Grad Students Explore Research at NIH Site

By Frances Dumenci

Participating in an innovative new program at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md., seven Virginia Commonwealth University graduate students recently spent two weeks exploring clinical and translational research with Ph.D. scientists.

These students were among 27 participants from around the country to experience the collaborative nature of clinical and translational research from renowned practitioners.

“This was a diverse group of very bright and engaged Ph.D. students,” said Juan Lertora, M.D., Ph.D., course faculty leader and director of clinical pharmacology at the NIH Clinical Center. “They were eager to learn how to transition from basic biomedical research to applied research leading to medical products with diagnostic or therapeutic value in human diseases. They appreciated the opportunity to meet and interact with Ph.D. scientists working in clinical and translational research at the NIH that served as role models for them.”

The course, “Clinical and Translational Research for Ph.D. Students,” was designed to encourage young scientists to consider a future in clinical or translational research. Students were able to see the practical applications that can be made when scientists and clinicians work side-by-side in a clinical research setting.

“Learning about the collaborative nature of clinical research, which was addressed in numerous lectures, was very insightful,” said Melissa Powell, a third-year neuroscience graduate student in the VCU School of Medicine. “To those with a basic science background, at times it can seem that Ph.D.’s and M.D.’s are part of two different worlds. It was enlightening to learn how effective scientists and clinicians are at the NIH in collaborating and conducting groundbreaking clinical research.”

Translational research focuses on collaborations to accelerate laboratory discoveries into treatments for patients. These discoveries typically begin at “the bench” with basic research in which scientists study disease at a molecular or cellular level. Part of the first phase of translation is from lab findings to clinical practice, or “the bedside.” The second phase enhances the adoption of these clinical best practices into the community.

The purpose of the intensive, two-week introductory course was to demonstrate the role of Ph.D. scientists in clinical and translational research, to provide an overview and examples of how basic science and clinical observations lead to translational research and to increase awareness and access to Ph.D. role models, research resources and potential career opportunities at the NIH.

“Experiencing the NIH firsthand and learning how scientific progress is driven by the collaborative processes here enlightened me to its importance in everyday research,” said Justin Brooks, fourth-year graduate student in VCU’s neuroscience program. “I had not considered the NIH as a career choice previous to this course, but I am now very interested.”

During the course, the students met with clinical investigators and heard Ph.D. translational investigators present their research, participated in a mock institutional review board, learned the process of filing an investigational new drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and received tutorials on training and funding opportunities.

Translational research is a priority at VCU and plays an integral part in its strategic plan, Quest for Distinction. In 2010, VCU received a $20-million Clinical and Translational Science Award from the NIH to become part of a nationwide consortium of research institutions working to turn laboratory discoveries into treatments for patients. VCU is the only academic health center in Virginia to join the consortium. The Center for Clinical and Translational Research, which provides the necessary infrastructure and resources for interdisciplinary human health research, is the home for the CTSA grant at VCU.

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