Multidisciplinary Training Program in Lung Disease

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Description (provided by applicant): The proposed renewal is for a continuation of the present Multidisciplinary Training Program in Lung Disease (HL-07185), which provides training in basic and clinical sciences important to the respiratory system. The program draws on the basic and clinical research skills of the staff of the Cardiovascular Research Institute and on the specialized skills of other members of the faculty of UCSF. The grant is to accommodate a total of fifteen postdoctoral Trainees (approximately eight new Trainees per year), including both MD's and PhD's. The main program is an actual research experience under the close supervision of a Preceptor and a review committee selected on the basis of the experimental approaches of the Trainee. These approaches include disciplines applicable at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, whole animal, clinical, or population levels. In addition, considerable emphasis is placed on special educational opportunities that have been created to prepare individuals for a diverse range of careers in academic medicine. The educational program provides special courses, small group conferences and seminars in basic sciences (such as proteomics and human genetics), biostatistics, epidemiological study design, medical economics, and ethics of scientific conduct. Emphasis is placed on personal instruction specifically designed for individual Trainees. New facilities and faculty are being added to further solidify the disciplines of modern biology, bioinformatics, and rigorous clinical research. Considerable emphasis has been placed on multidisciplinary interaction in research and training, and developing and implementing academic careers in areas of scientific need, especially in those previously underemphasized. Emerging areas of growth in our program include bacterial and viral pathogenesis, immunology, multi-institutional disease-specific clinical networks for research, human genetics and molecular epidemiology, investigation emphasizing critical care medicine, and the further development of population-level investigational techniques. An additional important area of emphasis is the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities and women in the program. The past and future success of our multidisciplinary program is predicated on a close collaboration among a widely diverse faculty, including clinical and bench-oriented scientists and translating this collaboration to a coordinated approach to research training and career development.