This application is for renewal of an existing institutional training grant that provides an opportunity for post- doctoral trainees to acquire the basic knowledge, understanding, and skills necessary to conduct independent investigation relevant to the etiology and treatment of lung diseases. The program is centered in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine but includes participating faculty in the Departments of Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Immunology, Pathology, Genetics, Pediatrics, and Pharmacology. The training program currently supports 5 postdoctoral (M.D. and/or Ph.D.) trainees annually and is requesting to increase the number of postdoctoral positions to 8. The request of 8 postdoctoral positions is based on the: 1) the outstanding candidates that are eligible for support by our research training program;2) the inability to provide support for all deserving trainees in pulmonary research;3) the successful track record of the trainees;4) the creation of a new research track in molecular and human genetics of lung disease;and 5) the success of the minority recruitment program. The director, co-director, and research track leaders of the program assume an oversight responsibility, and mentorship committees are established to follow the progress and develop the career of each of the trainees. The three major research areas available for the trainees include: Track I - Pulmonary Molecular Biology and Signaling;Track II - Pulmonary Cell Biology and Immunology;and Track III - Molecular and Human Genetics of Lung Disease. Each trainee works under the direct supervision of a specific research preceptor but is also expected to participate in a structured training program that includes didactic teaching sessions, weekly work-in-progress research seminars, invited lecturers, and Duke University course work designed to augment the academic background of trainees. The program is intended to optimally prepare trainees for academic research careers wherein they will be able to acquire and maintain independent funding in a highly competitive research environment.
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