Research Opportunities

It is our feeling that both clinical and basic research activities are extremely important in developing critical thinking. Therefore, all fellows participate in a research project. Skills acquired during research training are the fundamental tools for careers in academic medicine.

The University of Rochester Medical Center is a leading institution in biomedical research, and provides ample opportunities for trainees to pursue research interests. A 10-year, $400 million plan to dramatically expand medical research is underway, and a new 240,000 square foot research building opened in September of 1999. Faculty in the Pulmonary Unit collaborate with many investigators in other departments, in a variety of clinical and basic science research projects.

Examples of some of the projects in which trainees have participated are: Studies of the deposition and clearance of microaerosols from the lungs; assessment of methods to detect abnormal pulmonary epithelial permeability by inhaling radioactive tracers; effect of lung diseases upon nitric oxide production by the lungs; effects of environmental aerosol pollutants on airway function; effects of oxidant pollutants on respiratory defense against infection; studies of factors influencing susceptibility to the pulmonary effects of ozone exposure; studies determining the effects of air pollution on airway inflammation in people with asthma; effects of inhaled low-level toxicants found in spacecraft on human performance; and pharmacokinetics and immunological responses to inhaled silicones. We are also involved in clinical studies of new drugs (bronchodilators, antibiotics) and their role in the management of patients with acute and/or chronic pulmonary diseases. Other clinical studies include evaluation of new modes of ventilatory support, clinical trials or agents designed to reduce the severity of ARDS, and analyses to determine the optimum number of chemotherapeutic agents for initial treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Most fellows initially have insufficient background to know precisely what type of investigation they wish to do. The Program Faculty frequently suggest participation in ongoing projects, and serve as mentors to fellows as they develop their own research direction. However, we also encourage fellows to develop well-conceived projects of their own which seem likely to lead to a fruitful conclusion. Most of our fellows present their original work at national meetings and publish their findings in peer-reviewed journals. We encourage interdisciplinary research that takes advantage of the extensive research resources available in other clinical departments as well as basic science departments. The listing of publications at the end of this document provides insight into the type of projects in which our recent trainees have participated.

Supplementary Training

The University of Rochester has established a new Rochester Clinical Research Curriculum (RCRC), a collaborative effort between the Schools of Medicine and Dentistry and Nursing, the Eastman Dental Center, and other components of the Medical Center. This is a comprehensive program for the training of physicians and other health professionals in disciplines of clinical research. The RCRC offers a two-year curriculum of didactic course work, in addition to mentored research experience, to integrate knowledge and methods of basic research. Fellows completing this curriculum during the second and third years of fellowship training will be eligible for a new degree, the Master in Public Health in Clinical Research.

We believe fellows can receive valuable supplementary training from educational opportunities outside the University. Therefore, each fellow is provided with funds to attend at least one national and one regional thoracic meeting per year as well as special conferences and meetings related to their research. Fellows also have the opportunity to take didactic courses in basic medical sciences, electronics, mathematics, computer science or other areas of interest at the University of Rochester or at other institutions in the Rochester area.