Project Grant T32AI170501

PHYSICIAN SCIENTIST TRAINING PROGRAM IN IMMUNE DYSREGULATION - PROJECT SUMMARY THIS NEW T32 TRAINING PROGRAM IN IMMUNE DYSREGULATION IS DESIGNED TO SUCCESSFULLY TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF PHYSICIAN-SCIENTISTS, WORKING AT THE INTERFACE OF NORMAL AND PATHOLOGIC IMMUNE FUNCTION WITH END ORGAN DAMAGE TO ELUCIDATE THE ROOT CAUSES OF IMMUNE DYSREGULATION SYNDROMES AND TO DEVELOP NOVEL APPROACHES TOWARDS THEIR DIAGNOSIS, MONITORING, AND TREATMENT. THE PROGRAM REQUESTS THE SUPPORT OF 4 PHYSICIAN-SCIENTIST POSTDOCTORAL TRAINEES, WHO ARE COMPETITIVELY SELECTED FROM VARIOUS CLINICAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS AT THE HOSPITAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (PENN) AND THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA (CHOP). SELECTION CRITERIA INCLUDE HIGH STANDARDS OF COMPETENCE, MOTIVATION AND PERSEVERANCE, AND A STRONG COMMITMENT TO A RESEARCH CAREER IN IMMUNOBIOLOGY. RECRUITMENT OF QUALIFIED, DIVERSITY TRAINEES THAT INCLUDES URM IS HIGH PRIORITY. THIS PROGRAM UNIQUELY PROVIDES TRAINING IN BOTH ADULT AND CHILDHOOD IMMUNE DISEASES AS IT SITS AT THE NEXUS OF PENN AND CHOP AND TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE INSTITUTE FOR IMMUNOLOGY, SPECIALIZED CENTERS IN AUTOIMMUNITY, AND THE FRONTIER PROGRAM IN IMMUNE DYSREGULATION TO OFFER MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TRAINING IN BOTH BASIC AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH RELATED TO IMMUNE DYSREGULATION. THE PROGRAM WILL BE DIRECTED BY 3 PHYSICIAN SCIENTISTS (DRS. TAKU KAMBAYASHI, EDWARD BEHRENS, AND WARREN PEAR). DR. KAMBAYASHI WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAINEES AT PENN. DR. KAMBAYASHI IS A PHYSICIAN SCIENTIST IN TRANSFUSION MEDICINE AND SERVES AS A PROGRAM ADVISOR FOR THE MSTP PROGRAM, THE CHAIR OF THE IMMUNOLOGY GRADUATE GROUP, AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE PHYSICIAN SCIENTIST PROGRAM FOR PATHOLOGY RESIDENCY. DR. BEHRENS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAINEES AT CHOP. DR. BEHRENS IS A PHYSICIAN SCIENTIST IN RHEUMATOLOGY AND SERVES AS THE CHIEF OF PEDIATRIC RHEUMATOLOGY AT CHOP. DR. PEAR WILL PROVIDE GENERAL PROGRAM OVERSIGHT AS THE MOST SENIOR MEMBER OF THE CO-PROGRAM DIRECTORS. HE IS A PHYSICIAN SCIENTIST IN MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY AND SERVES AS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE IFI, VICE CHAIR OF RESEARCH FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY, AND CO-LEADER OF THE IMMUNOLOGY PROGRAM IN THE ABRAMSON CANCER INSTITUTE. ALL CO- PROGRAM DIRECTORS RUN A SUCCESSFUL NIH-FUNDED LAB IN BASIC AND TRANSLATIONAL IMMUNOLOGY. THE PROGRAM WILL ALSO CONSIST OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE THAT OVERSEES THE NEEDS AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM, ASSISTED BY AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, INTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD, AND AN EXTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD. THERE ARE 25 FACULTY TRAINERS TO MATCH THE 4 REQUESTED POSTDOCTORAL SLOTS. DIVERSE AREAS OF RESEARCH IN IMMUNE DYSREGULATION ARE REPRESENTED AMONGST OUR PARTICIPATING FACULTY TRAINERS, RANGING FROM IMMUNITY AGAINST INFECTION, AUTOIMMUNITY, MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR IMMUNOLOGY IN VARIOUS ORGAN SYSTEMS. EACH FACULTY TRAINER (EXCEPT FOR THE 3 JUNIOR TRAINERS) HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN MENTORING POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS INTO SCIENCE- ORIENTED CAREERS. AS A CATALYST FOR DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS, THIS TRAINING PROGRAM WILL IMPACT DIRECTLY ON IMPROVING TREATMENT, DECREASING COSTS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IMPROVING THE LIVES OF PATIENTS WITH IMMUNE DYSREGULATION, ALL OF WHICH ARE DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO PUBLIC HEALTH.