Visiting Trainee Program: Hematology Professionals Gaining Practical Experience

December 9, 2007 – Since 2004, ASH has supported hematologists and medical professionals from developing countries who seek clinical laboratory or technological training through its Visiting Trainee Program. Although this is not a formal training program, it is intended to allow hematology professionals to gain educational and practical experience on a specific topic for up to 12 weeks at a host institution. During this period it is expected that participants will gain new knowledge and skills that can be applied upon return to their home institutions.

The Visiting Trainee Program targets hematologists and scientists in developing countries at any level in their careers. Past participants have included a professor of medical oncology from India, hematology trainees from Peru and China, a post-doctoral fellow from Argentina, a head of a clinical laboratory from Bulgaria, and a junior consultant to a hematology department in Nepal.

Over the past three years, 11 participants have been funded through the Visiting Trainee Program―with the greatest number of grants being issued in 2006. Dr. Jennifer Castaneda was among the six individuals participating between August 1, 2006, and July 31, 2007.

Dr. Castaneda works in the cytogenetics unit of the Department of Genetics and Pathomorphology of the Pomeranian Medical University in Poland. As an applicant, she sought experience in the use of cytogenetics (including FISH analyses) as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in pediatric leukemia. She also wanted to observe the study of gene therapy profiles in childhood leukemia patients by molecular methods such as mircoarray analysis, which was not being done in her laboratory.

Under the direction of Dr. Susana Raimondi at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, Dr. Castaneda accomplished her training goals and reported acquiring "new knowledge beyond the planned program." Specifically, she was able to observe the laboratory’s procedure for bone marrow and peripheral blood harvest and collection as well as conventional and FISH cytogenetics, from which she noted differences that could be taken into account for possible modifications in her home laboratory. She attended lectures and seminars on modifiers in genetic diseases and treatment trends and participated in teleconferences on FISH-probe validation and genetic tests.

Drs. Castaneda and Raimondi spoke favorably of the training experience and recommend participation in the Visiting Trainee Program as a way to encourage research opportunities in hematology and benefit patients throughout the world.

Many positive comments have been received from previous participants and host institution representatives including the following:

• Provides a valuable foundation for upcoming scientists and students from developing countries to learn new and advanced approaches to science and research
• Prepares scientists for the enormous challenges faced in disease endemic areas of the world
• Establishes relationships that transcend the location and duration of the training experience
• Affords participants a broad array of training opportunities, that may include laboratory techniques, making presentations, preparing manuscripts and abstracts, and doing statistical analyses
• Fosters collaboration and leadership development
• Encourages technological experience exchange and exposure to research in modern labs

For more information, please see the Visiting Trainee Program page on the ASH Web site.

This article originally appeared in the December 9, 2007, issue of ASH News Daily.