at UAB. Our training program has
assembled an outstanding core of scientific mentors and is uniquely prepared and strongly committed to training of
the next generation of rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease investigators and generate knowledge relevant to the
mission and priorities of the NIAMS and the nation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10835015
- **Project number:** 5T32AR069516-07
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** John D Mountz
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $366,007
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-05-01 → 2028-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10835015

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10835015, Training Program in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases Research (5T32AR069516-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10835015. Licensed CC0.

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