Channing Division of Network Medicine Training Program in Systems Approaches to the Epidemiology, Genetics, and Genomics of Lung Diseases This training program is a competing continuation of a program funded by Institutional Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award T32 HL007427. The program, which has operated continuously for the past 41 years, focuses on chronic respiratory diseases that are major public health problems, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Asthma and COPD are linked with early childhood factors, including gender, diet, allergen exposure, and cigarette smoke exposure, as well as with genetic susceptibility; these factors influence disease expression throughout life. Based on our current knowledge of complex traits, there is a critical need for individuals trained in the application of systems approaches to epidemiology, genetics, and genomics to perform quantitative research in respiratory biology. This program is instrumental in meeting this need, successfully training independent research investigators who go on to lead their own research programs across the U.S. and Canada. The program provides research training in seven areas: systems genetics; systems biology and network modeling; transcriptomics; functional genetics; emerging Omics; epigenomics; and systems epidemiology. Six postdoctoral and two predoctoral training positions are requested in this proposal, with a typical appointment duration of three years. The trainees interact with a pool of 33 faculty members in the seven interrelated research areas. Each trainee will have the opportunity to become involved in the design, execution, and analysis of ongoing federally funded research projects as well as develop an independent career path. Trainees' research is conducted at the Channing Division of Network Medicine, a research division of the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS). Predoctoral trainees work toward a Ph.D. in network science or biostatistics or an Sc.D. in epidemiology. Postdoctoral trainees undertake didactic classroom work leading to a master of science (M.S.) in epidemiology or a master of public health (M.P.H.) degree at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) or a Master of Science (M.M.Sc.) degree in bioinformatics at Harvard Medical School. After completing our program, trainees will be eligible to assume faculty positions in systems biology/biostatistics or genetics/genomics. Trainees benefit from a close relationship with the Department of Biostatistics at HSPH and the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. In the past 15 years, we have had 100% retention of T32 trainees in faculty positions, with >90% of those graduates still active in medical research.
Channing Division of Network Medicine Training Program in Systems Approaches to the Epidemiology, Genetics, and Genomics of Lung Diseases Providing appropriate training in the application of the latest quantitative data analysis methods to understand the genetic and environmental causes of major lung diseases will be essential for the next generation of leaders in respiratory population-based research. This T32 program will build on a successful track record of training with both formal didactic education and mentored research experiences. The medical researchers trained in this program have made, and will continue to make, important contributions to our understanding of asthma and COPD that will ultimately lead to more effective treatment for these diseases.
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