? ? The breadth of interdisciplinary research teams is expanding dramatically. At the intersection of environment and health, in particular, teams are increasingly seen to need strong grounding in basic biology and genetics while at the same time, and for the same reasons, are seen to need increasingly sophisticated analysis of disease models in the context of the interaction of susceptibility genes with environmental exposures. For that reason we have adopted the approach that the modem trainee cannot be expected to do it all; rather, in order to succeed he or she will need to be prepared with the strongest possible disciplinary foundation together with the tools needed to work effectively with others outside their own discipline. From a large and talented pool of applicants we select outstanding B.S. and D.V.M. trainees who seek the Ph.D. degree, and outstanding Ph.D., M.D., and D.V.M. trainees who make a 3-year commitment to postdoctoral training in interdisciplinary pulmonary sciences. Trainees with backgrounds in biology, medicine, engineering, and physics work side-by-side on problems at the intersection of pulmonary sciences and environmental exposures. These trainees benefit from working with each other, working with trainees not supported by this T-32, and working with a well-funded interdisciplinary faculty. This faculty addresses three main problems: air pollution, lung infection, and asthma. The theme of pulmonary inflammation certainly spans these foci. Another theme is a strong emphasis upon engineering and physical sciences; bridging the gap between the life sciences and the physical / engineering sciences has been a longstanding subtheme of our program. These two bridging themes foster exceptional levels of collaboration from a faculty with unusually diverse expertise and interests, and form the faculty into a cohesive interdisciplinary team elucidating basic mechanisms of lung disease. Our Program offers access to excellent facilities and unique nanotechnologies, and is designed so that trainees will: 1) master modern technologies of cell and molecular biology as well as integrative physiology; 2) learn the relative strengths and weaknesses of different approaches, 3) design experiments effectively and interpret data critically, 4) adapt well to change, and 5) build successful careers as responsible members of the scientific community. In the past 10 years of this T32 we had no unfilled slots, and of the 39 trainees completing training, 38 are working in science. 8 do science in industry, 5 in government service, and 21 are assist, professor or higher. (End of Abstract) ? ? ?
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