This revised application for postdoctoral training in pulmonary research at the University of Pittsburgh includes significant changes from our previous program including: a) highly focused programs based primarily in our basic science departments; b) reduction in number of positions requested by elimination of predoctoral positions; c) implementation of a three year research program; d) reorganization of recruitment and assessment of progress in which senior members of our basic science departments participate in administration of the program; e) exclusive emphasis on molecular and cellular biology of the lung as represented by current research interests in the Departments of Pharmacology and Cell Biology and Physiology; and f) potential for participation in therapeutic applications by trainee and investigator by interactions with Pittsburgh Genetics Institute (Gene Therapy) and Drug Discovery Programs (computational chemistry; peptidomimetic and other organic synthesis). The current proposal manifests a natural evolution of research opportunities between the Division of Pulmonary Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (Dr. Robert Rogers, PI) and the Department of Pharmacology (Dr. Bruce Pitt, Co-PI), and now includes new and broadened opportunities in the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology (Dr. Raymond Frizzell). While maintaining a strong broad-based research effort in human pathophysiology (including chronic obstructive airways disease, asthma, sleep, pulmonary transplantation medicine, epidemiology of respiratory medicine), we have restructured this research training program to provide intense exposure fob a limited number of fellows in basic principles of pharmacology and cell physiology as they apply to established lung related research programs at the University of Pittsburgh. Unique aspects of this training program include a commitment for a minimum of three years in research training including introduction to research mentors during their clinical year of fellowship, placement of research trainees exclusively into basic science departments, enrolling our fellows in didactic lectures intended for PhD-trained postdoctoral fellows, and confining the laboratory opportunities to two departments to assure our ability to assess the progress of these fellows. Broadbased intra- university support in Biotechnology, Drug Discovery and Computational Chemistry (via Departments of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Human Genetics, Cell Biology and Physiology, Surgery, and Chemistry) will provide opportunities to translate basic research in pulmonary biology to therapeutic applications including gene therapy of lung and novel synthetic derivatives to affect ion channel function and oncogene activity.
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