New opportunities for the training of dentist-scientists are available at Texas A&M HSC Baylor College of Dentistry(BCD).  BCD is one of 21 American dental schools that have received highly sought-after National Research Service Awards (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grants (T32) funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIH/NIDCR).  Beginning in July 2008, a total of $1.6 million was awarded to BCD over a four-year grant period for the training of predoctoral and postdoctoral students.  These academic trainees will take advantage of new and enhanced programs in a unique and rigorous multidisciplinary environment that will prepare them to become the leaders of the next generation of dental academic research faculty.  The academic degrees will be awarded primarily by the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences of the Texas A&M Health Science Center.

The overall mission of this comprehensive training program funded by the T32 grant, called "Baylor's Scientific Training Program for Dental Academic Research Scholars: B-STARS", is to train dentist-scientists in the conduct of clinically relevant oral health research.  Students have the opportunity to work with one or more of 50 faculty mentors from Baylor College of Dentistry, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW), HSC-Houston, and Rice University, Houston.

Areas of Study

The four broad areas of study include: 1) Genes and Development, 2) Matrix Biology and Tissue Engineering, 3) Neurosciences and Molecular Pathology, and 4) Clinical Research.

Leadership

B-STARS is directed by Dr. Rena D'Souza, Professor, Biomedical Sciences, BCD, and two program co-directors, Dr. Perrie Adams, Professor and Associate Dean for Research, UTSW, Dallas, and Dr. Paul C. Dechow, Professor and Chair, Biomedical Sciences, BCD.  A Program Advisory Committee and a Steering Committee, composed of faculty from BCD, UTSW, IBT, and Rice University assist in guiding the project.

Programs

Included in the training opportunities are the following tracks:

1)  Dual-degree (DDS/PhD) program for predoctoral students

Students successfully completing this program are simultaneously awarded a DDS and a PhD in the biomedical sciences.  The projected 7-year time period of study integrates clinical education and investigational research training under the direction of experienced faculty mentors.

The program is designed to be flexible enough to accommodate the individual needs of each trainee and allow the successful completion of joint DDS and PhD degrees.  Students will initially apply for admission to both the DDS and PhD programs; upon acceptance, they will consult with the program director about the alternatives available for entry into each phase of the DDS and the PhD training.  

The deadline for the DDS program is as soon as possible after May 1 until October 1. January 15 is the deadline for the PhD program.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Rena D'Souza
rdsouza@bcd.tamhsc.edu
214-828-8260

Meet the current DDS/PhD students.

2)  PhD in the biomedical sciences for DDS graduates

The PhD in the biomedical sciences program trains dentists with or without specialty training for careers in dental and craniofacial research and academics.  In addition to the course work for each focus area, graduate trainees draw from a broad array of resources at BCD and the surrounding institutions in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.  This training provides: 1) a background in biomedical sciences that leads to specialized training in dental and craniofacial research; 2) skills in scientific publishing and grant production; 3) participation in scientific meetings and early career networking; and 4) guidance with career development.

Trainees take core courses that establish a background in the biomedical and/or clinical sciences and laboratory skills.  Electives are selected with the help of each student's mentor(s).  The standard training protocol includes preliminary examinations, an intensive research experience with the production of research publications, and the formal defense of the research project or dissertation.  Recent dental graduates can obtain up to 32 hours of advanced standing from selected graduate science courses taken in dental school.  Non DDS students are occasionally admitted to the program if they have an exceptional background and a strong career interest in dental and craniofacial research.

The application deadline is January 15.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Kathy Svoboda
ksvoboda@bcd.tamhsc.edu
214-828-8487

3) MS in clinical research program for DDS graduates

Individuals desiring formal training on how to design and conduct clinical investigations take advantage of extensive expertise and resources made available through the NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) awarded to UTSW and its partner, BCD.  The goal of this highly integrative program is to improve the training of dental clinician-scientists by teaching them to conduct high-quality, patient-oriented research.

The program consists of didactic core and elective course work, along with a curriculum of multidisciplinary seminars and workshops, giving trainees the opportunity to practice what they have learned, exchange ideas across disciplines, and develop teams to present, defend, and evaluate progress with research ideas.  Included in the program is a practicum research experience beginning with an apprenticeship phase, followed by an independent research project.  The didactic courses and specific portions of the clinical research curriculum are held at UTSW, while the dental clinical research projects are conducted with the support and supervision of BCD clinical researchers.

The application deadline is January 15.

For more information, contact:

214-828-8993

4)  Non-degree postdoctoral fellowship training for students holding a PhD or PhD/DDS

Enriched research experiences are offered for postdoctoral fellows to advance their careers in a dental and craniofacial research.  Training for two to three years focuses on one of two pathways:

a) The Basic Research Focus offers structured research experiences for newly trainined DDS/PhD or PhD graduates to acquire additional expertise and preliminary data for either a K award or an investigator-initiated R03 or R21.

b) The Translational Research Focus offers training to recent DDS/PhD graduates and PhD faculty interested in applying basic research to patient-oriented research.  DDS/PhD and DDS faculty interested in developing clinical research expertise are encouraged to participate in the MS in Clinical Research Program.

All postdoctoral fellows are expected to select enrichment courses from those offered in the biomedical and clinical sciences through the Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences at BCD and the Department of Clinical Sciences at UTSW, respectively.

Throughout training, fellows are mentored to assist them in the  ongoing and future development of their academic careers.

The application deadline is May 1.

For more information, contact:
Dr. Kathy Svoboda
ksvoboda@bcd.tamhsc.edu
214-828-8487

Other Grant Awards

B-STARS is the latest in a series of prestigious NIH/NIDCR grants awarded to faculty in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at HSC-BCD.  Beginning in 2004, HSC-BCD received funding for its U24 HSC-BCD Research Infrastructure Enhancement Program, spearheaded by Dr. David Carlson.  An Oral Health Research Education (R25) Grant ("CUSPID": Clinicians Using Science Produce Inspired Dentists), was funded in April 2008, led by Dr. Robert Hinton.  The scope of these programs is also considerably enhanced by an ongoing partnership with UTSW through a Clinical and Translational Science Award, funded by NIH in September 2007, led by Dr. Milton Packer at UTSW and by Dr. Paul Dechow at BCD.