The Child Health Research Center Program at Yale University School of Medicine is designed to provide intensive basic research experience necessary to prepare young pediatric faculty for productive and independent careers in biomedical research and academic pediatrics. The theme of this proposal, Developmental Adaptation, has unique relevance to pediatrics. It encompasses normal developmental biology as well as the adaptation of the fetus and child to insults occurring during onto genesis. The multidisciplinary nature of the program -- drawing from the experience of established scientists in the Department of Pediatrics, Biology, Cell Biology, Immunobiology , Genetics, and Cellular and Molecular Physiology -- has evolved from the common interests, frequent interactions, past training of pediatric scientists, and several areas of ongoing collaborative research of the faculty. The program will continue to provide flexible basic research experience for young pediatric scientists through collegial interaction with Center faculty through start-up funding as provided by the Center's New Project Development Awards and through the Center's Molecular Biology Core Laboratory The selection of new project development awardees will be highly competitive and only those individuals with exceptional credentials or potential will be accepted by the Program Executive Committee. There is a recognition that the quality of the research environment will ultimately define the continued success of the program. Laboratories of the Center faculty in the Department of Pediatrics and in the basic science departments will serve as sites for faculty research development. The Molecular Biology Core Laboratory will emphasize the application of molecular techniques to the problems of developmental biology and pathobiology. The Core Laboratory combined with the laboratory resources of the Center faculty will complement and extend the capabilities of the Center to foster the career development of new investigators. The enrichment programs of the Center including regular research seminars and periodic laboratory workshops will also promote interactions among young investigators and Center faculty. Overall , the Center program is enhanced by centralization of laboratory facilities and faculty, the existing interactions amongst research programs within the institution, the many Core laboratory resources which are readily available to researchers, and a recruitment base of highly qualified applicants already attracted to the excellence of the Yale clinical departments and basic sciences.
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