Training Program in Integrative Immunobiology

说明(申请人提供)：免疫反应受环境因素(感染、光周期、有毒化学物质)、行为(吸烟、饮酒、营养)、激素/神经递质(性/应激、类固醇和去甲肾上腺素)以及其他各种影响的影响。例如，2001年9月11日的恐怖袭击和随后的炭疽恐慌已经并将继续影响所有人的免疫功能。这一日期对人类健康和疾病的长期后果尚不清楚，但预计将是重大的。要了解外力影响免疫功能的机制，需要多学科的方法来研究决定疾病抵抗力和易感性的各种因素。俄亥俄州立大学的教师致力于研究影响免疫功能的环境和生理变量，最显著的是压力、神经激素、性别、行为和感染的影响，这在国际上是公认的。将为这一培训计划做出贡献的13名教职员工在博士前和博士后培训方面有着良好的记录，每个教员都为学员提供位于中心的最先进的实验室。采用多学科方法，包括免疫学、神经科学、分子生物学、内分泌学、微生物发病机制、心理学、精神病学和药理学的培训，学员将研究神经和内分泌系统影响免疫稳态的细胞、生化和分子机制。受训者将研究这些系统失调造成的健康后果，并第一手观察实验室研究与行为和健康结果的结合。对候选人的评估将基于过去的学术表现、推荐信、学术工作(包括出版物和演示文稿)以及个人目标声明。博士后的培训期为三年，博士后研究员的培训期为两年，这取决于每个受训者所需的基础科学培训的程度。总而言之，我们将提供一个与其他任何学科不同的多学科培训环境，以研究免疫系统在健康和疾病中的基础科学和临床应用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Immune responses are affected by environmental factors (infection, photoperiod, toxic chemicals), behavior (smoking, alcohol use, nutrition), hormones/neurotransmitters (sex/stress steroids and norepinephrine), and a variety of other influences. For example, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent anthrax scare have affected, and will continue to affect, immune function in all individuals. The long-term consequences of that date on human health and disease are unknown, but are predicted to be significant. Understanding the mechanisms by which external forces influence immune function requires a multidisciplinary approach to studying the various factors that determine resistance and susceptibility to disease. The Ohio State University is internationally recognized for its faculty who are dedicated to studying the environmental and physiological variables that influence immune function, most notably the effects of stress, neurohormones, gender, behavior, and infection. The 13 faculty who will be contributing to this training program have a strong track record of predoctoral and postdoctoral training, and each provides trainees with centrally located state-of-the-art laboratories. Using a multidisiplinary approach that includes training in immunology, neuroscience, molecular biology, endocrinology, microbial pathogenesis, psychology, psychiatry, and pharmacology, trainees will study the cellular, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms by which immune homeostasis is influenced by the nervous and endocrine systems. Trainees will study the health consequences that result from dysregulation of these systems and observe firsthand, the integration of laboratory research with behavior and health outcomes. Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of past academic performance, letters of recommendation, scholarly work that includes publications and presentations, and a statement of personal goals. The training period will be three years for predoctoral and two years for postdoctoral fellows, depending on the extent of basic science training required for each trainee. In summary, we will provide a multidisciplinary training environment unlike any other for studying the basic science and clinical applications of the immune system in health and disease.