The underlying premise, which forms the foundation of this training program, is a shortage of highly trained scientists with cross-training in three synergistic disciplines: 1) engineering, 2) cardiovascular science, and 3) entrepreneurship. Our primary goal is to train a relatively small number of highly qualified individuals who can produce quality and impactful research in cardiovascular science and technology. Additionally, trainees will also develop an enhanced skill set to assess the translational potential of cardiovascular research, and will thus be able to communicate more effectively with entrepreneurial professionals. This level of “fluency” in entrepreneurship is a unique feature of our training program. Through this fluency, the training program is able to accelerate the development of cardiovascular technology to treat and diagnose cardiovascular disease. We refer to our program as Cardiovascular Applied Research and Entrepreneurship (CARE).
Background
The current training paradigm for individuals able to engineer new cardiovascular technology has two typical pathways: clinical training or formal education as an engineer. Clinical training is demanding and rightly focuses on training individuals who deliver cardiovascular healthcare. Cardiovascular clinicians are normally the first to recognize a shortcoming in available technology, but generally do not have the skill or training in engineering or business.
When receiving formal training as an engineer (e.g., biomedical engineering) at bachelors through doctoral levels, an individuals’ core “language” is shaped by the vocabulary of engineering science and design principles with some limited understanding of the cardiovascular system. Often this individual is the first to recognize an exciting new technology, but lacks the business acumen or knowledge of clinical applications to understand the translational potential.
The CARE Training Program is designed to bridge the knowledge and fluency gaps not only between these two current traditional pathways, but also in the area of entrepreneurship. The expectation is that these individuals will produce quality and impactful research in cardiovascular science and technology, as well as develop an enhanced skill set to assess the translational potential of cardiovascular research, and will thus be able to communicate more effectively with entrepreneurial professionals.
To apply to the program please find the application link on the Program Outline page.
Pre-Program Requirements
Year 1 of the Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering or the equivalent
Pre- Program Requirements
(Year 1 of the Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering or the equivalent)
All students interested applying for the CARE Training Program must fulfill the following requirements:
- Be accepted to the Ph.D. program in Biomedical Engineering (other comparable programs will be considered)
- Be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident. Under the federal training grant guidelines, international students are not eligible for this training program.
- Match with a CARE Training Faculty Member by the end of year 1 of the Ph.D. Program.
- Successfully complete all required coursework (or the equivalent) for first year Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. students.
- Pass the preliminary examination at the end of year 1 of the Ph.D. Program. Students may not be admitted to the CARE program without passing the preliminary examination.
- Apply to the CARE Program and be interviewed by the required due dates.
Year 1 | CARE Training Program
Year 2 of the Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering
The first year of the CARE Training Program is outlined as follows:
- Coursework:
BME298 – Seminars in Biomedical Engineering
PH290 – Foundations of Clinical and Translational Science
BME212 – Cardiovascular Mechanobiology - Successfully complete the Clinical Cardiology Short Course
- Attend a minimum of nine sessions of the Heart to Heart Training Club
- Apply for individual graduate training fellowship from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, or the American Heart Association
- Attend and present at annual CARE retreat
Year 2 | CARE Training Program
Year 3 of the Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering
The second year of the CARE Training Program is outlined as follows:
- Coursework:
MMG250 – Responsible Conduct of Research (must attend all sessions)
BME295 – Socratic Seminar Engineering and Entrepreneurship - Attend a minimum of nine sessions of the Heart to Heart Training Club
- Participate in the Stella Zhang New Venture Competition through the Paul Merage School’s Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship through at least Phase 1 of the competition, including the corresponding competition workshops.
- Attend and present at annual CARE retreat
Years 3 and 4 | CARE Training Program
Years 4 and 5 of the Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering
The third and fourth years of the CARE Training Program are outlined as follows:
- Complete the dissertation work leading to the PhD in Biomedical Engineering.
- Formal presentation in the Department of Biomedical Engineering weekly seminar series. This feature serves as an intermediate checkpoint between the qualifying exam (end of year 2 of the Ph.D. program) and defending the dissertation, and provides a formal opportunity for the interdisciplinary thesis committee to interact and discuss progress. At least two additional members from the trainee’s thesis committee (besides the primary advisor) must be in attendance at the seminar.
- Defend dissertation leading to the Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering.
Training Faculty
CIRC Associate Director
Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Department of Surgery
Lab Website
Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Department of Surgery
CIRC Director
Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Lab Website
Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Surgery
School of Medicine
Lab Website
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Surgery
School of Medicine
Associate Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Core Lab Faculty Director
Associate Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Lab Website
Associate Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Professor
Department Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Department Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Chancellor's Professor
Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Lab Website
Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Associate Professor
Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center
Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Lab Website
Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center
Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
