Dr. Vivek Balasubramaniam is a Research Fellow, board certified Pediatrician and board eligible in Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Critical Care at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. His interest in developmental biology began during his undergraduate education at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he studied cellular, molecular and developmental Biology and performed research on plant embryonic gene expression. His interest in developmental biology continued at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine where he proposed a model for the origin and differentiation of gamma delta T-cells. His interests focused on pulmonary vascular and alveolar development during his fellowship training at UCHSC. He has extensive experience in whole animal studies of postnatal lung growth and development and has developed a focused interest on angiogenesis and alveolarization and the role of growth factors during these processes. His immediate goal is to learn the theories and application of molecular and cell biology to understand the mechanisms that are involved in pulmonary angiogenesis and alveolarization. His long-term goal is to integrate whole animal, molecular and cell culture techniques to help focus independent investigations of the role of pulmonary angiogenesis in alveolarization. Dr. Balasubramaniam proposes to elucidate interactive mechanisms of angiogenesis and alveolarization with in vivo and in vitro models that will help us better understand the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), the chronic lung disease of infancy that follows premature birth. In this proposal, he will use a transgeneic mouse model that is deficient in endothelial nitric oxide synthase that develops pulmonary hypoplasia with exposure to mild neonatal hypoxia. In this model, he will combine techniques of morphometry, molecular biology and cell culture to elucidate the mechanisms by which nitric oxide preserves lung angiogenesis and alveolarization. He hopes to combine these different approaches to develop a career as an independent clinician scientist. UCHSC will provide an environment for career development with more than adequate equipment and resources to enable Dr. Balasubramaniam develop into an independent investigator. Dr. Steven Abman (mentor) has broad experience in both animal and clinical studies of pulmonary development. Dr. Carl White's focus has been on the mechanisms of oxidative lung injury in bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Dr. Kurt Stenmark's work has been extensive in the field of pulmonary vascular biology, especially at the cellular and molecular level. Guidance from this advisory board coupled with coursework in molecular and cellular techniques will allow him to advance his studies of pulmonary angiogenesis and alveolarization. In addition, Dr. Balasubramaniam will continue to work with Dr. Charles Plopper (UC Davis) to learn more sophisticated techniques of morphometric analysis.
