University of Kentucky Undergraduate Training in Cardiovascular Research

The purpose of this application is to fund five undergraduate research fellowships at The University of Kentucky (UK). UK is the flagship institution for statewide instruction in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. UK serves about 30,000 students. The proximity of UK to the Appalachian region and proximity to 3 urban centers (metropolitan Lexington, Cincinnati, and Louisville) promotes a diverse undergraduate student body. A major strength of UK is that the undergraduate campus, academic medical center, and all six health-related colleges are on a common campus. There is a rich tradition of NIH-funded cardiovascular (CV) research at UK. In this application 24 training faculty will participate. From this faculty 14 prospective AHA fellows have already been identified; in addition, we will draw on a tradition of promotion of undergraduate research at UK to further enhance an already strong pool of applicants. The co-directors and Selection Committee represent a spectrum of CV interests – including cardiac and vascular function, and fundamental research at the molecular level to clinical practice. The co-directors and Selection Committee will be responsible for recruitment and selection of students, and for program oversight. AHA Fellows will be required to create a capstone project that includes a dedicated AHA Undergraduate Fellow symposium. The capstone project will be judged by the co-directors and Selection Committee and the highest ranking fellow’s work will be highlighted at the Saha Cardiovascular Research Day. All AHA Undergraduate Fellows will be required to present at the annual Saha Cardiovascular Research Day. In summary, UK has a diverse, talented pool of undergraduate students, outstanding depth and breadth of NIH funded cardiovascular researchers, a tradition of training young investigators, and enrichment activities in place that are ideal for encouraging undergraduate students to embark on CV research directions.