Building Core Programs in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的目标是扩大和加强新墨西哥大学健康科学中心（UNMHSC）心血管和代谢疾病特征研究计划（CVMD）内的核心中心。核心是血管生物学研究和训练核心，其主题重点是全身性和肺动脉高压的机制，以及代谢性疾病相关的血管病理学。本申请的短期目标是聘请一名有针对性的新独立研究者（NIl），以扩大核心的研究能力，并提供促进该个人学术研究生涯所需的资源。被确定的尼尔是一位杰出的年轻少数民族候选人。Nikki Jernigan博士将为核心带来新的研究方向和技术方法，将促进核心内未来的多学科研究资金，并促进UNMHSC创造就业机会。这项申请的长期目标是建立一个国内和国际公认的多学科卓越研究中心，旨在了解心血管疾病的发病机制，并改进和开发新的治疗方式。为了实现这些目标，我们为核心的主题、科学和基础设施组织提出了以下具体目标：(1)P30基金将提供机会增加一名重要的新教员，以加强一个多学科合作的研究团队，研究慢性持续性和间歇性缺氧诱导的肺动脉高压、全身性高血压和糖尿病相关血管功能障碍的机制。(2) P30将立即提供资源，支持该目标教员候选人的试点项目。核心还将提供独特的研究专业知识，共享设备和设施，财务研究和薪酬支持，以及智力资源，以支持新员工的职业发展。(3)将建立一个核心实验室设施，包括高分辨率共聚焦显微镜、电生理学和遥测系统的基本设备，用于监测心血管疾病动物模型血液动力学变化的发展。该设施的发展将会配合香港大学的具体需要，补充现有的共享资源，并进一步加强多学科核心的研究基础设施。(4)将为NIl制定一个指导计划，其中包括一个由心血管和肺生理学、电生理学、血管生成和G蛋白受体功能和信号传导领域的已建立的、资助的研究人员组成的咨询委员会。该指导计划的基本目标是确保符合项目报告要求，促进NIl与核心研究人员之间的合作研究努力，并跟踪和评估NIl的进展，包括R01申请的开发，以确保候选人作为一个富有成效和独立的研究者的持续成功，可以增强核心的使命和愿景。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this proposal is to expand and strengthen a Core center within the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Signature Research Program (CVMD) at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (UNMHSC). The Core is the Vascular Biology Research and Training Core, which has a thematic focus on the mechanisms of systemic and pulmonary hypertension, and metabolic disease-related vascular pathology. The short term goal of this application is to hire a targeted newly-independent investigator (NIl) to expand the research capacity of the Core and provide the resources needed to promote the academic research career of this individual. The identified NIl is an outstanding young minority candidate. Dr. Nikki Jernigan, who will bring new research directions and technical approaches to the Core, will catalyze future multidisciplinary research funding within the core and promote job creation at the UNMHSC. The long term goal of this application is to develop a nationally and internationally recognized, multidisciplinary center of research excellence aimed at understanding the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and to improve and develop new therapeutic modalities. To achieve these objectives, the following specific aims are proposed for the thematic, scientific and infrastructural organization of the Core: (1) The P30 grant will provide the opportunity to add a critical new faculty hire to enhance a collaborative and multidisciplinary team of researchers studying mechanisms of chronic sustained and intermittent hypoxia induced pulmonary hypertension, systemic hypertension, and diabetes-related vascular dysfunction. (2) The P30 will provide immediate resources to support a pilot project for this targeted faculty candidate. The Core will additionally provide unique research expertise, shared equipment and facilities, financial research and salary support, and intellectual resources to support the career development of this new hire. (3) A Core Laboratory Facility will be created that includes essential equipment for high resolution confocal microscopy, electrophysiology, and telemetry systems for monitoring the development of hemodynamic changes in animal models of cardiovascular disease. This facility will be developed to target the specific needs of the NIl, will complement existing shared resources, and will further enhance the research infrastructure of the multidisciplinary core. (4) A mentoring program will be developed for the NIl that includes an advisory committee of established, funded investigators in the areas of cardiovascular and pulmonary physiology, electrophysiology, angiogenesis, and G protein receptor function and signaling. Essential goals of this mentoring program are to assure compliance with program reporting requirements, to promote collaborative research efforts between the NIl and other investigators of the Core, and to track and assess the progress of the Nil, including the development of an R01 application to ensure the continued success of the candidate as a productive and independent investigator who can enhance the mission and vision of the Core. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the U.S. Likewise, diabetes and obesity are major health problems in the U.S. and in New Mexico. These conditions are tightly related such that diabetes and obesity increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease and blindness. The aim of this proposal is to expand and strengthen a Core center at the University of New Mexico HSC, the mission of which is to identify factors responsible for the development of these diseases that will lead to new prevention and treatment strategies.