The objective of this application is to establish an interdisciplinary pre- and postdoctoral training program in immunology and nutrition. The interdependency between the disciplines of nutrition and immunology have long been appreciated. However, the complex interaction between the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems and how they are modulated by environmental factors (nutrients, host-microbial interactions) and a variety of stressors (disease or exercise) have only recently begun to be elucidated. Importantly, it is now known that the inflammatory mechanisms are central to the pathophysiology of many chronic diseases for which diet is used in either the prevention or treatment. To design effective treatments for these debilitating diseases, it is essential that mechanisms underlying the complex interactions between nutritional status and inflammation be elucidated.Research training will be focused on the regulation of inflammation and cytokine production by environmental factors, and their subsequent effects on food intake, metabolism, and organ function. The training program will be administered by the interdisciplinary Nutritional Sciences Graduate Program. The Division of Nutritional Sciences is consistently ranked among the top nutrition graduate programs in the U.S and has 33-yr history of training research leaders in academia and industry. The Division has 53 faculty members with primary appointments in seven colleges on the Urbana-Champaign and Chicago campuses of the University of Illinois. Seven faculty members representing four departments with active research programs focused on nutrition and inflammation will provide the core for the training program. Two postdoctoral fellowships are requested for 5 years. Three predoctoral fellowships are requested for years 1-2 and four fellowships for years 3-5. Candidates with exceptional academic credentials and research training will be recruited. Underrepresented minorities and M.D./Ph.D. candidates will be specifically targeted. Research training will be complemented by coursework in nutrition, immunology, endocrinology, neuroscience, biochemistry, and molecular biology; weekly seminar series; and attendance and presentation at national and international conferences. The strong research programs of the preceptors, the outstanding reputation of the Nutritional Sciences Program and exceptional intellectual environment at the University of Illinois combine to form an ideal climate in which to train future research leaders in this unique interdisciplinary field.
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