Grant: Training Grant

We propose a training program in Reproduction, Early Development, and the Impact on Health (REDIH). REDIH will be a collaborative training program across institutions in Quebec and Ontario, with mentors who are basic biomedical, clinical, population health, education, and ethics researchers. A main focus will be on very early development and how perturbations during gametogenesis, embryogenesis, and fetal development affect both health during development and the long-term health of offspring. A key emphasis will be on infertility and assisted reproduction technologies (ART), widely used in treating human infertility, and the effectiveness and safety of emerging technologies. The objective of REDIH will be to provide increased opportunities for excellent training in reproduction and early development for graduate students and fellows, to build research, clinical, regulatory, decision-making, and industry capacity in Canada. REDIH builds on three successful, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research networks that have been funded by CIHR Strategic Initiative program grants. Considerable added value will be provided by cross-program training modules in ethical/legal/social issues, training in knowledge translation including using a 360-degree model incorporating end users as well as teaching by recognized KT experts, semi-annual group meetings with a broad range of training modules, off-site workshops, and training opportunities provided in research groups outside that of the trainee's mentor and in clinical settings. An expertly-designed evaluation strategy will be embedded in REDIH. Canada has considerable, internationally-recognized expertise in this area of research, but needs additional capacity. Therefore, a cross-disciplinary training program such as REDIH, encompassing a wide range of methodologies including basic biomedical, clinical, population health, and ethical, legal and social science research, is needed.