The pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases is complex. Yet the number of investigators trained to deal with whole organism diseases is decreasing. Accordingly, we propose to train scientists capable of implementing integrated approaches combining """"""""cellular"""""""", """"""""whole animal"""""""" and """"""""human"""""""" systems. This is only possible through multidisciplinary collaborations that should begin during predoctoral training. We have therefore developed an interdisciplinary program for predoctoral training in Integrative Vascular Biology (IVB) at the University of North Carolina with the stated goal of stimulating students to collaborate. To encourage this multi-disciplinary approach, we require students to have two complementing advisors. Four trainees a year will be selected from graduate students already enrolled in departmental programs and curricula at UNC. To increase the students' freedom in choosing advisors, and to unite them as an IVB group, we will support them for up to three years. The IVB Program is administered by the campus-wide Program for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Dr. Nobuyo Maeda, Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, is Director. The thesis advisors are faculty members (from 12 Departments in three Schools and one College at UNC), with a strong commitment to predoctoral training through vascular biology related research at the molecular, cellular, and whole organism levels ranging from animal models to human patients. The complementing training faculty includes clinical faculty and individuals at UNC and nearby Institutions in the Research Triangle area who maintain active laboratories mainly with postdoctoral students. Extensive collaborations among our faculty already exist and the mechanism of multidisciplinary pre-doctoral training in integrated vascular biology is already in place and functional. The requested funding will allow us to formalize and expand our IVB Program and implement the concept of group-mentoring by ensuring that trainees carry out their research in more than one laboratory. With its outstanding history in vascular biology research, its strong group of investigators, and its strength in animal model studies, the IVB Program offers an outstanding environment for multidisciplinary training of predoctoral students.
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