# Training in Cardiovascular Research

> **NIH NIH T32** · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · 2024 · $562,500

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. There is an ongoing need to
provide multidisciplinary training for physician and PhD investigators who will devote a significant
component of their professional activity to understanding the pathophysiology and treatment of
cardiovascular disease. This is the 7th renewal application for the University of Utah (UofU) Cardiovascular
Research Training Program. Since its inception in 1984, this program has trained 113 individuals who have
largely gone on to pursue research careers. During the last training period (2016-2020), this training grant
supported 21 post-doctoral research trainees (5 MD/DOs, 16 PhDs) who all remain active at academic
institutions. Our trainees have authored 218 publications, with an average of 2 first-author publications
each. They have also received several grants and career development awards (e.g. NIH, American Heart
Association, NSF, ACS). This program continues to build on our unique strengths in cardiovascular
research at the UofU, spanning basic and mechanistic investigation across a range of model systems and
translational studies in humans. This training program unifies the three major cardiovascular research
centers at the UofU Health Sciences Center: The Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and
Training Institute (CVRTI), the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the School of Medicine, and the
Molecular Medicine Program (U2M2) at the Eccles Institute of Human Genetics. This training program
spans 13 UofU departments and includes 54 well-funded faculty mentors who lead exciting and productive
cardiovascular research programs. Each trainee will participate in a two-year training program that includes
a research project with a multidisciplinary mentoring committee, didactic coursework, and professional
development opportunities. With this renewal application, we continue to request support to prepare 8
postdoctoral trainees to be leaders in cardiovascular research. The next stage of the training program will
utilize an expanded mentor pool and implement a dual-leadership structure by two cardiology physician-
scientists (MPIs: Stavros Drakos, MD, PhD, and Robin Shaw, MD, PhD) whose interests span from basic
biochemistry to clinical trials. This renewal occurs at a time with the UofU is increasing its already sizeable
investment into cardiovascular research training. A $6M addition to the CVRTI is being constructed to
increase the number of cardiovascular research laboratories in an institute already fully dedicated to
cardiovascular research and training. Also there is a campus-wide Cardiovascular Strategic Plan being
implemented to enhance cardiovascular research and care and the UofU. The next five years of the training
program will leverage these new resources and opportunities at the UofU and represents a new era of
interdisciplinary collaborative cardiovascular research at our institution.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10875370
- **Project number:** 5T32HL007576-38
- **Recipient organization:** UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- **Principal Investigator:** Stavros George Drakos
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $562,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1994-07-01 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10875370

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10875370, Training in Cardiovascular Research (5T32HL007576-38). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10875370. Licensed CC0.

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