Develop and implement undergraduate or graduate level curriculum, or a continuing education training for the existing workforce to support broader implementation of critical underpinning standards…

This $500,000 Cooperative Agreement awarded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the Science, Technology, Business and/or Education Outreach program (CFDA 11.620) aims to develop and implement undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education curriculum and training to support broader implementation of critical standards in regenerative medicine. The recipient, Standards Coordinating Body for Gene Cell & Regenerative Medicines, will create a foundational suite of online courses and hands-on training modules through its Standards Education Institute. The courses will cover prioritized regenerative medicine standards and provide ANSI-accredited stackable credentials. The training will be distributed domestically and internationally, with plans to integrate the curriculum into university programs and offer it to industry workforces. The project will assess the effectiveness of the training through course feedback and monitoring of stakeholder engagement with the standards.

Purpose

The purpose of this grant is to develop and implement undergraduate or graduate level curriculum, or a continuing education training for the existing workforce to support broader implementation of critical underpinning standards in regenerative medicine.

Activities

The project team will develop a foundational suite of courses through its standards education institute (SEI). SEI courses would consist of asynchronous modules with optional hands-on training with opportunities to for trainees to obtain ansi accredited stackable credential. Standards will be selected for course development based on their alignment with NIST scientific programs, the list of FDA cber's recognized standards list, and prioritization with the regenerative medicine community. To ensure the instructors have the appropriate technical background for teaching and developing the course curriculum, SCB will partner with the smes responsible for the development of the standard and NIST's material measurement laboratory, specifically the biosystems and biomaterials division, in the creation of future course content and development of hands-on training. Courses will be distributed domestically and internationally through a distribution agreement with isct, through the SCB webpage and outreach. The optional hands-on training modules will be developed and tested at montgomery college and the university of new hampshire as proof-of-concept for broad implementation of hands-on-training modules. Further the standards implementation course curriculum will be made available for universities to integrate IT into their existing curricula as well as to industry to be offered to their existing workforce. Assessment of training effectiveness will be assessed via course satisfaction and feedback surveys and monitoring of regenerative medicine stakeholder level of engagement with standards.

Expected outcomes

Training courses for prioritized regenerative medicine standards are available including hands-on aspects. Assessment of training course effectiveness. Training modules that are available for adoption by other institutions.

Intended beneficiaries

Regenerative medicine standards stakeholders including manufacturers/industry workforce, academia, government and regulatory bodies, professional societies, and standards development organizations.

Subrecipient activities

The recipient does not intend to subaward funds.