NIH training grant awarded to Boston University School of Medicine and College of Engineering

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and the College of Engineering (COE) a five year, $316,875 training grant to examine inflammatory disorders. Caroline Genco, PhD, research director, Section of Infectious Diseases and professor of medicine and microbiology, BUSM, is the principal investigator alongside Selim Ünlü, PhD, associate dean for research and graduate programs, COE, who is co-principal investigator.

This program, funded by the training grant will provide students with a solid academic background in immunology with emphasis on multi-disciplinary approaches to study common mechanisms of inflammation. Training will include participation in three new courses, regularly scheduled seminars and journal clubs, intensive laboratory training and mentoring from faculty members. After two years of classical training, students are encouraged to participate in externships in clinics or non-profit organizations where they can refine and further develop skills that they can apply to their careers.

"The main goal of this program is to facilitate departmental collaboration and prepare trainees for research and careers in the evolving field of science," explained Genco. "We're ultimately studying the same topic from different perspectives, working collaboratively to answer specific questions and see the big picture," she added.

Dr. Ünlü is also optimistic about the collaboration. "I am confident that the BUSM-COE collaboration will continue to grow. We have both a strong medical school as well as a strong engineering program with substantial interest in healthcare engineering."

The BU-TPID faculty represent a broad range of affiliations including eight departments from the School of Medicine, Dental Medicine, Public Health and Engineering. The training faculty are all current NIH grant recipients with funding from 10 NIH Institutes and have had substantial training history.

Provided by Boston University Medical Center