Cardiology Fellowships: Investigator Track

Research Training

Recognizing that the future of basic cardiovascular research is in molecular approaches, Mount Sinai has made a major commitment towards developing one of the premier programs in the country. The Cardiovascular research Program (CVRP) represents a collaboration between the Department of Medicine and the Cardiovascular Institute. The CVRP comprises 15,000 square feet of space devoted to the application of molecular approaches to cardiovascular research. The laboratories of the CVRP are fully- equipped for molecular and cellular research with extensive core facilities including: tissue culture, transgenic mouse facilities, DNA sequencing and synthesis, protein sequencing and peptide synthesis, con-focal microscopy, fluorescence calcium measurements, cellular electrophysiology (patch clamp, oocyte and bilayer techniques), computing, flow cytometry, immunohistology, in situ hybridization, and phosphor imaging. The research programs in Molecular and Cellular Cardiology have received substantial funding from the National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology and provide extensive training for cardiology Fellows. Fellows participating in the program have been involved in major research efforts in the areas of atherosclerosis, heart failure, transplant biology, cardiac excitation, ion channels, cardiomyopathy, and thrombosis. Fellows take courses in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Signal Transduction, Physiology and Neurobiology offered by the Graduate School Faculty of Mount Sinai and participate in journal clubs and seminars. Typically, Fellows have presented the results of their work at the most prestigious international meetings of the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and American Federation for Medical Research (formerly AFCR). Fellows participating in this program have had an extraordinary success rate (>90 percent) in applying for research grants (including AHA Clinician-Scientist Awards, NIH fellowships, Merck-ACC Fellowships and Howard Hughes Fellowships).

Funding support is available through the National Institutes of Health Training Grant in Molecular and Cellular Cardiology which has five major educational components reflecting the research directions of the Faculty: 1) Vascular Biology; 2) Ion Channels; 3) Genetics; 4) Lipids; and 5) Heart Failure. In addition, current funding for cardiology fellows in basic research training includes Clinician-Scientist Awards from the American Heart Association, NIH Fellowships, Merck-American College of Cardiology Awards and other prestigious fellowships. A separate brochure outlines the research projects of the faculty and the requirements for participation in the Training Grant.