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Vanderbilt University General Clinical Research Center. So you want to be a clinical investigator. David Robertson. Kinds of Clinical Research. Human gene function Human cell function Clinical pathophysiology Clinical pharmacology (therapeutics) Clinical trials Outcomes Epidemiology.
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So you want to be a clinical investigator David Robertson
Kinds of Clinical Research • Human gene function • Human cell function • Clinical pathophysiology • Clinical pharmacology (therapeutics) • Clinical trials • Outcomes • Epidemiology
Patient Oriented Research • Human gene function • Human cell function • Clinical pathophysiology • Clinical pharmacology (therapeutics) • Clinical trials • Outcomes
Interdependency • Preclinical (Bench) Research • Reductionist • Clinical Research • Integrative • The interdependency is now absolute • Bench research is the lingua franca • Epidemiology
Aphorisms • You have to take care of yourself • Enjoy writing grant proposals • Select a mentor who is successful and who fights for proteges • Help your mentor succeed; you may get his/her job • Never do something that might be wrong: in research there may be no second chance; in clinical research there is usually no second chance
CLINICAL RESEARCH: OLD PARADIGM PHENOTYPE PHYSIOME/ INTERMEDIATE PHENOTYPE PROTEOME GENOME
Intermediate Phenotype(Physiome or Phenome) • Physiology Visualization (PET, fMRI,…) • Physiological Assay (BME instruments) • Analytical Assay (chemical, proteome)
Homogeneity Norm Phenotype-Driven Aim: Intermediate Phenotype Few Patients Relatively Data-Poor Hypertension High Blood Pressure Plasma Renin Activity Levels Maybe 6-20 Simple Statistics Patient-Oriented Research:The Old Paradigm
CLINICAL RESEARCH: NEW PARADIGM PHENOTYPE PHYSIOME/ INTERMEDIATE PHENOTYPE PROTEOME GENOME
Heterogeneity Intermediate Phenotype-Driven Aim: Genotype Many Patients Relatively Data-Rich Non-Modulators RBF Angiotensin Dependence Polymorphism Familial Subgroups Complex Statistics Patient-Oriented Research:The New Paradigm
CLINICAL RESEARCH: NEXT PARADIGM PHENOTYPE ENVIRONOME PHYSIOME/ INTERMEDIATE PHENOTYPE PROTEOME GENOME
Be a great physician • Study your patients • Study your books • Study your journals • Study OMIM + links
Study your patients • 2000 patients during residency • Listen to your patients’ observations • Master each H&P finding • Rationalize each lab abnormality • Maintain access to all 2000 H&Ps and summaries: they are your magnum opus • Reexamine them each decade
Maintain a targeted practice • Focus on one lifetime clinical area • Choose that area with care • Limit your practice to that area * • Limit your practice to 10% effort * • Manage all aspects of their care • Look for heterogeneity • Think laterally about your patients * may be difficult to do in 2003
Guides for Master Clinicians • P. A. Tumulty: The Effective Clinician • D. W. Cathell: The Physician Himself • J. M. Orient: Sapira’s Art and Science of Bedside Diagnosis
Develop Good Habits • Make your tasks educational • Be competent; know your methodology • Remember that a scientific career is a pleasure but also a business
Career Advice: The Far Side • C. J. Sindermann, Winning the Games Scientists Play (Cambridge: Perseus) 2nd edition. 2001 • Richard J. Johns, How to Swim with Sharks, Trans Assoc Am Physicians. 1975; 88: 44-54.
Periodicals for Master Clinicians • New England Journal of Medicine • Journal of Clinical Investigation • Nature, Science, Cell • The New York Times • Consider The National Enquirer
At any given moment, have … • 6 projects in planning • 4 projects in process • 2 projects in press ….Victor A. McKusick, Advice to Housemen, 1964
Education • Medical Scientist Training Program • Clinical Scholars Training Program • Master’s in Clinical Investigation • Genetics • Human Physiology • Biostatistics and Study Design • Bioinformatics
Professional Organizations • Association of American Physicians (AAP) • American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) • American Federation for Medical Research (AFMR) • Association for Patient-Oriented Research (APOR)
Practicing Clinical Research • Be a clear thinker • Hypothesis-testing is the liturgy of POR • Understand “biomarkers”
Biomarker • Diagnostic Tool • Indicator of Disease • Disease Staging Tool • Tool to Monitor Intervention
Clinical Endpoint A variable that reflects how a patient feels, functions, or survives.
Surrogate Endpoint A Biomarker intended to substitute for a clinical endpoint
The Perfect Surrogate THERAPY SURROGATE CLINICAL ENDPOINT
Inpatient Facilities • Room and board • Specialized equipment • Nursing support • Nutritional planning/analysis • Patient recruitment assistance
Outpatient Facilities • Examining rooms • Physiological laboratories • Specialized equipment • Nursing support • Patient recruitment assistance
General GCRC Services • Nursing support • Nutritional manipulation • Core laboratory tests • Study subject recruitment • Patient ancillary tests • Chemistry • Imaging
Nutrition Services to Investigators • planning/calculating research diets • assessing dietary intake • inpatient • metabolic diets • outpatient • dietary recalls • dietary records • food frequency questionnaires • analyzing dietary information • monitoring compliance
Core Laboratory • DNA isolation • Energy balance • Mass spectrometry • Biochemical tests • Sleep studies/EEG
Informatics/Computing • Data management services • Biomedical engineering support • BP; oximetry; sleep; hyperemia, etc. • Statistical software • Data storage • Presentation hardware
GCRC • The GCRC must not be the Jurassic Park of the Biomedical Research Archipelago • APOR: average age 46 years • SFN: average age 32 years
So you want to be a clinical investigator Patients Physiology Genetics Mice
Biological Marker (Biomarker) • Objectively measured characteristic: • A normal biologic process • A pathogenic process • Response to intervention
LANDSCAPE OF PATIENT-ORIENTED RESEARCH PHENOTYPE ENVIRONOME INTERMEDIATE PHENOTYPE PROTEOME GENOME
Patient-Oriented Research:The Old Paradigm • Phenotype-Driven • Aim: Intermediate Phenotype • Relatively Data-Poor
Genome and Environome:New POR Paradigm Phenotype Environome Intermediate Phenotype Genome
Genome and Environome:Old POR Paradigm Phenotype Environome Intermediate Phenotype Genome
Patient-Oriented Research Patient/Physician In the Same Room At the Same Time And Both Are Alive
Biological Marker (Biomarker) • Objectively measured characteristic: • A normal biologic process • A pathogenic process • Response to intervention
LANDSCAPE OF PATIENT-ORIENTED RESEARCH PHENOTYPE ENVIRONOME INTERMEDIATE PHENOTYPE PROTEOME GENOME
Patient-Oriented Research:The Old Paradigm • Phenotype-Driven • Aim: Intermediate Phenotype • Relatively Data-Poor