This is a competing renewal application for continuation of the Univ of Chicago Research Training Program in Respiratory Biology. The objective of this Program is to prepare young scientists to pursue research careers addressing mechanisms and treatment of human disease, with focus on respiratory pathobiology. The training faculty are 26 well established scientists of diverse backgrounds from 9 departments at Univ of Chicago, Univ of Illinois, and Northwestern Univ: The cohesiveness of this interdisciplinary Program stems from the highly collaborative nature of these faculty, who are drawn together by common programmatic interest in 2 areas of research concentration: Airway Biology, and Oxygen Deprivation/Critical Care. Studies in Airway Biology focus on airway inflammation, airway smooth muscle and epithelial structure and function, B-cell and T-cell activation, and asthma genetics. Studies of Oxygen Deprivation/ Critical Care address subcellular determinants of oxygen sensing and consumption, cellular responses to hypoxia, cell homeostasis, membrane biology, ischemic injury, and extensions in critically ill patients and in patients with cardiopulmonary arrest. A broad range of approaches taken in each research concentration includes transgenic and gene transfer models in vivo, experimental manipulation of isolated or cultured cells, genetic mapping, genomics and proteomics, and clinical physiology. Ample research funding from NIH and other agencies is in place to support these studies. The Program Director is Julian Solway, MD, Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics. Assistance with day-to-day oversight is provided by 2 senior faculty members (Drs. Alan Leff and Paul Schumacker), and by Dr. Anne Sperling, Asst Director for Mentorship (Dr. Anne Sperling). An Executive Committee comprised of senior scientists (outside the Training Faculty) will meet yearly to provide external oversight, and an Admissions Committee comprised of senior Training Faculty members will meet quarterly to provide regular Program and trainee review. Funding is requested for 10 post-doctoral and 4 pre-doctoral trainees. PhD and MD post-doctoral trainees will be enrolled in approximately equal numbers and will be trained together. All fellows perform full-time research for at least 2 years, and MD fellows will not receive clinical training while supported by this Training Grant. Pre-doctoral candidates are drawn from the graduate and MSTP programs of the Univ of Chicago. The Training Program includes 4 components: The Research Project is an in-depth, hands-on research training experience performed under the direct supervision of training faculty mentors. The Core Curriculum of formal teaching sessions includes Research in Progress Seminars, an Advanced Respiratory Pathophysiology course, a Seminar Series run by the Committee on Molecular Medicine, and a Responsible Conduct of Research program; additional formal course work is tailored for each trainee. Learning of Survival Skills (Scientific Communication, Grant Writing, and Mentoring) comprises the third component, and exposure to Multidisciplinary Research is the fourth. Prior trainees from this program have developed successful independent research careers in large proportion. Refinements presented here should further enhance the likelihood for success of future trainees.
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