The Candidate is a board certified Anatomic Pathologist and Neuropathologist with extensive experience in generating and studying genetically-modified mice to model disease pathogenesis and basic biological mechanisms. Dr. Tourtellotte's independent research program focuses on immediate early gene regulation in neurodevelopment and behavior, and it serves as a training program for undergraduate, predoctoral and postdoctoral students in mouse pathobiology research at Northwestern University. Specifically, Dr. Tourtellotte's research program focuses on: (1) molecular mechanisms mediating nerve-muscle interactions, (2) autonomic nervous system development and dysfunction and (3) the mechanisms of IKBKAP gene function in human familial dysautonomia. Dr. Tourtellotte also serves as a mentor to clinical pathology residents and fellows, many of whom are engaged in research projects that use murine pathobiology to model mechanisms of human disease. Dr. Tourtellotte is proposing to expand his mentoring role by helping to enhance the mouse pathobiology training and research infrastructure at Northwestern University. Through his leadership of the Transgenic and Targeted Mutagenesis Laboratory and the Mouse Phenotyping Core Laboratory at Northwestern University, he is proposing to enhance the training and service in mouse pathobiology research that is available to both junior and senior investigators who wish to use and/or develop mouse models for their own independent research programs. Dr. Tourtellotte is seeking career development support to enable him to decrease his clinical service commitment and focus his efforts on mouse pathobiology research and training. Specifically, he will continue to strengthen his independent research and training program and enhance mouse pathobiology related core laboratory resources and training programs at Northwestern University. The latter efforts will enable him to maximize his influence as a mentor to a future generation of mouse pathobiologists beyond the relatively small number of trainees he currently mentors in his independent research program.
(provided by applicant): Mouse pathobiology has become important for modern biomedical research because mice can be genetically manipulated with relative ease. Genetically modified mice serve as experimental model systems for studying disease mechanisms and for formulating therapies. The PI seeks support to train mouse pathobiologists who will be able to generate and manipulate mouse genetic models in their research programs.
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