CATER training program provides a solid foundation in the discipline of Regenerative Medicine (RM) to eventually build a productive independent career in cell and tissue-based therapy for human disease and injury. This goal is accomplished via a highly coordinated and mentored interdisciplinary training program with a combination of required and elective courses, research activities, and specialized training opportunities shown in the graphic. CATER program incorporates faculty from the School of Engineering, School of Medicine and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, to provide a unique educational and research experience at the leading edge of science with respect to cellular and tissue regeneration and engineering. This combination of training faculty research interests and coursework provide a rich educational experience and more numerous training opportunities for the students than could be obtained within the individual university departments.
Instruction in RM involves opportunities to train in medical devices, cell-based therapies or biomaterials and tissue engineering as a broad focus. Within these, the emphasized concepts include traditional areas like organogenesis, biomaterials, stem cells, ECM & translation but also include timely adoption of 3D printing, cell production for therapies, gene editing, organoids, tumorigenesis and immune responses. Not only are these topics covered and available through CATER mentors residing in departments/disciplines like bioengineering, synthetic biology, cell biology, developmental biology, pathology and surgery, but also have been expanded to systems biology, oncology and immunology highlighting departmental diversity. The knowledge communication in these areas, based on trainee’s goals, is enabled by mentor’s research lab, didactic courses, CATER seminars and internships.
Applications for the CATER Program are now being accepted. All application materials are due to Amanda Bytzura at bytzuraam@upmc.edu by July 10, 2019.
