Research Experience

It is anticipated that fellows will engage in investigative activities during their fellowship. This research may be basic or applied laboratory research relevant to the rheumatic diseases, clinical epidemiologic or health services research, research in psychosocial aspects of rheumatic disease, or investigations of new treatments.

This research most often will be conducted with a faculty mentor within the division, but arrangements may be made for fellows to work with faculty in other divisions or departments on research that is related to rheumatology. Fellows are encouraged to meet with faculty members during their first year to explore the research opportunities that are available, and make plans to begin their research late in their first year or at the start of their second year.

Hypothesis-Driven Research

Trainees in this track will spend a majority of their effort (~90%) performing hypothesis-driven research in one of the research labs in the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology. Mentors will work directly with the trainees to help them identify a testable hypothesis, to aid them in design and execution of rational experiments, and to assist with interpretation of results. The emphasis of all of the labs participating in this pathway is on clinically-relevant scientific questions, and trainees will be encouraged to pursue projects related to animal models of disease; biochemistry of proteins involved in immunity; cellular biology of transplantation, autoimmunity, tolerance, and signaling; and translational research related to genomics and proteomics. Particular emphasis is being placed on projects that provide a multidisciplinary interface between 2 or more labs in the Division.