New Program Offers Graduate Degree in Immunobiology
Program Will Help Alleviate Demand for Immunobiologists and Boost Local Economy
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine have established a new graduate program in immunobiology. The program is one of very few in the nation offering PhD and master degrees in the specialty.
Immunology is the study of how cells and organs work together to defend the body against attacks by foreign invaders. When the immune system malfunctions, it can cause a variety of diseases, such as allergy, arthritis, cancer or AIDS.
Immunological barriers have hindered the application of a variety of novel therapeutic approaches to human disease, including tissue and organ transplantation, bioengineering and the development of vaccines for chronic infections. For this reason, the study of the immune system in health and disease, from the molecular level to that of whole organisms, has become a major focus of biomedical research over the last decade.
"Increasing demand for immunologists in the pharmaceutical industry and at academic institutions escalates the need for a greater number of advanced degree programs in basic and clinical immunology," says Douglas Axelrod, MD, PhD, R&D Manager, Drug Discovery and Early Development at Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (P&GP), a division of The Procter & Gamble Company. "The new Immunobiology Graduate Program will provide a source of highly skilled talent to help meet the current demand for biomedical researchers at places like P&GP."
Dr. Axelrod wrote supporting material to help establish the graduate program through the Ohio Board of Regents in January 2004.
Many illnesses and diseases can influence how well the immune system works. Students who graduate from the Immunobiology Graduate Program can go on to contribute to the cure or improvement of many immunological disorders, such as:
- Infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, peptic ulcer disease)
- Autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes)
- Allergic diseases (asthma)
- Cardiovascular disease (coronary artery disease)
- Neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer's disease)
- Genetic diseases (cystic fibrosis, lysosomal storage diseases)
- Cancers (lymphoma, cervical cancer)
Classes for the program will begin in July 2004. Students will pursue their graduate degree in immunobiology under the leadership of Marsha Wills-Karp, PhD, and colleagues from within Cincinnati Children's and UC's College of Medicine.
"Governor Robert Taft's Third Frontier Project has significant funds committed toward biomedical research and technology transfer," says Dr. Wills-Karp. "We believe the focus on partnerships funded under this plan will increase research careers in biotechnology in Ohio. So, not only will our students study in this area, they will pursue careers in biotech and drive our local economy."
For further information about the immunobiology graduate program, contact Sonya Shields, 513-636-1339.
Contact Information
Amy Caruso, 513-636-5637,
amy.caruso@cchmc.org
