NIH Lung Biology and Pathobiology
Training Program

This NIH-sponsored institutional training program was born out of our commitment to providing a research training opportunity that emphasizes comprehensive research in biology and pathobiology of lungs. Our pre-eminent goal is to provide-state-of-the-art research training for a select group of predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees who aspire to research careers. The underpinnings of the program result in a training program that extends beyond the reductionist approach by additionally emphasizing integrative and systems biology. The training program is subdivided into three general areas that have been incorporated into the overall theme of the program. These areas are: (1) Vascular Biology and Lung Injury and Repair, (2) Cellular and Humoral Basis of Lung Injury, and (3) Cell Signaling and Regulation of Lung Function in Health and Disease.

The training faculty consists of 36 members: 33 professors or associate tenured professors and 3 tenure track assistant professors. All training faculty members are independent investigators with strong research and training backgrounds and extramural funding.  They meet regularly at seminars and informal discussions and are actively involved in collaborative research. The faculty members as a group have research strengths in the specific areas of cell and molecular biology, cell physiology, stem cell biology, immunology, pharmacology, and systems physiology.

An inherent feature of the program is that it crosses disciplinary and departmental boundaries (i.e., Pharmacology, Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, and Cell Biology). There is significant complementary overlap of faculty research interests as reflected in collaborative research projects, grant funding and co-authored publications. The diversity of the training faculty interests, centered on lung biology and pathobiology, affords the trainees flexibility in choosing preceptors and specific research projects. The intensive research training is supplemented by lectures, seminars, graduate courses, and visits by external consultants. The program has recently been further strengthened by the new Center for Lung and Vascular Biology. The training program emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary research in areas relevant to lung biology and pathobiology in an environment that fosters independent and creative thinking with the objective of training future research leaders.

Training Faculty

For further information contact:

Dr. Asrar B. Malik, Program Director
Department of Pharmacology
Center for Lung and Vascular Biology
University of Illinois at Chicago
835 S. Wolcott Ave. Chicago, IL 60612
Telephone: (312) 996-7635
Fax: (312) 996-1225
E-mail: abmalik@uic.edu