Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Short-Term Institutional Rese

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There is a shortage of well-trained research-oriented pediatric pulmonologists who are prepared to develop new approaches to prevent, diagnose and treat childhood respiratory diseases. This limited pool of well- established investigators is further threatened by a decreasing number of young physician scientists who choose to specialize in pediatric pulmonary and sleep medicine. Training at all levels is an important priority at Cincinnati Children's Hospital which has established extensive programs for developing MD, PHD and MD/PhD fellows and faculty into independent clinical and basic science investigators. The Pediatric Pulmonary Division at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) is uniquely positioned to interest students in both pediatric pulmonary and sleep medicine. Pulmonary research at CCHMC has very strong and diverse clinical and basic science research programs and the Sleep Disorder Center is one of the few pediatric programs in the United States that has a certified pediatric sleep fellowship program with an extensive research focus. This proposal will provide a 10 week summer research fellowship for 7 to 8 students from all US medical and osteopathic schools from which under-represented groups will be recruited. The proposed program will have a well-organized method of selection of trainees and mentors as well as an effective means of assessing the trainees' progress. A faculty of 26 MDs, PhDs and MD/PhDs from multiple departments with a proven record of success in research and mentoring are available to the trainees. All investigators are well-funded in NHLBI- focused research areas. Included within the program are opportunities to pursue basic and clinical research projects with weekly meetings at which instruction in responsible conduct of research and specific clinical and research topics in pulmonary and sleep medicine are provided. Students present their proposed projects to peers and mentors at the beginning of the summer and at the end of summer symposium when the results are presented in a poster format. The strengths of our research programs in the areas of pulmonary and sleep medicine combined with an enthusiastic faculty and a well-organized summer program provides an excellent opportunity to attract physician trainees at early and critical stages in their careers and increase the likelihood they will want to further pursue research as physician-scientists.