Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Host Defense

描述(由申请者提供)：该培训计划旨在为年轻科学家在免疫学研究领域的独立职业生涯做准备。在这一领域非常需要聪明、训练有素的研究人员：自身免疫性疾病、先天性和获得性免疫缺陷以及淋巴肿瘤是当今最重要和令人困惑的发病率原因。在细胞和分子水平上研究宿主防御机制，对于阐明和预防骨髓和实体器官移植的免疫并发症以及基因治疗的免疫应答也是至关重要的。实习生(博士后和博士后(医学博士或博士))他们的研究项目涉及现代免疫学的不同领域，包括淋巴细胞激活和凋亡、淋巴细胞分化、免疫反应、炎症、艾滋病毒、基因治疗、造血干细胞生物学、黏附分子和细胞因子。实习生：要求为三名博士后和三名博士后实习生提供支持。博士前实习生主要是从已经进入免疫学研究生项目的学生中挑选出来的，并选择其中一名培训教师作为他们的论文导师。通过其他项目进入教职员工实验室的学生也可以考虑。这些受训人员完成了免疫学基础和高级领域以及现代细胞和分子生物学的核心课程。博士后实习生是从高素质的博士或医学博士申请者中挑选出来的，到个别培训教师或通过广告招聘。除了教师对研究培训和职业发展的指导外，博士后实习生还可以参加高级免疫学课程。培训设施和环境：免疫学系有35名教员。十名初级教员中有九名居住在大约23,000平方英尺的连续空间中，其中包括阿尔凯克研究生研究中心的12,300平方英尺。培训教师每年的直接拨款成本总计超过1,700万美元，并占用约41,000平方英尺的实验室空间，其中包括位于贝勒综合体中心的免疫学系和现代研究设施，以及休斯顿退伍军人事务部、德克萨斯儿童医院和卫理公会医院。目前，该项目教研室有29名博士后学生和45名博士后研究员。培训在贝勒医学院的研究环境中进行，该学院在世界各地的医学院中排名很高，是NIH资金的领先者。德克萨斯医疗中心是世界上最大的医疗中心，提供高度互动、协作丰富的培训环境。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This training program is designed to prepare young scientists for independent careers in immunological research. The need for bright, thoroughly trained investigators in this area is great: diseases of autoimmunity, congenital and acquired immunodeficiency, and lymphoid neoplasms are among the most significant and perplexing causes of morbidity today. Research at the level of cellular and molecular mechanisms of host defense is also critical for elucidating and preventing the immunologic complications of bone marrow and solid organ transplantation and immune responses to gene therapy. Trainees (predoctoral and postdoctoral (M.D. or Ph.D.) fellows) are mentored by one of 17 program faculty with primary or joint appointments in the Department of Immunology at Baylor College of Medicine, whose research programs address diverse areas of modern immunology, including lymphocyte activation and apoptosis, lymphocyte differentiation, immune responses, inflammation, HIV, gene therapy, hematopoeitic stem cell biology, adhesion molecules, and cyotokines. Trainees: Support for three predoctoral and three postdoctoral trainees is requested. Predoctoral trainees are selected primarily from among students who have matriculated into the Immunology graduate program and chosen one of the training faculty as their thesis mentor. Students who have entered the laboratories of participating faculty through other programs may also be considered. These trainees complete a core curriculum in basic and advanced areas of immunology and in modern cell and molecular biology. Postdoctoral trainees are selected from highly qualified Ph.D. or M.D. applicants to individual training faculty or sought through advertisements. In addition to faculty guidance of research training and career development, postdoctoral trainees may take advanced immunology courses. Training Facilities and Environment: There are 35 faculty in the Department of Immunology. Nine of the ten primary faculty are housed in approximately 23,000 square feet of contiguous space, including 12,300 square feet in the Alkek Center for Graduate Research. Collectively, the training faculty bring in over $17.0 million in annual direct grant costs and occupy approximately 41,000 square feet of laboratory space, including the Department of Immunology and modern research facilities in the central Baylor complex and the Houston VA, Texas Children's, and Methodist hospitals. Currently there are 29 predoctoral students in the Department and 45 postdoctoral fellows in the program faculty's laboratories. Training occurs in the research environment of Baylor College of Medicine, highly ranked among medical schools worldwide and a leader in NIH funding. The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world, and provides a highly interactive training environment rich in collaborations.