One of our Division's primary missions is to provide state-of-the-art research training in pulmonary and critical care medicine, with the goal of producing the next generation of physician-scientists and academic clinician-educators. We have a strong track record of graduates who have gone on to successful careers in clinical, basic, and translational research. Fellows select one of the two tracks by the end of their first year of fellowship (although select fellows may elect to apply into the STAR program prior to matriculation).
RESEARCH TRACK:
Types of Research:
Basic Investigator Option
The basic investigator option is for fellows interested in mechanisms of lung disease or critical illness. It is supported by a training grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH). Admission to this program and support for this grant are highly competitive. While conducting research in the laboratory of a mentor, fellows have the option of enrolling in the Ph.D. program in a graduate school discipline through the STAR program, during which they take graduate courses in biological chemistry, immunology and molecular biology as appropriate.
The Division’s facilities include state-of-the-art laboratories in molecular biology, cell biology, and immunology with extensive collaborative relationships on campus and nationwide. In the Division, active research programs include examining mechanisms of allograft dysfunction and chronic rejection following lung transplant, iron metabolism in mediating anemia of chronic disease, effects of marijuana on lung biology, pulmonary host defense against viral and bacterial pathogens, bioinformatics, and molecular mechanisms underlying lung cancer pathogenesis.
Clinical Investigator Option
The clinical investigation program is for fellows wishing to pursue careers in clinical research. Fellows can apply to obtain a Master's of Clinical Research (MSCR) degree, also through the STAR program. Alternatively, fellows interested in health services research are encouraged to pursue a Ph.D. in health services. Depending on the trainee's research interest, fellows study in such fields as epidemiology or health services research while developing their research program. Many mentors are available in these areas within and outside the Division. Facilities and programs available for clinical training include the pulmonary function research laboratory, the medical intensive care unit, the UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute and CTRC (Clinical Translational Research center), the UCLA School of Public Health, the Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research and the RAND Corporation in nearby Santa Monica. Ongoing investigations include clinical trials for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension, the utilization and outcomes of critical care, and novel therapies for asthma and COPD.
CLINICIAN-EDUCATOR TRACK:
All fellows are expected to demonstrate productive use of their academic time, including submitting abstracts for national conferences, writing original research papers or review papers, and giving research presentations at Pulmonary Grand Rounds.
For further information about research and training opportunities available to our fellows, prospective applicants are invited to contact Heather Draper with inquiries:
Heather Draper
Fellowship Program Coordinator, Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship
Email: [email protected]