Multidisciplinary Research Training in Lung Biology

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is for a multidisciplinary research training grant to support a longstanding program in the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division (PCCM), to be directed by its current Chief, Dr. Peter Wagner. Its purpose is to prepare carefully selected physician scientist trainees for careers in academic research in lung biology, health, and disease and will support them during the 18 months research component of their 3 year fellowship. With 12 fellows in the program (4 per year), we request six postdoctoral positions. The centerpiece of this proposal will continue to be the direct involvement of trainees in research, under the preceptorship of experienced basic and clinical scientists with a record of productive, funded investigative programs and experience in the training process. The research training opportunities are divided into three focus areas that offer substantial depth in training and investigation - 1) pulmonary vascular biology; 2) airway biology (each offering both basic and clinical laboratory research); and 3) patient-oriented research, the latter offering an MPH degree option. The Core faculty (20 members) consists largely of selected investigators from the PCCM Division. Some core faculty with established ties to PCCM come from other Divisions/Depts and even from San Diego State University. They provide a strong multidisciplinary component to the program with funded research and a proven track record of research training and productivity. The 25 Supporting faculty, who further enhance the multidisciplinary possibilities, are a combination of: 1) junior PCCM faculty who will be mentored to become future core faculty; 2) mostly clinical faculty who will provide the collaborative interface to many of the patients/diseases our trainees will study; and 3) faculty outside PCCM who are available to support particular areas and methods of research, but who, by virtue of their primary appointment or research interest, are also associated with other programs. The research program will be directly overseen by a research training committee cochaired by Dr. Andy Ries, Associate Director for Patient Oriented Research and Dr. Jason Yuan, Associate Director for Basic Research. A clinical training committee chaired by Dr. Peter Fedullo will coordinate clinical training (not supported by this grant), and an executive fellowship committee chaired by Dr. Wagner (members Ries, Yuan and Fedullo) will oversee the entire three year program. Special attention is given to ethical conduct of research through formal coursework; to mentoring fellows and junior faculty; and to recruitment of underrepresented minorities (one of four entering fellows in 2003 is African American).