Alzheimer's Disease Big Data to Biology Training Program (ADBDB-TP)
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ABSTRACT As the most common dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD) exacts an immense personal, societal, and economic toll. Though we largely conceptualize AD as a disease of aging, heritable and non-heritable factors impact brain function and physiology, either continuously or at specific time points during the lifespan, and thereby alter risk for devolvement of AD. Indeed, many comorbidities and additional pathologies contribute to both dementia risk and clinical progression. In recognition of this complexity, we now study AD and AD-related disorders (ADRDs) in a more holistic fashion with the long-term goal of translating our enhanced understanding into more effective diagnostic paradigms and interventions. Multi-omic studies and other “big data” studies of dementia reinforce the complexity of ADRDs and the challenges that we continue to face in terms of making real impacts on the lives of those who suffer from dementia or who may get it in the future, as well as their caregivers. Given the large number of “big data” initiatives in the ADRD research space and their potential transformative power, we propose a new pre- and post-doctoral training program designed to bridge gaps between “big data” science and more focused hypothesis-driven biological studies and embed in all our trainees a deep understanding of ADRDs. The overarching goal of this program is to provide pre- and post-doctoral trainees with the comprehensive knowledge base and tools necessary to tackle the clinical and translational complexities presented by ADRDs and associated “big data” over the course of two years. More specifically, we propose highly individualized training that can bidirectionally i) provide big data focused trainees with more biological insight into ADRDs and ii) equip trainees with a more experimental biological focus with the ability to access, analyze, and utilize big data sets. The program entitled Alzheimer’s Disease Big Data to Biology training program (ADBDB-TP) will i) recruit and rigorously train a diverse group of 4 pre- and post-doctoral candidates each, who seek to develop basic, translational, or clinical careers focused on studying ADRDs, ii) develop and implement individualized, tailored, training programs which challenge scientists to expand their expertise by embracing the concept of ‘Big Data to Biology’ in ADRDs, iii) engage diverse faculty to train the next generation of dementia researchers by cultivating and maintaining a rigorous but supportive infrastructure for graduate and postgraduate training in ADRDs, and iv) evaluate the progress of the ADBDB-TP trainees and address barriers towards the goal of independence in AD-related research. This program will be structured to ensure trainees a) have foundational knowledge with respect to ADRDs and the various types of research conducted in the ADRD field, b) obtain individualized training and master skills that both ensure short-term research success and prepare them for future career advancement, and c) can more facilely identify gaps in our knowledge of ADRDs and develop research strategies that will address those knowledge gaps. Aspirationally, the trainee outcomes we envision is training scientists who are equally comfortable and skilled in generating, accessing, and analyzing big data as they are in designing & executing experimental biological studies.
