Expertise (click for more)

At Indiana University, over the past 7 years, we have developed a multidisciplinary program in Vascular Biology and Medicine, comprised of 30 investigators from basic as well as clinical departments. These include investigators from 10 clinical divisions and departments, as well as 6 basic science departments or Engineering (Purdue). We have created a highly interactive environment for collaboration among these investigators. Importantly, we have developed several group activities which lend themselves to a robust training environment: a vascular biology seminar series, a vascular journal club, and two vascular research discussion groups.

Multiple other collaborations that have occurred within the ICVBM have also led directly to substantial new federal funding. Over its inaugural 3 years, the Center sponsored intramural grants in vascular biology and medicine. Twenty proposals were submitted, and 10 were awarded based on their scientific merit, interdepartmental nature, and prospects for extension to future funding.

These led directly to 6 new federal or national grants - a corroboration of the merit of these interactions. More recently, investigators of the ICVBM have further enabled collaboration by submitting grants using the NIH 2-PI mechanism. In the last year, 2 such R01 grants were funded, involving 2 interactive ICVBM mentors (Clauss, Petrache) and a faculty member from Infectious Diseases (Samir Gupta). The interactive vision for the future of vascular biology and medicine is being advanced by a rigorous research training program which integrates all aspects of vascular biology and encourages the transfer of basic discoveries to clinical practice, and which nurtures young investigators to become the future leaders of this field.

Fellow Training (click for more)

The ICVBM T32 has been able to provide research fellowships for 8 postdoctoral fellows since its funding 3.5 years ago. These trainees have been highly productive, and their work has resulted in 20 publications in peer-reviewed journals. Furthermore, of the 3 trainees who have completed their T32 support, 2 have accepted academic faculty appointments, and 1 has progressed to a second fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology in preparation for an academic career in his field.