The overall mission of the University of Cincinnati Allergy Immunology (A/I) Training Grant is to facilitate and enhance postdoctoral training of MD and MD/PhDs preparing for future academic careers as independent investigators in Allergy-Immunology under the guidance of qualified and experienced research mentors. The program directors, David I. Bernstein MD (PI) and Marc Rothenberg MD, PhD (Co-PI) have brought together 31 distinguished, NIH funded research faculty mentors from a variety of disciplines. Mentors are drawn from the University of Cincinnati Departments of Pediatrics, Environmental Health and Internal Medicine, representing two major Graduate Training Programs (Immunobiology and Epidemiology). This T32 program was established in 2004 and received its first renewal in 2009, and now seeks funding for a 3rd cycle beginning in 2014. The training period is for 2 years and trainees select either a clinical/translational or basic research track ad receive close guidance from scientific advisory committees. The clinical/ translational track requires participation in an M.S. graduate program in Epidemiology with a master's thesis whereas basic research trainees focus their efforts on novel mechanistic research in the laboratory of an NIH funded senior faculty mentor. This T32 trains two highly qualified trainees per year and 10 during this funding cycle. The majority of trainees will focus their research and training activities in one of 3 special research emphasis areas of strength, unique to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (UCCOM)/Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC): 1) Allergic gastrointestinal disorders with special emphasis on eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), food allergy and mucosal immunity; 2) Environmental origins of asthma and allergic disorders with a focus on genetic and epigenetic mechanisms; and 3) Immunodeficiency disorders and Gene Therapy. During the initial 10 years of this T32, highly qualified MD or MD/PhD candidates have been selected and trained, producing favorable outcomes in 7 of 10 past trainees that subsequently have received academic appointments and pursued research careers in our Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics or have been recruited to other institutions.
This grant application is for an Allergy Immunology Training Grant at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation and requests continued funding to train physicians in cutting edge techniques to investigate a wide variety of allergic and immunologic disorders. These bright young scientists will become the researchers of the future and advance our understanding of food allergies, environmental causes of allergic disorders including asthma, and immune deficiency disorders. The scientific achievements of these young medical scientists will likely advance future treatment of allergies.
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