The renewal of the Training Program in Mechanisms of Vascular Disease will focus the considerable strengths and diversity of multi- departmental research in vascular biology at Vanderbilt University and Meharry Medical College into a coherent framework for specialized training. Participating departments include Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Cell Biology, Microbiology & Immunology, Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Pathology, Pharmacology, Chemistry and two clinical departments (Medicine and Pediatrics) at Vanderbilt, and Microbiology at Meharry. Training will be offered in seven specialized areas of research: (1) Protein chemistry and enzymology; (2) Growth factor regulation/development; (3) Biology of the extracellular matrix; (4) Endothelial cell biology; (5) Lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerosis; (6) Cardiovascular regulation, and (7) Leukocyte/red cell biology. Each program will be composed of 4-7 investigators actively pursuing research on related aspects of vascular biology. The program will support stipends for 8 predoctoral, 6 postdoctoral (M.D. and/or Ph.D.). Predoctoral training will lead to a degree in one of the basic science disciplines and will be enhanced by the central program for graduate student recruitment and the core curriculum currently in effect in the School of Medicine with participation by the Department of Molecular Biology. Thesis research will bone in one of the specialized areas related to vascular biology with one of the faculty of this program. Postdoctoral training will consist primarily of laboratory research under the guidance of a faculty supervisor. Both predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees will be required to participate in the course, Cellular and Molecular Basis of Vascular Disease, taught by the participating faculty, and other courses depending on the background of the candidate. Trainees will also attend and participate in the Vascular Biology and Work-in-Progress Seminars and selected departmental research seminars. Trainees with an M.D. degree may seek a Ph.D. degree in one of the basic science disciplines. It is expected that the trainee will the future pursue teaching and research careers in some area of vascular biology. Training facilities include 5 adjacent research buildings at Vanderbilt and the Department of Microbiology at Meharry which house the research laboratories of the preceptors. Ample space and state-of-the- art instrumentation are available in the laboratories of the participating faculty. Multi-disciplinary research training of future research scientists in this area is expected to be critical to discovering the new information that will lead to improved diagnosis, prevention and therapy for cardiovascular diseases.
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