Understanding the pathologic basis of disease is of fundamental importance in training the next generation of biomedical scientists, whether they work on basic biological problems or in translational areas. 

Never before has there been so much potential for discoveries made at the basic research bench to be fruitfully translated to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human disease.  Ironically, however, the explosive growth of basic biological knowledge has been accompanied by an equally aggressive trend toward specialization. The all-too-frequent accompaniment to this increasing specialization is narrowness of vision, a worrisome decrement in the ability of students (and graduates) to view their work in the context of the basic biology of their chosen model organism—not to mention the larger biomedical picture.

The Pathobiology graduate training program is devised to bridge the divide between the bench and the bedside at both the student and faculty levels.  The program is articulated to provide Ph.D. students with a foundation of basic medical concepts that will empower them to pursue translational research projects and lend a valuable biological perspective to those who choose to work on basic research topics. The program provides carefully selected, relevant medical knowledge interwoven with a modern molecular biology graduate curriculum.  Importantly, the program also prepares students to work with clinical collaborators as members of research teams, and it fosters interactions between clinicians and scientists who historically have had little formal opportunity to traverse the boundaries between clinic and lab. These interactions have graduate students as their centerpiece, and we believe this will tremendously enrich their education.

Pathobiology courses are also open to residents, fellows, MD/PhD students and other graduate students, further enriching the intellectual environment.  Clinical rotations and co-mentoring provides training in a collaborative, team-oriented research setting that prepare them for what will become a dominant paradigm in biological research over the next decade.