The purpose of the Program is to train scientists to conduct independent research related to the rheumatic diseases. The Program is centered in the Division of Rheumatology of the Department of Medicine (6000 square feet of laboratory space), and it is directed by Dr. Robert Eisenberg, Chief, Division of Rheumatology. It is administered by the Director and a Training Committee, consisting of the full time faculty of the Division, who together decide issues of recruitment, evaluation, guidance and training requirements. Support is requested for four post-doctoral fellows and two predoctoral trainees. Post-doctoral trainees will preferentially be drawn from individuals completing their Internal Medicine or Pediatrics residency, who apply for Rheumatology training, and who are clearly committed to a career biomedical research. Such individuals will be supported by institutional funds for an intense year of clinical Rheumatology, and then will move onto the training grant for 2-3 years of laboratory experience. Post-doctoral M.Ds who have completed their clinical subspecialty training or PhDs may also be directly recruited into preceptors' laboratories. Predoctoral trainees will be draw from the Immunology Graduate Program. Selection of candidates will be based on their proven commitment to research, their academic record, the quality of their past training, and letters of recommendation Trainees will linked by mutual consensus with individual preceptors, who will be largely responsible for guiding and supporting their research. Additional training will come from formal course work, weekly research and journal club conferences and the Immunology seminar series. Fellows will be encouraged and assisted in applying for supplemental funding to support further protected training beyond the time afforded by the T32. Clinical fellows on the training grant will have no mob than 10% of their time devoted to clinical care. The major areas of research training include immunology/molecular biology (Eisenberg, Erikson, Greene. Heber-Katz. Kieber-Emmons. Levinson, Madaio, Maul, Nowell, Schreiber, Silberstein, Weiner, Williams), cell biology/biochemistry (Douglas. Gaulton, Mellins, Monroe, SantoIi, Schumacher, Trinchieri), clinical research (Athreya, Callegari, Keenan, Schumacher, Von Feldt) and epidemiology (Grisso, Schwartz and Strom). The Division of Rheumatology is in an exciting growth phase with the recent addition of a new Chief, the potential to recruit 2- 3 more physician-scientists, and the assignment to new research space. This new energy will combine with the existing academic and clinical strengths at the University of Pennsylvania, to afford a Rheumatology training program of exceptional breadth and depth.
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