- Email: [email protected]
NeuroDevNet: Training the Next Generation of Canadian Developmental Neurobiologists
NeuroDevNet: Training the Next Generation of Canadian Developmental Neurobiologists Douglas J. Swanson, PhD,* and Joel R. Livingston, MSc† Enhancing Canadian capacity in the research and treatment for neurodevelopmental disorders is central to NeuroDevNet’s mission. Building on the notion that it takes a network of scientists, clinicians, and educators to train the next generation researchers, NeuroDevNet brings together the diversity of expertise from across Canada to provide multifaceted, cross-disciplinary training opportunities for our trainees. Our Program provides for a diverse training experience that fosters the development of active young researchers with a collaborative focus and an eye toward the bidirectional translation of knowledge between the bench and the bedside. With funding from the NCE of Canada, as well as public and private partnerships, we offer fellowship and internship opportunities to trainees that encourage collaborative interactions, interdisciplinary exchanges and knowledge translation. This program will enhance the development and integration of NeuroDevNet as well as the Canadian community caring for the health and wellbeing of its citizens with neurodevelopmental disorders. Semin Pediatr Neurol 18:10-16 © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
O
ur vision to enhance Canadian capacity in developmental neurobiology research directly responds to the first strategic plan priority of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Addiction (Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Addiction Strategic Plan, 2007-11).1 In the current science and technology strategy, Industry Canada recognizes that “talented, skilled, creative people are the most critical element of a successful national economy over the long term” (Mobilizing S and T to Canada’s Advantage, 2007).2 Through our training efforts, NeuroDevNet will contribute highly qualified personnel (HQP) to fields of critical importance to Canada, enhancing research capacity and strengthening the foundations of our economy. Our strategy subscribes to the notion that it takes a network to train a researcher. We will bring the diversity of expertise that is resident within NeuroDevNet (eg, basic research, clinical research, rehabilitation, informatics, ethics, health economics, and sociology) to provide a multifaceted, From the *Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics. †Research and Technology Development Office, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Address reprint requests to Douglas J. Swanson, PhD, Child and Family Research Institute, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, 950 West 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada. E-mail: [email protected]
10
1071-9091/11/$-see front matter © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.spen.2011.02.009
cross-pillar opportunity for our trainees. As mandated by Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) of Canada, NeuroDevNet seeks training of HQP that goes above and beyond the traditional training opportunities offered in academia (NCE Network program Guide, 2010).3 Thus, the NeuroDevNet Training Program is geared to provide trainees with cross-training experiences ranging from initial research discovery to practical application, with an emphasis on the bidirectional translation of knowledge from the bench to the bedside to community. We will focus our efforts on the following training priorities (the three “T”(s) highlighted in the US National Institutes of Mental Health comprehensive review of and strategic plan for training efforts [Investing in the Future, 2008]).4 1. Trans-disciplinary: increasingly, major breakthroughs in health research are being produced by teams of scientists who use multidisciplinary approaches to address global challenges. This change in dynamic has been identified by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Addiction Strategic Plan (2007-11)1 as a priority for Canadian research. The members of NeuroDevNet reflect an array of knowledge and technical skills that are not present in any other single program in developmental neurosciences in Canada or on the international scene for that matter. NeuroDevNet will sponsor educational workshops and extended, intensive training
Canadian developmental neurobiologists
11
retreats (brain camps) to strengthen and broaden the knowledge of network HQP in a variety of fields. Furthermore, these workshops and brain camps will bring together trainees and investigators from disparate disciplines, fostering shared vocabularies that can facilitate network relationships and stimulate interactive projects. 2. Team players: scientific collaboration is essential to address today’s increasingly complex research questions. To be successful, the next generation of researchers will need to build effective partnerships with investigators across Canada and around the world. NeuroDevNet will introduce exchange programs, enabling trainees to develop national and international partnerships with leading neuroscience researchers in academia and industry. In addition, NeuroDevNet will partner with existing NCEs, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada - Collaborative Research and Training Experience (NSERC-CREATE), Canadian Institutes of Health Research-Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research (CIHR-STIHR), and other training programs to foster team training and comentorship concepts. The development of camaraderie will also be an important component of the brain camps and educational workshops described previously. 3. Translators: capitalizing on research is only fully realized through the transfer of findings into improved policy, guidelines, and practices and the development and commercialization of products and technologies that benefit the economy and lives of Canadians and those residing outside Canada. With respect to technology transfer, the NSERC Executive Vice President Dr Nigel Loyd notes, “the best way to flow ideas and knowledge from universities to industry, and ensure that these are turned into a competitive advantage in the marketplace, is through people” (Remarks to the Standing
Committee on Industry, Science and Technology by Dr Nigel D. Lloyd). Equipping NeuroDevNet HQP with skills in knowledge translation and technology transfer is an integral part of our networks’ vision for training. Together with partnership matches, the NeuroDevNet Training Program budget has approximately Can $800,000 annually to provide support for the training of graduate students and postdoctoral and clinical fellows. This amount is above and beyond the technical, graduate, and postdoctoral personnel that are part of each of the individual research projects supported by NeuroDevNet.
Training Planning and Oversight Direction for the Training Program development is provided by the Research and Training Committee (RTC) made up of a diverse group of NeuroDevNet researchers with broad expertise in clinical and basic science research. A full-time Training and Education Manager is dedicated to promoting, developing, and managing ongoing training initiatives. This position requires a graduate-level research background so the Manager can bring first-hand knowledge and experience of effective training strategies. The RTC works closely with the training and Education Manager, Executive Director, and the Scientific Director to ensure that training programs meet network goals and trainees are properly engaged in network activities. At its inception, NeuroDevNet initiated a general strategic plan for the network training program. This strategic plan included the offering of partnership-related training fellowships, developing educational workshops and trainee-oriented short courses, and engaging trainees in interactive and participatory webinar series and network-oriented events. The RTC members in conjunction with the Training and Education Manager are active in developing these strategic
Figure 1 Support for training of HQP.
12 initiatives into fully implemented programs and network activities. At each stage in the process, the RTC participates in and directs the development of the call for proposals, the development of review criteria, and the selection of awardees. NeuroDevNet’s research projects, whether pilot, regular, or consortia, will be expected to expend at least 25% of their budgets on trainees and hopefully more. A training plan will need to be submitted for the personnel that are proposed for each project. These plans will be expected to show that the trainee will be exposed to multidisciplinary approaches to solve the proposed research problem. In addition, the training plan will need to engage at least 2 of the following venues: the bench, the bedside, and the commercial sector. We plan to capitalize on existing neuroscience research and clinical neurology programs that are available across Canada to help foster the development of national expertise in neuroscience, and some of our initial partnerships are detailed later.
Network Training Activities The goal of our network training activities is to provide comprehensive, broad-based skill sets to HQP from a variety of backgrounds as depicted in Figure 1. From the outset of our program, we have incorporated training vehicles geared toward developing and partnering training initiatives. The training goal in all of our venues is to instill an appreciation and application of multisectoral approaches to understand brain development, normal and abnormal, whether from the perspective of a student, postdoctoral fellow, or clinical fellow. The RTC is developing evaluative tools to be applied to all of these efforts and metrics by which success can be measured to ensure each training program is achieving the intended aim.
NeuroDevNet Trainee Awards As a primary initiative for training the next generation of Canadian developmental neurobiologists, NeuroDevNet is offering an annual multidisciplinary training fellowship competition. This fellowship model brings together partner organizations and partnered-mentors to facilitate and broaden the training of future Canadian research leaders. Building on the 3 “T’s” model as principles that will help build a research community of collaborative, the goal is to train well-rounded investigators ready to tackle challenges in developmental neurosciences that affect individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. Cofunding Partnerships To reach a wide range of trainees and mentors with a crossdisciplinary training program, the NeuroDevNet trainee awards will bring together partnering organizations to cosupport the brightest Canadian trainees under a comentored research environment. By bringing in partnership dollars for these awards, NeuroDevNet is able to provide a larger and more diverse cohort of trainees to the network. This support can come from established NeuroDevNet training partnerships (such as Autism Research Training Program [ART],
D.J. Swanson and J.R. Livingston Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, or Canadian Institute for Advanced Research ) or can be new partnerships with host institutions or other organizations that are brought to the table by the applicant. Furthermore, in cases in which organizational partnerships are limited, mentoring investigators can also leverage research grant funding to match NeuroDevNet support. Comentoring Training Plan To broaden trainee experiences, these awards will require the engagement of comentors in the direction of the trainee’s research plan. At least 1 mentor must be a NeuroDevNet investigator or affiliate, with the comentor from a cross-disciplinary research area (although not necessarily with a NeuroDevNet affiliation). Together the comentors and trainee candidate develop a research plan that is both complimentary and suitable to broaden the core training perspective. Network-Focused Training Successful candidates are required to develop a training plan with their mentors that provides opportunities for both basic and clinical aspects of neurodevelopmental disorders. Trainees are encouraged to augment their training plan through a short-term laboratory exchange to gain experience in a related area of research not directly provided in their home laboratories, and, thus, concrete plans for such an exchange will be favorably considered. The wide-ranging interactions provided in the training plan will be further enhanced through trainee participation in NeuroDevNet sponsored events, workshops, and a national NeuroDevNet Trainee webinar series. Participation in these programs will greatly enhance the training and networking opportunities with peers as well as expert investigators across disciplines.
Internships and Exchange Programs An important part of the NeuroDevNet HQP strategy is to provide trainees with experiences that offer transdisciplinary and translational experiences typically unavailable in their home laboratory. This will be accomplished via 1- to 3-month trainee internships and exchanges. NeuroDevNet will support this in both informal and formal ways. In the less structured format, the mentor and trainee will identify an area of training that is not offered locally. For more structured training, we are developing internships in the commercial and noncommercial sectors to give unique opportunities to NeuroDevNet trainees. Trainee Exchange Program We are offering graduate students and postdoctoral fellows the opportunity to work in the laboratories of other investigators either within NeuroDevNet or outside the network (nationally or internationally). These laboratory exchanges offer trainees the chance to learn new techniques, develop a collaborative experimental approach, or apply a technology in a new setting. This program will facilitate knowledge exchange and technology transfer between participating laboratories and investigators, enhancing the potential for novel lines of inquiry and new approaches to address critical questions in neurodevelopment. Furthermore, trainees will be
Canadian developmental neurobiologists encouraged to actively seek out opportunities for collaboration helping further their development as transdisciplinary team players. NeuroDevNet trainees are also encouraged to pursue opportunities to learn about technologies and methodologies not available in Canada. Currently, there are relatively few funding opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows based in Canada to travel abroad for short-term training opportunities, and this program will help address this critical gap. Given the increasingly global nature of research, it is imperative that the next generation of Canadian researchers learn to develop international collaborations and import new technologies to this country. NeuroDevNet support for these laboratory exchanges is available on a competitive basis through our training award initiative. All applications to the exchange program are reviewed quarterly by the NeuroDevNet RTC, with priority given to first-time applicants and only 1 exchange per laboratory per year allowed. Funding from this program reimburses participating trainees for travel and accommodation expenses incurred during their exchange (for 3-4 weeks depending on the circumstances of the exchange activities). Salary support and research expenses for trainees on exchange will be covered by their host and/or exchange laboratory. Internship Opportunities NeuroDevNet is a consortium partner of the NCE Mathematics of information Technology and Complex systems (MITACS) in providing HQP who are interested in internships dealing with children’s brain disorders with access to the MITACS-accelerate internship program. The MITACS-accelerate internship program is funded by the federal Industrial Research and Development Internship Program and by provincial funds. MITACS recently submitted a proposal for renewed Industrial Research and Development Internship funding, which NeuroDevNet participated in as a consortium partner. NeuroDevNet intends to work with other healthbased research organizations in the MITACS consortium to develop health internship opportunities. NeuroDevNet will leverage MITACS funds for all industry internships as well as nonindustry internships. We are working with MITACS to uncover opportunities to expand the funding opportunities for nonindustry internships, especially in the health care sector. Industry internships are expected to be found among companies providing intervention services, news organizations, medical device companies, pharmaceutical companies, multimedia companies, and more. Nonindustry internships are expected with regional health organizations, government, hospitals, and not-for-profit organizations. Science Writing/Journalism Training Internships It is clear that the dissemination of research findings in a fact-based, clear, and digestible manner is critical in an area such as brain development. Often, there is little overlap between the field of journalism and the scientific community and to avoid miscommunication, we believe that it is vital for the journalism and scientific communities to develop a more symbiotic relationship. To this end, NeuroDevNet is very
13 keen on facilitating the development of scientists with journalistic aptitude as well as building partnerships with organizations interested in training young scientists in this direction. As part of this program, the Vancouver Sun, Nature, and other news organizations are potential partners in offering science journalism internships to NeuroDevNet trainees. Individuals from these organizations are also very interested in participating in workshops and symposia in which science journalism will be one of the points of discussion. A case in point will be an expert panel session at our 2011 NeuroDevNet Brain Development Conference entitled “Science in the Media,” featuring Jay Ingram of Discovery Channel’s “Daily Planet” and Anne McIlroy from “The Globe and Mail.”
Clinician Training Beyond basic laboratory researchers, NeuroDevNet will enhance the training of HQP across the spectrum of health care professionals and allied health services, including physicians, nurses, social workers, and rehabilitation therapists. Through our partnership with the Mother, Infant, Child and Youth Research Network, we have established links with pediatric teaching hospitals across the country, and we will develop an integrated curriculum for clinicians working in areas of NeuroDevNet expertise (eg, treatment for neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or cerebral palsy). We have also developed a key collaboration with the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist program (CCHCSP), which will help to enhance the training of pediatricclinician researchers focused on neurodevelopment.
Network Training Events for HQP Brain Camps NeuroDevNet will capitalize on investigator expertise in the network to organize 1- to 2-week-long training retreats to provide intensive, in-depth training on a particular topic. This training model has met with great success in similar initiatives in the United States, including University of California, Los Angeles National Insitutes of Health–funded neuroimaging clinic (http://www.brainmapping.org/NITP); University of California, Davis’ ERP boot camp (http:// mindbrain.ucdavis.edu/labs/luck-lab/the-erp-boot-camp); and neurosciences courses at Cold Springs Harbor (http://www. cshl.edu/). Dan Goldowitz, the Scientific Director, has organized such a course in the experimental neurogenetics of the mouse, and network investigator, Ravi Menon, Director of the Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, has been an instructor for several neuroimaging workshops. Building on these models, NeuroDevNet brain camps will focus on a specific modality of data collection, such as imaging or genetics, or a specific syndrome, such as autism or fetal alcohol syndrome. Whether the objective of the course is technique driven or disease driven, it will bring together experts with differing approaches to enable trainees to appreciate the multidisciplinary uses of technical tools to further our under-
14 standing of the developing brain. The synergies that arise from these types of intensive sessions are invaluable, bringing together new and unique points of view on a common topic that will lead to ideas for collaboration and the building of camaraderie among faculty and trainees. We will launch an annual competition within the NeuroDevNet community for brain camp concept proposals, which will be vetted by the RTC. The competitive framework will give all network members the opportunity to propose areas I which they envision HQP training is needed and will also help to avoid burnout among 1 set of organizers. The focus topics, host city, and chairs for brain camps will rotate. Successful applicants will have the full support of NeuroDevNet administrative resources, including the Training and Education Manager to plan, organize, and execute their brain camp. Our initial effort on a brain camp trainee workshop has taken form as the “2011 1st Biennial Winter Institute” in collaboration with the ART (directed by Dr Eric Fombonne). In the Winter Institute, we have developed a diverse group of sessions to explore the commonalities and comorbidities that are shared in many neurodevelopmental disorders. Faculty members from ART and NeuroDevNet, as well as invited experts, will provide stimulating content and discussions throughout the conference. The program includes a balance of lectures and discussion panels that will open opportunities for learning and networking with fellow trainees as well as expert investigators in the different fields. We have planned a variety of sessions, including Gene and Environment Interactions, Using Animal Models in Neurodevelopmental Disorder Studies, the Utility of Classification Systems in Developmental Disorder Research, Technology Use in Intervention, and Scientific and Ethical Challenges to Biomarker Identification. To ensure an effective participant-to-instructor ratio, brain camp registration will be competitive and limited to 15 to 20 individuals. Prospective participants will be required to submit an application, including their curriculum vitae and a short essay detailing why they wish to participate. The RTC selection committee will review all applications, and slots will be allocated based on a competitive model, including criteria for academic and research excellence, publication/presentation record, and educational experience (ie, MSc candidates, PhD candidates, clinical trainees, and postgraduates will be evaluated within to their own groups). Full or partial scholarships for attendance to the brain camps will be based on network affiliation, scholastic excellence, and need. Scholarships will be open to NeuroDevNet Network members with a portion of the registration spots available to those outside the network and internationally. Opening the availability to outside individuals provides for a potential recruitment tool to bring bright and active trainees to Canada and potentially into various ongoing NeuroDevNet programs.
NeuroDevNet Web-Symposia Series The NeuroDevNet Web symposia series is being developed as a monthly event in which NeuroDevNet trainees can “virtually” gather to hear presentations by experts in the field, present their own research, share their experiences from re-
D.J. Swanson and J.R. Livingston cently attended meetings, and participate in journal club discussions on topics at the cutting edge of NeuroDevNet research areas. This seminar series forms a core piece of the training curricula for the growing body of NeuroDevNet trainees. Topics of these monthly virtual gatherings are guided by well-developed research questions developed by the RTC, the NeuroDevNet Research Management Committee, and NeuroDevNet faculty. Initially, we will take advantage of the ease and simplicity of Web meeting software and teleconferencing, but as the series grows and develops, we anticipate the expansion to multisite videoconferencing for these distance learning meetings/seminars.
Trainee Forum at the Annual Scientific Conference Involving trainees at various stages of the research training process is integral to NeuroDevNet’s vision. A key venue for this is the annual scientific meeting. The diverse, multidisciplinary strengths of network investigators are put to use in developing targeted training sessions at the annual meeting focused on key topics in the neurosciences. NeuroDevNet investigators present the most recent findings of their research programs, helping expose trainees to the larger Canadian developmental neurosciences community. Throughout the conference, there are numerous opportunities, both structured and informal, for trainees to network with NeuroDevNet investigators, enabling them to develop contacts for the training exchange program or future research positions. We provide the opportunities for the trainees to exhibit their work in slide presentations and poster sessions at the annual conference, offering NeuroDevNet HQP the chance to hone their presentation skills and to receive feedback on their projects from the entire network.
Networking Workshops NeuroDevNet sponsors networking events, such as workshops, conferences and symposia, and internships and exchanges, and more informal events, such as cross-laboratory webinars. Networking events are intensive 1- to 3-day symposia or conferences offered by 3 to 6 NeuroDevNet members with special invited guests. These small group events serve to solidify network-wide collaborations or as brainstorming sessions for developing funding proposals. We have already held 2 such workshops that have focused on imaging genetics and the use of computer games as a therapeutic aid to neurodevelopmentally challenged children. The imaging genetics workshop brought together a group of researchers and trainees to exchange cutting-edge ideas and to facilitate the adoption of standard practices across the different imaging centers. In collaboration with the Graphics, Animation, and New Media (GRAND) NCE the small workshop “When Virtual Meets Reality: Advances in Game Technology, Social Networking and Digital Media” presented new opportunities for treating neurodevelopmental disorders using computerbased technology and facilitated the development of several research projects that are now cofunded by GRAND and NeuroDevNet as 2-year pilot projects.
Canadian developmental neurobiologists
Knowledge Translation Exchange and Exploitation Workshops HQP in the neurosciences require broad knowledge of multiple disciplines, including neuroethics, neuroimaging, bioinformatics, knowledge translation, technology transfer, and policy development. To equip NeuroDevNet trainees with these transdisciplinary skills, the training program is working with the knowledge translation and exploitation core to develop workshops led by network investigators and offered in locations across Canada. Emphasis will be placed on teaching HQP to think independently and creatively about research and the application of their findings to improving childhood neurobehavioral development. A key element is teaching the cycle from knowledge to discovery to application of findings, including technology transfer. This includes the careful selection of fundamental and urgent research problems, selection of feasible study experimental designs, use of appropriate analytical tools, interpretation of data, and development of ways to apply findings to influence clinical practice and public policy as well as to identify and develop products for commercialization.
Informal Seminars and Idea Exchanges Interdisciplinary training is a key element of fostering the development of HQP; members of a team always function more effectively and collaboratively when they are well versed in each other’s areas of expertise. By encouraging members of the network to teach each other and share their specific knowledge and skills, the network will be strengthened. To this end, we are facilitating informal events in which members in different sectors of the network are invited to visit each other in their work environments to compare notes, cross-train, and exchange ideas. This cross-disciplinary training ensures that HQP are fully aware of their role within the network and how they help achieve its goals and priorities, which will foster a sense of team, while imparting important information on the social and ethical implications of the network’s work.
Integration With Existing Training and Workshop Opportunities NeuroDevNet is building on established initiatives from across the country to leverage funding, reduce redundancies, and optimize training for the next generation of Canadian researchers focused on neurodevelopment. Thus, in several instances, we are partnering with ongoing programs to support trainees and workshops. These collaborations are important for the following reasons: (1) matching funds are provided for trainees allowing our HQP dollars to go twice as far to support trainees; (2) in many cases, these partners are well established and can thus act as a “network mentor” for our emerging NeuroDevNet; and (3) these partnerships allow us to develop relationships with other centers and programs that will be mutually beneficial and an opportunity to develop a common ground for further collaborations. Throughout our growth as a network, we seek to solidify the partnerships that serve the mutual needs of NeuroDevNet
15 and the other sponsoring programs. Critical to our strategic plan is for our Research and Training Program to continually develop new opportunities and partnerships. Examples of these collaborative training arrangements include the following. 1. Active partnerships with CIHR-funded STIHRs, including The Autism Research Training (ART) Program, led by Eric Fombonne, and the CCHCSP, led by Norm Rosenblum. Both of these programs have a strong track record in training researchers and clinicians, helping NeuroDevNet to broaden its reach into these areas. 2. Linking with NSERC CREATE-funded programs, such as “The Training Program in Computational Approaches to Sensorimotor Transformations for the Control of Actions,” led by Melvyn Goodale, and “The Training Program in Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience,” led by Caroline Palmer, providing opportunities for comentorships between CREATE program faculty and NeuroDevNet researchers for training students and postdoctoral fellows with a focus on neurodevelopmental disorders. 3. Working with institutions and organizations, such as the Child and Family Research Institute at the children’s and women’s Health Centre of British Columbia, the Montreal Children’S Hospital at McGill University Health Centre, and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research to cofund research fellowships for bright, young clinicians and scientists. 4. Partnering to bring together trainees and researchers for focused networking workshops with organizations, such as The Canadian Bioinformatics Workshops series, led by Francis Ouellette, and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research in Experience-based Brain and Biological development, led by Tom Boyce and Marla Sokolowski.
Responding to Needs of Receptors Research/Academia NeuroDevNet looks to play a lead role in developing HQP to fill positions in universities and academic institutions across the country. Canada is a world leader in neurosciences research, with established programs at universities across the country, including the University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Toronto, McGill University, and Dalhousie University. NeuroDevNet has built strong relationships with these institutions and will continue to partner with them on initiatives to enhance the training of network HQP. The focus of the network on developmental neurosciences will enhance this particular area of strength for the brain research community in Canada.
Industry Canada is continuing to expand its knowledge-based economy to best position itself for the 21st century, in-
D.J. Swanson and J.R. Livingston
16 cluding life sciences industries in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and biotechnology. To continue growth in this sector, Canada needs to invest in training HQP with hands-on industry experience. As highlighted in the 2008 biotechnology labor market report, currently more than a third of biotech companies are experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, and, in particular, there is a large need for practical, real-world experience (BioTalent Canada, 2008). The NeuroDevNet Training Program will address these needs by developing HQP with specialized skills and experience in applying their talents to address real-world problems. One example is the industrial internship program on which we will partner with MITACS as part of the Accelerate Program to enable trainees to get hands-on training in commercial settings.
Healthcare Policy and Delivery Health policy is one means by which change can be affected. This aspect of health care will be incorporated as part of the multidisciplinary format for our workshops and symposia. We have members on both our Scientific Advisory Board (Dr Neal Halfon) and the NeuroDevNet team who specialize in this area (eg, Drs Stuart Shanker and Clyde Hertzman) who will be strong advocates for needed health policy changes in the realm of neurodevelopment. For clinician training, we have developed important relationships with organizations like Mother, Infant, Child and Youth Research Network and CCHCSP.
Conclusions With our multifaceted training program, NeuroDevNet aspires to become an integral part of developing Canada’s next
generation of HQP in the neurosciences. Each network HQP will be trained in diverse areas fundamental to Canada’s biomedical research programs, including pediatric neurology; neurologic disorders, such as autism, cerebral palsy, and fetal alcohol syndrome; and important disciplines, such as knowledge translation, scientific communication, technology transfer, and ethics. The HQP trained by our program will undoubtedly be poised to establish future careers as independent investigators, clinician scientists, and internationally acclaimed leading-edge researchers in the neurosciences. The establishment and development of the NeuroDevNet Training Program promises to be a new stimulus to the unique and rich training environment already present in Canada as well as provide a conduit for expanding these training opportunities and practices throughout all the regions of the country.
References 1. Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Neurosciences: Mental health and Addiction Strategic Plan 2007-2011. Available at: http://www. cihr.ca/e/documents/inmha_strategic_plan_2007_e.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2011 2. Government of Canada. Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s Advantage (2007). Available at: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ic1.nsf/ vwapj/SandTstrategy.pdf/$file/SandTstrategy.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2011 3. NCE-Network Program Guide, 2010. Available at: http://www.ncerce.gc.ca/_docs/competitions/PreviousCompetitions-ConcoursAnterieurs/ NCE-RCE-2009/network_Prog_reseaux-e.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2011 4. Investing in the Future, 2008 USA, National Advisory Mental Health Council Workgroup on research training. Available at: http://www. nimh.nih.gov/about/advisory-boards-and-groups/namhc/reports/ investing-in-the-future.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2011
O
ur vision to enhance Canadian capacity in developmental neurobiology research directly responds to the first strategic plan priority of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Addiction (Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Addiction Strategic Plan, 2007-11).1 In the current science and technology strategy, Industry Canada recognizes that “talented, skilled, creative people are the most critical element of a successful national economy over the long term” (Mobilizing S and T to Canada’s Advantage, 2007).2 Through our training efforts, NeuroDevNet will contribute highly qualified personnel (HQP) to fields of critical importance to Canada, enhancing research capacity and strengthening the foundations of our economy. Our strategy subscribes to the notion that it takes a network to train a researcher. We will bring the diversity of expertise that is resident within NeuroDevNet (eg, basic research, clinical research, rehabilitation, informatics, ethics, health economics, and sociology) to provide a multifaceted, From the *Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics. †Research and Technology Development Office, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Address reprint requests to Douglas J. Swanson, PhD, Child and Family Research Institute, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, 950 West 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada. E-mail: [email protected]
10
1071-9091/11/$-see front matter © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.spen.2011.02.009
cross-pillar opportunity for our trainees. As mandated by Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) of Canada, NeuroDevNet seeks training of HQP that goes above and beyond the traditional training opportunities offered in academia (NCE Network program Guide, 2010).3 Thus, the NeuroDevNet Training Program is geared to provide trainees with cross-training experiences ranging from initial research discovery to practical application, with an emphasis on the bidirectional translation of knowledge from the bench to the bedside to community. We will focus our efforts on the following training priorities (the three “T”(s) highlighted in the US National Institutes of Mental Health comprehensive review of and strategic plan for training efforts [Investing in the Future, 2008]).4 1. Trans-disciplinary: increasingly, major breakthroughs in health research are being produced by teams of scientists who use multidisciplinary approaches to address global challenges. This change in dynamic has been identified by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Addiction Strategic Plan (2007-11)1 as a priority for Canadian research. The members of NeuroDevNet reflect an array of knowledge and technical skills that are not present in any other single program in developmental neurosciences in Canada or on the international scene for that matter. NeuroDevNet will sponsor educational workshops and extended, intensive training
Canadian developmental neurobiologists
11
retreats (brain camps) to strengthen and broaden the knowledge of network HQP in a variety of fields. Furthermore, these workshops and brain camps will bring together trainees and investigators from disparate disciplines, fostering shared vocabularies that can facilitate network relationships and stimulate interactive projects. 2. Team players: scientific collaboration is essential to address today’s increasingly complex research questions. To be successful, the next generation of researchers will need to build effective partnerships with investigators across Canada and around the world. NeuroDevNet will introduce exchange programs, enabling trainees to develop national and international partnerships with leading neuroscience researchers in academia and industry. In addition, NeuroDevNet will partner with existing NCEs, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada - Collaborative Research and Training Experience (NSERC-CREATE), Canadian Institutes of Health Research-Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research (CIHR-STIHR), and other training programs to foster team training and comentorship concepts. The development of camaraderie will also be an important component of the brain camps and educational workshops described previously. 3. Translators: capitalizing on research is only fully realized through the transfer of findings into improved policy, guidelines, and practices and the development and commercialization of products and technologies that benefit the economy and lives of Canadians and those residing outside Canada. With respect to technology transfer, the NSERC Executive Vice President Dr Nigel Loyd notes, “the best way to flow ideas and knowledge from universities to industry, and ensure that these are turned into a competitive advantage in the marketplace, is through people” (Remarks to the Standing
Committee on Industry, Science and Technology by Dr Nigel D. Lloyd). Equipping NeuroDevNet HQP with skills in knowledge translation and technology transfer is an integral part of our networks’ vision for training. Together with partnership matches, the NeuroDevNet Training Program budget has approximately Can $800,000 annually to provide support for the training of graduate students and postdoctoral and clinical fellows. This amount is above and beyond the technical, graduate, and postdoctoral personnel that are part of each of the individual research projects supported by NeuroDevNet.
Training Planning and Oversight Direction for the Training Program development is provided by the Research and Training Committee (RTC) made up of a diverse group of NeuroDevNet researchers with broad expertise in clinical and basic science research. A full-time Training and Education Manager is dedicated to promoting, developing, and managing ongoing training initiatives. This position requires a graduate-level research background so the Manager can bring first-hand knowledge and experience of effective training strategies. The RTC works closely with the training and Education Manager, Executive Director, and the Scientific Director to ensure that training programs meet network goals and trainees are properly engaged in network activities. At its inception, NeuroDevNet initiated a general strategic plan for the network training program. This strategic plan included the offering of partnership-related training fellowships, developing educational workshops and trainee-oriented short courses, and engaging trainees in interactive and participatory webinar series and network-oriented events. The RTC members in conjunction with the Training and Education Manager are active in developing these strategic
Figure 1 Support for training of HQP.
12 initiatives into fully implemented programs and network activities. At each stage in the process, the RTC participates in and directs the development of the call for proposals, the development of review criteria, and the selection of awardees. NeuroDevNet’s research projects, whether pilot, regular, or consortia, will be expected to expend at least 25% of their budgets on trainees and hopefully more. A training plan will need to be submitted for the personnel that are proposed for each project. These plans will be expected to show that the trainee will be exposed to multidisciplinary approaches to solve the proposed research problem. In addition, the training plan will need to engage at least 2 of the following venues: the bench, the bedside, and the commercial sector. We plan to capitalize on existing neuroscience research and clinical neurology programs that are available across Canada to help foster the development of national expertise in neuroscience, and some of our initial partnerships are detailed later.
Network Training Activities The goal of our network training activities is to provide comprehensive, broad-based skill sets to HQP from a variety of backgrounds as depicted in Figure 1. From the outset of our program, we have incorporated training vehicles geared toward developing and partnering training initiatives. The training goal in all of our venues is to instill an appreciation and application of multisectoral approaches to understand brain development, normal and abnormal, whether from the perspective of a student, postdoctoral fellow, or clinical fellow. The RTC is developing evaluative tools to be applied to all of these efforts and metrics by which success can be measured to ensure each training program is achieving the intended aim.
NeuroDevNet Trainee Awards As a primary initiative for training the next generation of Canadian developmental neurobiologists, NeuroDevNet is offering an annual multidisciplinary training fellowship competition. This fellowship model brings together partner organizations and partnered-mentors to facilitate and broaden the training of future Canadian research leaders. Building on the 3 “T’s” model as principles that will help build a research community of collaborative, the goal is to train well-rounded investigators ready to tackle challenges in developmental neurosciences that affect individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. Cofunding Partnerships To reach a wide range of trainees and mentors with a crossdisciplinary training program, the NeuroDevNet trainee awards will bring together partnering organizations to cosupport the brightest Canadian trainees under a comentored research environment. By bringing in partnership dollars for these awards, NeuroDevNet is able to provide a larger and more diverse cohort of trainees to the network. This support can come from established NeuroDevNet training partnerships (such as Autism Research Training Program [ART],
D.J. Swanson and J.R. Livingston Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, or Canadian Institute for Advanced Research ) or can be new partnerships with host institutions or other organizations that are brought to the table by the applicant. Furthermore, in cases in which organizational partnerships are limited, mentoring investigators can also leverage research grant funding to match NeuroDevNet support. Comentoring Training Plan To broaden trainee experiences, these awards will require the engagement of comentors in the direction of the trainee’s research plan. At least 1 mentor must be a NeuroDevNet investigator or affiliate, with the comentor from a cross-disciplinary research area (although not necessarily with a NeuroDevNet affiliation). Together the comentors and trainee candidate develop a research plan that is both complimentary and suitable to broaden the core training perspective. Network-Focused Training Successful candidates are required to develop a training plan with their mentors that provides opportunities for both basic and clinical aspects of neurodevelopmental disorders. Trainees are encouraged to augment their training plan through a short-term laboratory exchange to gain experience in a related area of research not directly provided in their home laboratories, and, thus, concrete plans for such an exchange will be favorably considered. The wide-ranging interactions provided in the training plan will be further enhanced through trainee participation in NeuroDevNet sponsored events, workshops, and a national NeuroDevNet Trainee webinar series. Participation in these programs will greatly enhance the training and networking opportunities with peers as well as expert investigators across disciplines.
Internships and Exchange Programs An important part of the NeuroDevNet HQP strategy is to provide trainees with experiences that offer transdisciplinary and translational experiences typically unavailable in their home laboratory. This will be accomplished via 1- to 3-month trainee internships and exchanges. NeuroDevNet will support this in both informal and formal ways. In the less structured format, the mentor and trainee will identify an area of training that is not offered locally. For more structured training, we are developing internships in the commercial and noncommercial sectors to give unique opportunities to NeuroDevNet trainees. Trainee Exchange Program We are offering graduate students and postdoctoral fellows the opportunity to work in the laboratories of other investigators either within NeuroDevNet or outside the network (nationally or internationally). These laboratory exchanges offer trainees the chance to learn new techniques, develop a collaborative experimental approach, or apply a technology in a new setting. This program will facilitate knowledge exchange and technology transfer between participating laboratories and investigators, enhancing the potential for novel lines of inquiry and new approaches to address critical questions in neurodevelopment. Furthermore, trainees will be
Canadian developmental neurobiologists encouraged to actively seek out opportunities for collaboration helping further their development as transdisciplinary team players. NeuroDevNet trainees are also encouraged to pursue opportunities to learn about technologies and methodologies not available in Canada. Currently, there are relatively few funding opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows based in Canada to travel abroad for short-term training opportunities, and this program will help address this critical gap. Given the increasingly global nature of research, it is imperative that the next generation of Canadian researchers learn to develop international collaborations and import new technologies to this country. NeuroDevNet support for these laboratory exchanges is available on a competitive basis through our training award initiative. All applications to the exchange program are reviewed quarterly by the NeuroDevNet RTC, with priority given to first-time applicants and only 1 exchange per laboratory per year allowed. Funding from this program reimburses participating trainees for travel and accommodation expenses incurred during their exchange (for 3-4 weeks depending on the circumstances of the exchange activities). Salary support and research expenses for trainees on exchange will be covered by their host and/or exchange laboratory. Internship Opportunities NeuroDevNet is a consortium partner of the NCE Mathematics of information Technology and Complex systems (MITACS) in providing HQP who are interested in internships dealing with children’s brain disorders with access to the MITACS-accelerate internship program. The MITACS-accelerate internship program is funded by the federal Industrial Research and Development Internship Program and by provincial funds. MITACS recently submitted a proposal for renewed Industrial Research and Development Internship funding, which NeuroDevNet participated in as a consortium partner. NeuroDevNet intends to work with other healthbased research organizations in the MITACS consortium to develop health internship opportunities. NeuroDevNet will leverage MITACS funds for all industry internships as well as nonindustry internships. We are working with MITACS to uncover opportunities to expand the funding opportunities for nonindustry internships, especially in the health care sector. Industry internships are expected to be found among companies providing intervention services, news organizations, medical device companies, pharmaceutical companies, multimedia companies, and more. Nonindustry internships are expected with regional health organizations, government, hospitals, and not-for-profit organizations. Science Writing/Journalism Training Internships It is clear that the dissemination of research findings in a fact-based, clear, and digestible manner is critical in an area such as brain development. Often, there is little overlap between the field of journalism and the scientific community and to avoid miscommunication, we believe that it is vital for the journalism and scientific communities to develop a more symbiotic relationship. To this end, NeuroDevNet is very
13 keen on facilitating the development of scientists with journalistic aptitude as well as building partnerships with organizations interested in training young scientists in this direction. As part of this program, the Vancouver Sun, Nature, and other news organizations are potential partners in offering science journalism internships to NeuroDevNet trainees. Individuals from these organizations are also very interested in participating in workshops and symposia in which science journalism will be one of the points of discussion. A case in point will be an expert panel session at our 2011 NeuroDevNet Brain Development Conference entitled “Science in the Media,” featuring Jay Ingram of Discovery Channel’s “Daily Planet” and Anne McIlroy from “The Globe and Mail.”
Clinician Training Beyond basic laboratory researchers, NeuroDevNet will enhance the training of HQP across the spectrum of health care professionals and allied health services, including physicians, nurses, social workers, and rehabilitation therapists. Through our partnership with the Mother, Infant, Child and Youth Research Network, we have established links with pediatric teaching hospitals across the country, and we will develop an integrated curriculum for clinicians working in areas of NeuroDevNet expertise (eg, treatment for neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or cerebral palsy). We have also developed a key collaboration with the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist program (CCHCSP), which will help to enhance the training of pediatricclinician researchers focused on neurodevelopment.
Network Training Events for HQP Brain Camps NeuroDevNet will capitalize on investigator expertise in the network to organize 1- to 2-week-long training retreats to provide intensive, in-depth training on a particular topic. This training model has met with great success in similar initiatives in the United States, including University of California, Los Angeles National Insitutes of Health–funded neuroimaging clinic (http://www.brainmapping.org/NITP); University of California, Davis’ ERP boot camp (http:// mindbrain.ucdavis.edu/labs/luck-lab/the-erp-boot-camp); and neurosciences courses at Cold Springs Harbor (http://www. cshl.edu/). Dan Goldowitz, the Scientific Director, has organized such a course in the experimental neurogenetics of the mouse, and network investigator, Ravi Menon, Director of the Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, has been an instructor for several neuroimaging workshops. Building on these models, NeuroDevNet brain camps will focus on a specific modality of data collection, such as imaging or genetics, or a specific syndrome, such as autism or fetal alcohol syndrome. Whether the objective of the course is technique driven or disease driven, it will bring together experts with differing approaches to enable trainees to appreciate the multidisciplinary uses of technical tools to further our under-
14 standing of the developing brain. The synergies that arise from these types of intensive sessions are invaluable, bringing together new and unique points of view on a common topic that will lead to ideas for collaboration and the building of camaraderie among faculty and trainees. We will launch an annual competition within the NeuroDevNet community for brain camp concept proposals, which will be vetted by the RTC. The competitive framework will give all network members the opportunity to propose areas I which they envision HQP training is needed and will also help to avoid burnout among 1 set of organizers. The focus topics, host city, and chairs for brain camps will rotate. Successful applicants will have the full support of NeuroDevNet administrative resources, including the Training and Education Manager to plan, organize, and execute their brain camp. Our initial effort on a brain camp trainee workshop has taken form as the “2011 1st Biennial Winter Institute” in collaboration with the ART (directed by Dr Eric Fombonne). In the Winter Institute, we have developed a diverse group of sessions to explore the commonalities and comorbidities that are shared in many neurodevelopmental disorders. Faculty members from ART and NeuroDevNet, as well as invited experts, will provide stimulating content and discussions throughout the conference. The program includes a balance of lectures and discussion panels that will open opportunities for learning and networking with fellow trainees as well as expert investigators in the different fields. We have planned a variety of sessions, including Gene and Environment Interactions, Using Animal Models in Neurodevelopmental Disorder Studies, the Utility of Classification Systems in Developmental Disorder Research, Technology Use in Intervention, and Scientific and Ethical Challenges to Biomarker Identification. To ensure an effective participant-to-instructor ratio, brain camp registration will be competitive and limited to 15 to 20 individuals. Prospective participants will be required to submit an application, including their curriculum vitae and a short essay detailing why they wish to participate. The RTC selection committee will review all applications, and slots will be allocated based on a competitive model, including criteria for academic and research excellence, publication/presentation record, and educational experience (ie, MSc candidates, PhD candidates, clinical trainees, and postgraduates will be evaluated within to their own groups). Full or partial scholarships for attendance to the brain camps will be based on network affiliation, scholastic excellence, and need. Scholarships will be open to NeuroDevNet Network members with a portion of the registration spots available to those outside the network and internationally. Opening the availability to outside individuals provides for a potential recruitment tool to bring bright and active trainees to Canada and potentially into various ongoing NeuroDevNet programs.
NeuroDevNet Web-Symposia Series The NeuroDevNet Web symposia series is being developed as a monthly event in which NeuroDevNet trainees can “virtually” gather to hear presentations by experts in the field, present their own research, share their experiences from re-
D.J. Swanson and J.R. Livingston cently attended meetings, and participate in journal club discussions on topics at the cutting edge of NeuroDevNet research areas. This seminar series forms a core piece of the training curricula for the growing body of NeuroDevNet trainees. Topics of these monthly virtual gatherings are guided by well-developed research questions developed by the RTC, the NeuroDevNet Research Management Committee, and NeuroDevNet faculty. Initially, we will take advantage of the ease and simplicity of Web meeting software and teleconferencing, but as the series grows and develops, we anticipate the expansion to multisite videoconferencing for these distance learning meetings/seminars.
Trainee Forum at the Annual Scientific Conference Involving trainees at various stages of the research training process is integral to NeuroDevNet’s vision. A key venue for this is the annual scientific meeting. The diverse, multidisciplinary strengths of network investigators are put to use in developing targeted training sessions at the annual meeting focused on key topics in the neurosciences. NeuroDevNet investigators present the most recent findings of their research programs, helping expose trainees to the larger Canadian developmental neurosciences community. Throughout the conference, there are numerous opportunities, both structured and informal, for trainees to network with NeuroDevNet investigators, enabling them to develop contacts for the training exchange program or future research positions. We provide the opportunities for the trainees to exhibit their work in slide presentations and poster sessions at the annual conference, offering NeuroDevNet HQP the chance to hone their presentation skills and to receive feedback on their projects from the entire network.
Networking Workshops NeuroDevNet sponsors networking events, such as workshops, conferences and symposia, and internships and exchanges, and more informal events, such as cross-laboratory webinars. Networking events are intensive 1- to 3-day symposia or conferences offered by 3 to 6 NeuroDevNet members with special invited guests. These small group events serve to solidify network-wide collaborations or as brainstorming sessions for developing funding proposals. We have already held 2 such workshops that have focused on imaging genetics and the use of computer games as a therapeutic aid to neurodevelopmentally challenged children. The imaging genetics workshop brought together a group of researchers and trainees to exchange cutting-edge ideas and to facilitate the adoption of standard practices across the different imaging centers. In collaboration with the Graphics, Animation, and New Media (GRAND) NCE the small workshop “When Virtual Meets Reality: Advances in Game Technology, Social Networking and Digital Media” presented new opportunities for treating neurodevelopmental disorders using computerbased technology and facilitated the development of several research projects that are now cofunded by GRAND and NeuroDevNet as 2-year pilot projects.
Canadian developmental neurobiologists
Knowledge Translation Exchange and Exploitation Workshops HQP in the neurosciences require broad knowledge of multiple disciplines, including neuroethics, neuroimaging, bioinformatics, knowledge translation, technology transfer, and policy development. To equip NeuroDevNet trainees with these transdisciplinary skills, the training program is working with the knowledge translation and exploitation core to develop workshops led by network investigators and offered in locations across Canada. Emphasis will be placed on teaching HQP to think independently and creatively about research and the application of their findings to improving childhood neurobehavioral development. A key element is teaching the cycle from knowledge to discovery to application of findings, including technology transfer. This includes the careful selection of fundamental and urgent research problems, selection of feasible study experimental designs, use of appropriate analytical tools, interpretation of data, and development of ways to apply findings to influence clinical practice and public policy as well as to identify and develop products for commercialization.
Informal Seminars and Idea Exchanges Interdisciplinary training is a key element of fostering the development of HQP; members of a team always function more effectively and collaboratively when they are well versed in each other’s areas of expertise. By encouraging members of the network to teach each other and share their specific knowledge and skills, the network will be strengthened. To this end, we are facilitating informal events in which members in different sectors of the network are invited to visit each other in their work environments to compare notes, cross-train, and exchange ideas. This cross-disciplinary training ensures that HQP are fully aware of their role within the network and how they help achieve its goals and priorities, which will foster a sense of team, while imparting important information on the social and ethical implications of the network’s work.
Integration With Existing Training and Workshop Opportunities NeuroDevNet is building on established initiatives from across the country to leverage funding, reduce redundancies, and optimize training for the next generation of Canadian researchers focused on neurodevelopment. Thus, in several instances, we are partnering with ongoing programs to support trainees and workshops. These collaborations are important for the following reasons: (1) matching funds are provided for trainees allowing our HQP dollars to go twice as far to support trainees; (2) in many cases, these partners are well established and can thus act as a “network mentor” for our emerging NeuroDevNet; and (3) these partnerships allow us to develop relationships with other centers and programs that will be mutually beneficial and an opportunity to develop a common ground for further collaborations. Throughout our growth as a network, we seek to solidify the partnerships that serve the mutual needs of NeuroDevNet
15 and the other sponsoring programs. Critical to our strategic plan is for our Research and Training Program to continually develop new opportunities and partnerships. Examples of these collaborative training arrangements include the following. 1. Active partnerships with CIHR-funded STIHRs, including The Autism Research Training (ART) Program, led by Eric Fombonne, and the CCHCSP, led by Norm Rosenblum. Both of these programs have a strong track record in training researchers and clinicians, helping NeuroDevNet to broaden its reach into these areas. 2. Linking with NSERC CREATE-funded programs, such as “The Training Program in Computational Approaches to Sensorimotor Transformations for the Control of Actions,” led by Melvyn Goodale, and “The Training Program in Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience,” led by Caroline Palmer, providing opportunities for comentorships between CREATE program faculty and NeuroDevNet researchers for training students and postdoctoral fellows with a focus on neurodevelopmental disorders. 3. Working with institutions and organizations, such as the Child and Family Research Institute at the children’s and women’s Health Centre of British Columbia, the Montreal Children’S Hospital at McGill University Health Centre, and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research to cofund research fellowships for bright, young clinicians and scientists. 4. Partnering to bring together trainees and researchers for focused networking workshops with organizations, such as The Canadian Bioinformatics Workshops series, led by Francis Ouellette, and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research in Experience-based Brain and Biological development, led by Tom Boyce and Marla Sokolowski.
Responding to Needs of Receptors Research/Academia NeuroDevNet looks to play a lead role in developing HQP to fill positions in universities and academic institutions across the country. Canada is a world leader in neurosciences research, with established programs at universities across the country, including the University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Toronto, McGill University, and Dalhousie University. NeuroDevNet has built strong relationships with these institutions and will continue to partner with them on initiatives to enhance the training of network HQP. The focus of the network on developmental neurosciences will enhance this particular area of strength for the brain research community in Canada.
Industry Canada is continuing to expand its knowledge-based economy to best position itself for the 21st century, in-
D.J. Swanson and J.R. Livingston
16 cluding life sciences industries in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and biotechnology. To continue growth in this sector, Canada needs to invest in training HQP with hands-on industry experience. As highlighted in the 2008 biotechnology labor market report, currently more than a third of biotech companies are experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, and, in particular, there is a large need for practical, real-world experience (BioTalent Canada, 2008). The NeuroDevNet Training Program will address these needs by developing HQP with specialized skills and experience in applying their talents to address real-world problems. One example is the industrial internship program on which we will partner with MITACS as part of the Accelerate Program to enable trainees to get hands-on training in commercial settings.
Healthcare Policy and Delivery Health policy is one means by which change can be affected. This aspect of health care will be incorporated as part of the multidisciplinary format for our workshops and symposia. We have members on both our Scientific Advisory Board (Dr Neal Halfon) and the NeuroDevNet team who specialize in this area (eg, Drs Stuart Shanker and Clyde Hertzman) who will be strong advocates for needed health policy changes in the realm of neurodevelopment. For clinician training, we have developed important relationships with organizations like Mother, Infant, Child and Youth Research Network and CCHCSP.
Conclusions With our multifaceted training program, NeuroDevNet aspires to become an integral part of developing Canada’s next
generation of HQP in the neurosciences. Each network HQP will be trained in diverse areas fundamental to Canada’s biomedical research programs, including pediatric neurology; neurologic disorders, such as autism, cerebral palsy, and fetal alcohol syndrome; and important disciplines, such as knowledge translation, scientific communication, technology transfer, and ethics. The HQP trained by our program will undoubtedly be poised to establish future careers as independent investigators, clinician scientists, and internationally acclaimed leading-edge researchers in the neurosciences. The establishment and development of the NeuroDevNet Training Program promises to be a new stimulus to the unique and rich training environment already present in Canada as well as provide a conduit for expanding these training opportunities and practices throughout all the regions of the country.
References 1. Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Neurosciences: Mental health and Addiction Strategic Plan 2007-2011. Available at: http://www. cihr.ca/e/documents/inmha_strategic_plan_2007_e.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2011 2. Government of Canada. Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s Advantage (2007). Available at: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ic1.nsf/ vwapj/SandTstrategy.pdf/$file/SandTstrategy.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2011 3. NCE-Network Program Guide, 2010. Available at: http://www.ncerce.gc.ca/_docs/competitions/PreviousCompetitions-ConcoursAnterieurs/ NCE-RCE-2009/network_Prog_reseaux-e.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2011 4. Investing in the Future, 2008 USA, National Advisory Mental Health Council Workgroup on research training. Available at: http://www. nimh.nih.gov/about/advisory-boards-and-groups/namhc/reports/ investing-in-the-future.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2011