PROJECT SUMMARY This proposal is a competitive renewal application for five years of support to continue the 44-year old post- doctoral Training Program In Investigative Gastroenterology. The goal of the training program is to provide clinical, translational, and basic science training to MD and MD-PhD physicians as well as recent PhD graduates that will prepare them for careers as independent investigators who study clinical and basic science topics in gastroenterology. Though most trainees will come from the Yale Digestive Diseases Fellowship, those doing clinical training in other clinical disciplines such as pediatric gastroenterology and surgery are eligible if they have strong research interests. Many candidates now come from the Yale Internal Medicine Short-track Physician Scientist Program and spend a minimum of 3 years doing research. PhD scientist, especially those from programs such as Yale Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis are encouraged to apply. The Program’s preceptors pursue research related to gastrointestinal health and disease and related fields and come primarily from the Section of Digestive Diseases, Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, as well as other allied clinical basic science departments. The preceptors have strong funding for their scientific studies and outstanding records of mentorship. During the most recent two cycles, the majority of graduates have entered and remain in full-time academic positions. The program will continue to train four postdoctoral fellows each year; individual trainees will be supported for two to three years. There will also be support and encouragement to develop and submit transitional funding (K08, K23, K01). Candidates will be selected based on a strong prior history of research, interests that parallel by our preceptor faculty, a commitment to research related to gastrointestinal health and/or disease. The major programmatic gastrointestinal research themes, reflected by our preceptors’ interests include: 1) Immunology, inflammation, injury, 2) Ion transport, 3) Cell biology/cell signaling 4) Microbiome host interactions and 5) Clinical and translational investigation. The training environment is enriched by a generous allotment of space at Yale and the affiliated Veterans Hospital and well equipped laboratories. Yale also supports a wide range of science resources (basic and clinical cores) that include both instrumentation and educational services. A large and diverse patient population is also available. Trainees often enroll in advanced course work. The clinically oriented Master in Health Science and Investigative Medicine Program (for either clinical or basic science PhDs) are popular; tuition is supported by this T32. Fellows participate in weekly journal clubs, present their research in sectional research seminars, and are monitored by individualized Academic Advisory committees and review of their IDPs.