The area of medicine that I currently find most intriguing is organ transplantation. I believe that this domain is perfectly amenable to translational research, as conclusions gained through experimentation are useful in subsequent clinical trials. Though organ transplantation is seemingly a distinctly clinical act, experimentation on the processes of rejection and tolerance ask very basic scientific questions. Investigations within this area attempt to elucidate the fundamental immunologic mechanisms of T cell activation and duplication in relation to organ rejection. Thus, though transplantation is of immense intricacy clinically, it is studied on a very basic scientific level. I believe that this generates an inherent appeal in the MD/Ph.D. candidate. I desire an area of medicine which is both complex and fascinating clinically, yet requires examination of fundamental concepts of human existence (i.e. regulation of cell division) scientifically. Such a duality is unique to only a few medical subspecialties, one of which is transplantation.
