# Musculoskeletal Research Training Program

> **NIH NIH T32** · MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER · 2024 · $500,396

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The goals of this Musculoskeletal Research Training Program are to provide trans-disciplinary research
opportunities for postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and medical students at Mayo Clinic and to train them
to be future leaders of biomedical and musculoskeletal research. Musculoskeletal ailments such as osteoarthritis,
osteoporosis, back pain, tendinopathies, skeletal muscle atrophy, sarcopenia and fractures are some of the most
common reasons why people of all ages visit a doctor. They significantly impact quality of life, cause disabilities,
and impose large personal and societal burdens. The repair, regeneration, or rejuvenation of musculoskeletal
tissues and joints requires knowledge of complex and interconnected biomechanical, biological, and
physiological processes. This program aims to train future biologists, engineers, physicians, and surgeons to
solve orthopedic and musculoskeletal problems by providing outstanding research and educational opportunities
within the setting of a state-of-the-art medical and research center. Forty faculty members, who are leaders in
basic, translational, and clinical research of orthopedics and the musculoskeletal system, will mentor trainees by
directing research projects and group discussions on timely topics. Peer-mentors provide new trainees with
opportunities to receive advice and counseling from past trainees who successfully obtained independent
fellowships. All trainees will receive training in the responsible conduct of research, data management, and in
scientific rigor and reproducibility. Postdoctoral fellows (5 per year) and graduate students (2 per year) will
engage in multiyear projects and receive training in grant writing and career development. They will be expected
to submit applications for independent fellowships and to participate in a full array of programmatic activities,
including but not limited to journal clubs, seminars, symposia, webinars, and scientific meetings. Medical
students (2 per year) from fully accredited medical schools in the United States and her territories (i.e., Puerto
Rico) will spend two to three months in the training program and are expected to complete a mentored research
project and participate in programmatic educational activities. This blended musculoskeletal research training
program values individuals from diverse educational and societal backgrounds. Our community benefits from
the unique perspectives they bring to solving complex medical problems, identifying social determinants of
musculoskeletal disease, and reducing the burden of musculoskeletal conditions on patients, their families, and
our society.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10844822
- **Project number:** 2T32AR056950-16
- **Recipient organization:** MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Jennifer J Westendorf
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $500,396
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2009-05-01 → 2029-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10844822

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10844822, Musculoskeletal Research Training Program (2T32AR056950-16). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10844822. Licensed CC0.

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