The proposed renewal is for a continuation of the present Multidisciplinary Training Program in Lung Disease (HL-07185), which provides training in basic and clinical sciences important to the respiratory system. The program draws on the basic and clinical research skills of the broad group of faculty at UCSF addressing questions directly relevant to lung biology and disease. The grant is to accommodate a total of thirteen postdoctoral trainees, including both MD's and PhD's. The main program is an actual research experience under the close supervision of a Preceptor and a review committee selected on the basis of the experimental approaches of the trainee. These approaches include disciplines applicable at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, whole animal, clinical, or population levels. In addition, considerable emphasis is placed on special educational opportunities that have been created to prepare individuals for a diverse range of careers in academic medicine. The educational program provides special courses, small group conferences and seminars in basic sciences, biostatistics, epidemiological study design, medical economics, and ethics of scientific conduct. Emphasis is placed on personal instruction specifically designed for individual trainees. New facilities and faculty are being added to further solidify the disciplines of modern biology, bioinformatics, and rigorous clinical research. Considerable emphasis has been placed on multidisciplinary interaction in research and training, and developing and implementing academic careers in areas of scientific need, especially in those previously underemphasized. Emerging areas of growth in our program include high- throughput genomics, microbial pathogenesis, immunology, stem cell biology, advanced microscopy, cancer biology, multi-institutional disease-specific clinical networks for research, health disparities and global lung health. An additional important area of emphasis is the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities and women in the program. The past and future success of our multidisciplinary program is predicated on a close collaboration among a widely diverse faculty, including clinical and bench-oriented scientists and translating this collaboration to a coordinated approach to research training and career development.
This application proposes to continue a highly successful training program that has trained many of the world's leaders in pulmonary biology and medicine over the past 35 years. The proposal expands our current strengths in cell biology, immunology, genetics, clinical investigation and global health and includes new faculty in emerging areas including stem cell biology, genome-wide screening, computational biology and respiratory diseases of underserved populations. Our central goal is to train the next generation of leaders who will ultimately reduce the worldwide burden of lung diseases.
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