BU receives $4.6M grant to advance lung science research training

Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine has secured an additional five-year T32 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support its pioneering multidisciplinary lung biology training program. This renewal marks an extraordinary 55 years of continuous NIH funding, underscoring the program’s long-standing commitment to advancing pulmonary science through rigorous mentorship and collaborative research.

The “Biology of the Lung: A Multi-Disciplinary Program” offers a cutting-edge training environment where pre-doctoral PhD and MD/PhD students, alongside post-doctoral MD, PhD, and dual-degree fellows, receive immersive education in three core research areas that highlight Boston University’s scientific strengths: lung development and regenerative medicine, immunology and infectious diseases, and biomedical data sciences. This comprehensive approach is designed to foster interdisciplinary expertise essential for tackling the complexities of pulmonary health and disease.

With a $4.6 million award from the NIH’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the program is co-led by Joseph Mizgerd, ScD, Professor of Pulmonary Medicine, and Darrell Kotton, MD, Professor of Medicine and director of BU’s Center for Regenerative Medicine. Each year, 12 trainees—split evenly between pre-doctoral and post-doctoral levels—benefit from direct mentorship by BU faculty renowned for their research excellence and innovation in lung biology.

The program uniquely integrates basic scientific inquiry with clinical insights, emphasizing bi-directional translational research. This framework harnesses the synergy of training MD physician-scientists side-by-side with PhD researchers, advancing the potential for meaningful discoveries in lung disease diagnosis and therapeutic development. Trainees participate in Scientific Focus Groups that bridge molecular mechanisms and patient-centered investigations, offering a holistic perspective on pulmonary pathophysiology.

Mizgerd highlights the increasing intricacy of lung disease research, reflecting the need for sophisticated, multidisciplinary training environments capable of equipping future investigators with a versatile skillset spanning experimental research and professional development—including grant writing and scientific communication. This strategic nurturing of talent aims to propel lung biology research toward innovations with clinical impact.

Kotton underscores that the program’s keystone lies in fostering continuous dialogue between bench and bedside researchers, ensuring that foundational scientific discoveries rapidly inform clinical problem-solving, while clinical questions inspire novel laboratory investigations. This dynamic exchange cultivates a new generation of scientists adept at navigating both worlds.

As pulmonary diseases remain a significant global health burden, the sustained investment in this training program exemplifies a forward-looking vision to equip emerging scholars with the tools to decipher lung biology’s complexities. Such comprehensive education is vital for pioneering transformative strategies in treating lung conditions—from regenerative therapies to immune modulation and beyond.

This renewal cements Boston University’s position as a leader in lung biology education and research innovation, promising to fuel breakthroughs that could reshape how respiratory diseases are understood and managed in the decades to come.