What is the Cardiovascular Pathology (CVP) Training Program?

The philosophy of this training program is that there is a level of science, comparable to immunology or neurobiology, necessary to the study of all cardiovascular diseases.  That basic science, cardiovascular biology, is the purview of the Cardiovascular Pathology Training Program (CVP).  CVP represents the major support for pre- and postdoctoral basic science training in vascular biology at the University of Washington. 

The large number of investigators, (50 faculty members) in 14 departments, reflects the high level of NHLBI funding at the University of Washington.  In addition to using traditional cardiovascular labs as training sites, we place fellows in basic science laboratories where a cardiovascular disease project may only be one application of the principal investigator’s more basic interests.  These placements usually involve collaborations between senior investigators willing to co-mentor a fellow and have contributed to both our fellows’ growth and the development of interdisciplinary science within the cardiovascular community.  As a partial testimony to our interdisciplinary approach, 30 of the CVP faculty now participate in 17 large program project grants.

The cohesion of the training program comes from three sources:

1.   “Breakfast Club”, a highly successful shared seminar series required of all trainees;

2.   Several large shared program projects involving many of our trainees and faculty.  Each of these grants has participants in the Breakfast Club as well as having its own interdisciplinary meetings; and

3.   Retreats that span the scope of the program.  We are currently adding shared courses in cardiovascular disease required of both pre- and post-doctoral fellows.  As vascular biology has grown in sophistication, however, we have had more and more requests for courses, especially courses focused on specific areas that intersect with more basic disciplines, such as the genetics of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular developmental biology.

How are candidates recruited?

There is no recruitment directly into this program.  CVP predoctoral fellows begin in departments where initial support comes from departmental sources.  The students chose a CVP laboratory during their rotations.  Similarly, our postdoctoral fellows are chosen after they apply directly to CVP labs.  These postdoctoral fellows come from a wide range of disciplines.  We only accept MDs when the applicant has already demonstrated research competence.  CVP fellows achieve success at a very high rate as measured by careers in research.