Translational Pulmonary Vascular Biology

描述（由申请人提供）：生物医学研究人员正在目睹我们的集体能力的限制，以翻译当今时代的显着的基础科学发现的临床。基础发现和临床应用之间的鸿沟被恰当地称为“死亡之谷”。既缺乏专注于转化研究的医生科学家，又缺乏创造性地专注于转化研究方法的培训计划，这加剧了这个问题。该计划的目的是开发一个新的培训计划，在实验室到床边的研究方法，并培养未来一代的临床和基础研究人员在血管生物学的转化方法，特别强调肺循环。虽然有许多T32程序集中在全身血管生物学，据我们所知，没有一个单一的程序集中在肺血管生物学和肺动脉高压。我们已经设计了一种新的方法来培训转化的bench-to-bedside研究，专注于为学员提供“转化研究核心能力工具集”，从沉浸在转化研究的集中培训期开始，其中包括新的选修一个月的轮换专注于肺动脉高压治疗在FDA，内部NIH临床中心监管和药学发展计划，和行业。掌握了人体受试者研究的基本工具后，受训者将与我们的血管生物学和肺动脉高压导师一起进行为期两年的强化培训。奖学金导师将包括一个基础科学为导向的导师与临床科学为导向的导师配对，以提供基础科学的综合培训，并将必要的应用程序应用于临床和患者环境。项目集中在以患者为导向的从工作台到床边（T1）的研究，并不断关注学员的职业发展。我们的教师包括19名NIH资助的研究人员，他们在肺血管生物学和成功的指导方面具有长期的科学生产力历史。我们还包括4名初级培训教师，他们高度关注肺血管研究，最近获得了R级NIH资助，并将与高级导师配对，以保持教师导师的连续管道。实质性体制 支持和资源可通过捐赠给VMI和由Gladwin博士指导的翻译计划项目获得。肺血管生物学领域已经成熟到我们不能再依赖“后门”培养下一代肺血管研究人员的地步。拟议的培训计划和匹兹堡大学现有的研究人员和基础设施都处于有利地位，可以创建一个新颖而丰富的临床翻译培训计划，旨在解决基础研究发现和临床应用之间日益严重的“死亡谷”。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Biomedical investigators are witnessing a limitation in our collective ability to translate the remarkable basic science discoveries of the current era to the clinic. The divide between basic discovery and clinical application has been appropriately termed "the valley of death". A dearth of both physician scientists focused on translational research and lack of training programs creatively focused on translational research methodologies compound this problem. The aim of this program is to develop a novel training program in bench-to-bedside research methodology and to train the future generation of clinical and basic researchers in a translational approach to vascular biology, with a specific emphasis on the pulmonary circulation. While there are many T32 programs focused on systemic vascular biology, to our knowledge there is not a single program focused on Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Pulmonary hypertension. We have engineered a new approach to training in translational bench-to-bedside research, focused on providing the trainee with a "translational research core competency tool-set", starting with immersion in a concentrated training period in translational research, that includes novel elective one-month rotations focused on pulmonary hypertension therapeutics at the FDA, intramural NIH Clinical Center Regulatory and Pharmacy Development Program, and Industry. With the fundamental tools for human subjects research in hand the trainee will then engage in a two-year intensive training fellowship with our translationally-oriented vascular biology and pulmonary hypertension mentors. The fellowship mentorship will include a basic-science oriented mentor paired with a clinical-science oriented mentor to provide for comprehensive training in basic science with the necessary application to the clinical and patient environment. Projects are focused on patient oriented bench-to-bedside (T1) research, with constant attention to trainee career development. Our faculty include 19 NIH funded investigators with a long- standing history of scientific productivity in pulmonary vascular biolog and successful mentoring. We also include 4 junior training faculty who are highly focused on pulmonary vascular research, are recent recipients of R-level NIH funding, and will be paired with senior mentors to maintain a continuous pipeline of faculty mentors. Substantial institutional support and resources are available through endowments to the VMI and a translational program project directed by Dr. Gladwin. The field of Pulmonary Vascular Biology has matured to the point that we can no longer rely on "back door" training for the next generation of pulmonary vascular researchers. The proposed training program and the existing investigators and infrastructure at The University of Pittsburgh are strongly positioned to create a novel and rich bench-to-bedside translational training program, designed to address the growing and severe "valley of death" between basic research discoveries and clinical application.