OVERVIEW

Our Division has a long tradition of excellence in investigation into the basic and clinical aspects of lung biology and critical illness. We have highly successful investigators that are involved in numerous projects that are funded by both governmental and non-governmental grants and foundations. Importantly, the face of research is changing, requiring more specialized collaboration amongst numerous investigators, sites and facilities. We have been fortunate at Duke to not only have gained and developed successful collaborations within our the Department of Medicine and within Duke University, but we have a wealth of technical and intellectual resources in the Triangle area.

Below is a very brief listing of areas of specialized interest within our Division:

• Cell and Molecular Biology: Cell and molecular biology studies are a major focus in this Division. A NIH program project grant and multiple R01 grants support this research effort. The goals of the various programs reflect the diverse interests of the principal investigators, but all share physical resources, common technique and a focus on understanding the molecular basic of lung disease.
• Environmental Lung Disease: The biologic and genetic determinants of environmental lung disease are a major focus of the research in this division. A NIH program project and multiple RO1s support these studies in asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. The division has recently established an NIH supported Environmental Health Sciences Center to develop the infrastructure (microarray, proteomics, inhalation toxicology, and bioinformatics facilities) to support research in environmental lung disease. Ongoing studies focus on innate immunity, environmental asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and comparative genomic responses to common inhalational toxins.
• Clinical Studies: A number of active human clinical study protocols are being conducted by this group of investigators. We find their participation in human study protocols useful for developing an appreciation for the different problems and unusual complexities involved in human studies. To assist in such design complexities, the Duke Clinical Research Institute and its staff provide specialized facilities, training, and staff support that is necessary for such enterprises.
• Medical Genomics: Duke University has made strong recent initiatives to be at the forefront of genome technologies and medical genetics. We are involved in a number of studies of the genetics of the innate immune response, environmental airway disease, pulmonary fibrosis and the host response to oxidative stress. We have active collaboration with such Duke resources as the Institute of Genome Sciences and Policy, Center for Human Genetics, and the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology.