The objective of this COBRE application is to mentor a group of outstanding new investigators within the multidisciplinary and interdepartmental effort in cardiovascular biology. This effort is one pillar of a broad institutional initiative to develop our Center of Excellence in Cardiovascular Research. The first group of mentored scientists were just recruited to LSU Health Sciences Center and their projects are centered around vascular biology and cell signaling: 1) PARP-1 and oxidant stress in the vasculature; 2) Gene transfer, oxidant stress and diabetic vascular disease; 3) Integration of growth factor and integrin signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells; and 4) ER to Golgi trafficking of signaling proteins in cardiac myocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells. These programs bring together a number of scientists with unique perspectives and talents. The mentors are outstanding scientists with established and complementary research programs, a history of funding success for their various research programs, and long-standing records of mentoring. The initiative is supported by core facilities: Cell and Molecular, Cardiac and Vascular Function, and Histology. The second group of mentored scientists will enter the program in years 3 and 4 as part of a growth plan for recruitment in the Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology along with the Cardiovascular Research Center. It is anticipated that a minimum of nine mentored investigators will matriculate through the program. LSU-HSC has made a substantial investment in this initiative with the recruitment of new Heads of Pharmacology and Physiology, which serve as the Director and Co-Director of this proposal. The integrated partnerships that drive this program will be the key to its success and offer unique opportunities for synergistic growth, high quality mentoring and the original discovery. This mentoring program will increase the funded faculty base for research in cardiovascular biology and provide a platform for advances that will significantly impact our understanding of cardiovascular diseases and provide new avenues for therapeutic management of these diseases.
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