2019 Postdocs Enter T32 Research Training Program

May 8, 2019

The Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine has enrolled two new post-doctoral trainees into its two-year T32 Research Training Program in Cardiovascular Surgery. Program Director and Chair of Surgery Dr. Todd K. Rosengart, co-directors Dr. Scott A. LeMaire, vice-chair for research, and Dr. Barbara W. Trautner, director of clinical research in the Department of Surgery, lead the program.

Christopher T. Ryan, M.D., graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arkansas with a B.S. in Biology before earning his M.D. from Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Ryan then completed two years of General Surgery Residency training at Baylor during which time he published articles and book chapters on cardiac disease. Dr. Ryan will enter the Basic and Translational Research Track, and under the mentorship of Dr. Rosengart, will investigate genetic reprogramming for cardiac regeneration.

Gu Eon Kang, Ph.D., is originally from Seoul Korea, where he earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Korea University. Dr. Kang completed two master’s degrees in the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, and a Ph.D. in the Department of Movement Science at the University of Michigan. Near the conclusion of his Ph.D. work, he joined the Interdisciplinary Consortium on Advanced Motion Performance (iCAMP) at Baylor. Dr. Kang will enter the Bioengineering and Biodesign Track, and under the mentorship of Dr. Bijan Najafi, professor of surgery and director of clinical research in the Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, will investigate the effects of game-based and personalized exercise as the first line of treatment for people with intermittent claudication of the lower extremities.

The T32 Research Training Program in Cardiovascular Surgery capitalizes on the diverse, multi-institutional environment of the Texas Medical Center (TMC) — the world’s largest medical center — and the high caliber mentoring faculty at Baylor College of Medicine, the TMC Innovation Institute, Rice University, and the University of Houston.

Postdoctoral M.D. and Ph.D. trainees accepted into the program engage in a mentored research project complemented by a set of core program activities, team science training, and responsible conduct of research training. The program is organized into three training tracks:

The Basic and Translational Research Track involves training in laboratory-based research focused on understanding and addressing cardiovascular diseases.

The Bioengineering and Biodesign Track involves training in developing medical devices or digital tools within a multidisciplinary team, with an option for certification through the Texas Medical Center Biodesign Fellowship Program.

The Clinical and Outcomes Research Track emphasizes developing skills in health services research or in conducting clinical trials with the ability to improve healthcare outcomes in cardiovascular disease. Trainees in this track may enter the UTHealth School of Public Health's program for a master's degree, or they may join Baylor's Clinical Scientist Training Program and complete a degree in clinical investigation.