The goal of this Johns Hopkins Multidisciplinary Pediatric Pulmonary T32 Training Grant is to produce outstanding biomedical scientists to investigate the pathophysiology and treatment of pediatric pulmonary disorders. The proposed training program will provide three years of training in pediatric lung- related research at the postdoctoral level for four qualified candidates with PhD, MD, or MD/PhD degrees/year. This training program is the result of an extensive collaboration between thirty-nine research faculty members in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine's Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. These research scientists offer mentored training in six Research Discipline Groups: (1) lung injury and development;(2) epithelial transport, lung transplantation and cystic fibrosis;(3) sleep disorders;(4) clinical outcomes in pediatric pulmonary diseases;(5) infectious diseases and tuberculosis;and (6) asthma, allergy and inflammation. Postdoctoral trainees who focus their research in the clinical sciences will be able to obtain a masters'degree (MPH or MHS) in graduate training programs in Clinical Investigations, Epidemiology, Biostatistics or Health Policy through the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. The tutorial relationship between research mentor and trainee will be central to the program's research training experience. This will be supplemented by coursework, active participation in program-wide conferences, presentation of original research at national scientific meetings, publication of original research in peer-reviewed journals and formal training in the preparation of grant applications. Operation of the program will be the responsibility of the Program Director, who will receive consultation from Executive, Program Advisory, Fellowship Review, Minority Advisory and External Advisory Committees. Relevance: The proposed training program will address the glaring need for academically trained pediatric pulmonary specialists. One recent survey indicates there are currently 770 certified practitioners of pediatric pulmonology in the country. This has resulted in more than half of the states having a pediatric pulmonologist-to-child ratio of less than one per 100,000 children, which is unacceptable. Although only four years old, the current T32 training program has already graduated 5 highly trained researchers in pediatric pulmonology, with three graduates placed as faculty in academic institutions, one continuing their research training and one in private practice in an academic setting. This high performance standard will be continued in the proposed program.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 80 publications
