Investigator Track

Overview

The investigator track of our fellowship program aims to prepare the next generation of leaders in research in digestive and liver diseases. The program offers up to three years of protected research training time supported by an NIH-sponsored T32 training grant. Most trainees are physicians pursuing parallel clinical training in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, which is typically accomplished with a combined curriculum of four years (1.5 years of clinical rotations and 2.5 years of research training).

Positions are also available for post-doctoral Ph.D. trainees. The research opportunities offered through this track include basic research training as well as translational and clinical research in fields of relevance to digestive and liver diseases. Positions are offered to applicants with exceptional potential and clear commitment to academia.

NIH regulations governing the T32 training grant only allow U.S. citizens or permanent residents to participate.

Research Training Environment

UT Southwestern Medical Center is a premier research institution, ranked among the top research universities in the United States. The excellence in research at UT Southwestern is reflected in the achievements of its distinguished faculty.

With more than $167 million in NIH funding, the Medical School ranked 22nd in 2009 among peer institutions in terms of overall funding from NIH, with the department of Internal Medicine contributing more than $40 million. The Division of Digestive & Liver Diseases itself includes 11 NIH-funded investigators and many others with active industry-funded and other clinical research.

This academic excellence provides ample opportunities to identify appropriate mentors for fellows on the research track. Trainees pursuing an academic career in clinical research are also supported to pursue formal training in clinical research through the Department of Clinical Sciences, which offers a Masters Program in Clinical Sciences.

Training Curriculum

Physicians that enter the research track as part of their clinical fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology typically devote their first year to clinical training through inpatient rotations at our three affiliated hospitals, as well as training in the outpatient setting through a weekly continuity clinic. During this time, trainees are assisted in identifying the appropriate research mentor and in formulating a proper career plan. At the end of the first year, the program offers two and a half years of protected research time, followed by six additional months of clinical rotations in the last year of fellowship, pursuant to the 18-month clinical training requirement of our ACGME-accredited program.

Three years of work in the outpatient continuity clinic are also required. Our clinical research trainees in this track have the opportunity to train and develop clinical programs directly relevant to their research interests during their allotted protected research time. Funding is available to cover the costs of travel to relevant national meetings, as well tuition pursuant of a Masters in Clinical Sciences.

All trainees participate in our weekly Seminar Series in Digestive and Liver Diseases and present their work in the Fellowship Research Forum Conference. A rich offering of seminars is available across our campus that may be of specific relevance to individual trainees and their projects. Scientists working in the laboratories of faculty supported by this program participate in these activities and in other training at the direction of their research mentors.

Obligations under the T32 Training Grant

Participation in the T32 training grant is reserved for trainees who will pursue an academic career centered on research. During their research training, individuals enrolled in this program will receive a stipend that is covered by our NIH-T32 training grant. The stipend is typically greater than that for clinical track trainees. Pursuant to NIH guidelines, this benefit incurs a payback obligation of one year of the received stipend; trainees that go on to pursue an academic career are exempt of this obligation.

Application Process

Applicants interested in the research track fellowship program should indicate so in their ERAS application and in their personal statement. Competitive applicants will be contacted to arrange an interview date. Interested applicants are encouraged to identify investigators and potential mentors in the Medical School that they might have an interest in meeting during their interview date.

Slots for Ph.D. scientists pursuing post-doctoral training are offered on an annual basis through an internal competition process or through external recruitment when appropriate. Applicants are encouraged to email Ezra Burstein, M.D., at ezra.burstein@utsouthwestern.edu, or John Dietschy, M.D., at john.dietschy@utsouthwestern.edu, with specific questions about the program.

Participating Faculty

Vincent Aguirre M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine - Digestive and Liver Diseases

John Abrams, Ph.D.
Professor, Cell Biology

Jeffrey Browning, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine - Digestive and Liver Diseases, Advanced Imaging Research Center

Michael Brown, M.D.
Professor, Molecular Genetics, Internal Medicine

Ezra Burstein, M.D.
Associate Professor, Internal Medicine–Digestive and Liver Diseases, Molecular Biology

Zhijain "James" Chen, Ph.D.
Professor, Molecular Biology

John Dietschy, M.D.
Professor, Internal Medicine–Digestive and Liver Diseases

Joel Elmquist, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Professor, Internal Medicine–Hypothalamic Research–Division Chief, Psychiatry and Pharmacology

Yonas Getachew M.D.
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine–Digestive and Liver Diseases

Joseph Goldstein, M.D.
Professor, Molecular Genetics–Chairman, Internal Medicine

Samir Gupta, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine–Digestive and Liver Diseases, Clinical Sciences

Helen Hobbs, M.D.
Professor, Internal Medicine–Clinical Genetics, Molecular Gentetics, The Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development–Director

Lora Hooper, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Immunology, Microbiology

Jay Horton, M.D.
Professor, Internal Medicine–Digestive and Liver Diseases, Molecular Genetics

Steven Kliewer, Ph.D.
Professor, Molecular Biology, Pharmacology

William Lee, M.D.
Professor, Internal Medicine–Digestive and Liver Diseases

Beth Levine, M.D.
Professor, Internal Medicine–Infectious Diseases, Center for Autophagy Research–Director, Microbiology

Benny Liu, M.D.
Assistant Instructor, Internal Medicine–Digestive and Liver Diseases

Raymond MacDonald, Ph.D.
Professor, Molecular Biololgy

Craig Malloy, M.D.
Professor, Advanced Imaging Research Center, Internal Medicine–Cardiology, Radiology

David Mangelsdorf, Ph.D.
Professor, Pharmacology, Biochemistry

Kim Orth, Ph.D.
Professor, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry

Joyce Repa, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Physiology, Internal Medicine–Endocrinology

Don Rockey, M.D.
Professor, Internal Medicine–Digestive and Liver Diseases–Division Chief

Andres Roig, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine–Digestive and Liver Diseases

David Russell, Ph.D.
Professor, Molecular Genetics, Vice Provost and Dean for Basic Research

Philipp Scherer, Ph.D.
Professor, Internal Medicine–Touchstone Diabetes Center–Division Chief, Cell Biology

Jerry Shay, Ph.D.
Professor, Cell Biology

Rhonda Souza, M.D.
Professor, Internal Medicine–Digestive and Liver Diseases

Stuart Spechler, M.D.
Professor, Internal Medicine–Digestive and Liver Diseases

Vanessa Sperandio, Ph.D.
Professor, Microbiology, Biochemistry

Stephen Turley, Ph.D.
Professor, Internal Medicine–Digestive and Liver Diseases

Edward "Ward" Wakeland, Ph.D.
Professor and Chairman, Immunology