# Training Program in Lung Biology and Translational Medicine

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2023 · $384,611

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The Training Program in Lung Biology and Translational Medicine at the University of Alabama at
Birmingham (UAB) provides multidisciplinary training in a stimulating and collaborative environment that nurtures
the development of highly competent and innovative biomedical research scientists. This Program, initiated in
2010 to train M.D. or Ph.D. postdoctoral fellows in lung-related research, is currently in its 10th year with a current
allocation of 6 trainees/year. In the first 10 years of the Program, 16/17 (94%) of trainees who have completed
training have continued in research-intensive career tracks, and 14/17 (>80%) hold academic faculty positions.
The multidisciplinary and translational approach to the proposed training has been highly successful, and is
highlighted by a diverse and interactive group of thirty faculty mentors who hold primary appointments in eight
UAB Departments (4 – clinical; 4 – research). The faculty mentors are grouped into three thematic areas based
on scientific expertise: (1) immunology-microbiology; (2) cell biology-tissue repair; (3) translational sciences.
Translational research in statistical genetics, computational biology, biomarker discovery, and drug
discovery/development and clinical trials will facilitate the clinical translation of basic science research (groups 1
and 2). Based on the existing expertise and ongoing research efforts at UAB, training will focus on the
manifestations, diagnosis, risk/prognostic stratification, mechanisms, prevention, and treatment of lung diseases,
primarily acute lung injury (ALI), cystic fibrosis (CF), asthma, chronic obstructive lung diseases (COPD), and
interstitial lung diseases (ILD). Training programs will be highly individualized and tailored to maximize success
of each trainee with the creation of individual development plans (IDPs). In addition to the research projects that
will be conducted in the mentor’s laboratory, training will encompass a highly structured didactic program that
includes weekly teaching conferences in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, a “survival
skills” curriculum (in collaboration with the UAB Office of Postdoctoral Education) and a Research Core
Curriculum, conducted by the T32 training faculty, that includes emerging themes such as cellular plasticity,
human immunology, stem cell biology, aging, drug discovery/development, bioinformatics, and personalized
medicine. Formal instruction will include the responsible and ethical conduct of research and a course on rigor
and reproducibility in research. This T32 Training Program is committed to “mentoring of mentors”, workforce
diversity, and maintaining the current high-rate of trainee retention in academic biomedical research careers.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10696140
- **Project number:** 5T32HL105346-13
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** AMIT GAGGAR
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $384,611
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2010-09-20 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10696140

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10696140, Training Program in Lung Biology and Translational Medicine (5T32HL105346-13). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10696140. Licensed CC0.

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