Training within the Chronic Disease Epidemiology Unit (CDEU) of the Channing Division of Network Medicine (CDNM) is focused mainly on two institutional T-32 Training Grants, one from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the other from the National Cancer Institute. Both are based in the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and are led by CDNM faculty: Eric Rimm for the NHLBI, and Meir Stampfer for NCI. Both training grants support pre-doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows.
The CDEU also trains pre-doctoral students supported through other mechanisms, including Harvard Medical School MD-PhD students and pre-doctoral students from a wide range of departments at the Chan School, and institutions outside Harvard. Over 130 doctoral theses have been based on CDEU cohorts.
Many of the CDEU post-doctoral fellows are supported by these two training grants, but a large number of fellows have other support, some through their countries of origin (currently we have fellows from Canada, France, Sweden, and China), faculty research grants, or other mechanisms. The CDEU has established a peer mentoring program that included post-doctoral fellows, to augment the guidance and support from the faculty mentors.
Program for Training in Cancer Epidemiology” (5T32 CA9001), now in its 43 rd year of continuous operation, is led by Dr. Meir J. Stampfer, professor of epidemiology, nutrition, and medicine. This program has trained many of the current world leaders in cancer epidemiology.
The program currently supports four pre-doctoral students and eight post-doctoral fellows. Of the 44 pre-doctoral students supported by this grant over the past 10 years, nearly all are actively engaged in research, including as faculty at leading institutions (four at Harvard).
During the past 10 years, 51 fellows were supported; of these, 14 have faculty appointments as associate or full professor.
The “CVD Epi Training Program in Behavior, the Environment, and Global health” (HL098048) is in its 10 th year, led by Dr. Eric Rimm, professor of epidemiology, nutrition, and medicine. It supports two pre-doctoral students and six postdoctoral fellows. Of the 18 trainees supported in recent years, nearly all remain in research, with seven now holding faculty positions.
