Population and Laboratory Based Sciences

Institutional Program Unifying Population and Laboratory Based Sciences

Scientific Disciplines

Below is a description of the Scientific Disciplines included in the Scientific Abstract section of the application on proposalCENTRAL.

AIDS and Related Research
Behavioral and Biobehavioral Processes
Biology of Development and Aging
Brain Disorders and Clinical Neuroscience
Cardiovascular Sciences
Cell Biology
Digestive Sciences
Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nutrition, and Reproductive Sciences
Evolutionary and Population Biology
Genes, Genomes and Genetics
Hematology
Immunology
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
Integrative, Functional, and Cognitive Neuroscience
Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Neuroscience
Musculoskeletal, Oral and Skin Sciences
Oncological Sciences
Renal and Urological Sciences
Respiratory Sciences
Surgical Sciences, Biomedical Imaging, and Bioengineering

AIDS and Related Research – research focused on various aspects of HIV/AIDS research - basic, translational, clinical, and behavioral. This includes studies of: the molecular and cell biology, immunology, pathogenesis, and epidemiology of HIV and related viruses, as well as AIDS-associated opportunistic infections; the development of drugs, vaccines, and other therapies; complications of therapy, as well as behavioral and social science approaches to preventing and evaluating the consequences of HIV/AIDS.

• AIDS-associated complications (opportunistic infections and cancer)
• AIDS epidemiological and clinical studies
• AIDS neuropathogenesis and comorbidity factors
• AIDS therapeutics discovery and development
• behavioral and social science of HIV infection and AIDS
• behavioral and social science of transmission/prevention of HIV infection 
• molecular and cellular biology of HIV
• HIV Vaccines
• immunology and pathogenesis of HIV infection
• molecular and cellular biology of HIV

Behavioral and Biobehavioral Processes – research focused on biobehavioral and behavioral processes across the lifespan; research on nonhuman animals as well as humans is included, and both normal and disordered processes are addressed

• basic biobehavioral, psychological, social and cultural processes governing the external expression
• femotion (affect)
• cognition and perception
• developmental, psychopathological, and substance use disorders
• emotional, behavioral, and cognitive disorders
• healthy adaptation across the lifespan
• language and other types of communication 
• normal and disordered motor function

Biology of Development and Aging – research that is focused on development and/or aging, and that employs approaches at a variety of levels from molecules to whole organisms. Development and Aging are inherently integrative research areas focusing on biological changes over time. Proposals in this discipline will frequently transcend the boundaries of single organs or systems.

• age-related changes in physiological functions
• animal models of aging
• biology and applications of stem cells
• cell cycle control
• cell death
• cell fate, lineage and differentiation
• cellular signaling
• chromosome dynamics
• determinants of longevity
• evolutionary aspects of development
• gametogenesis
• gastrulation
• geriatric syndromes and diseases
• mechanisms of exceptional aging
• molecular basis of primordial birth defects
• morphogenesis and pattern formation
• organogenesis
• pre- and post-implantation development
• predictive markers of biological health and aging
• regeneration
• responses to stress
• tissue repair

Brain Disorders and Clinical Neuroscience – research that has neural disorders and/or injury of the nervous system as its main focus. Investigations may include those using animal models of neural injury or disease, investigations based on the study of specific patient populations, or investigations focused on the development of rehabilitative and therapeutic strategies.

• cerebrovasculature
• changes in neurotransmitter or neurotrophin function or metabolism
• clinical sleep research
• consequences of ischemia or hypoxia, convulsive disorders
• developmental disorders
• genetic, cellular, or molecular basis of alterations induced by disease or injury
• influence or involvement of the immune or vascular systems in neural disease process or response
• mental disorders and drug abuse, neurodegenerative diseases and other neuropathies
• molecular neuropathology
• neuroanatomical or neurophysiological alterations
• neurochemistry, neuropharmacology
• neurodegenerative diseases and other neuropathies (separate this from "Mental disorders and drug abuse)
• neurogenetics
• neuroinfections
• neurological basis of addictive, cognitive, behavioral and emotional disorders
• traumatic brain or spinal cord injury/regeneration/transplantation

Cardiovascular Sciences – research that employs basic investigations, translational approaches and patient-oriented studies to focus on the development, physiology, and pathophysiology of the heart and circulatory systems

• angiogenesis
• atherosclerosis, including lipid metabolism
• bioengineering, including devices
• cardiac physiology
• cardiovascular pharmacology
• cerebrovasculature
• cytokines/Nitric oxide
• electrophysiology/Arrhythmia
• heart failure and transplantation
• hypertension
• peripheral vascular disease
• vascular biology/Thrombosis

Cell Biology – research that focuses broadly on the study of fundamental cell biological processes, including the functions, interactions, and regulation of cells and cellular organnelles

• cell adhesion, junctions and cell-cell fusion
• cell asymmetry and polarity
• cell differentiation and oncogenic transformation
• cell growth, proliferation, and cell cycle control
• cell locomotion
• degradative processes
• development of new methodologies including advances in imaging and biosensors
• extracellular matrix and ECM receptors
• integrative cell physiology including circadian clocks, stress and oxidative damage response
• ion transport and regulation, channels, transporters and junctions
• lipid traffic and metabolism
• membrane structure and function
• mitosis and meiosis
• motors, filaments and cargoes
• multi-cellular interactions and development including higher order complexity in tissues
• nuclear architecture and transport
• organelle biogenesis, function, dynamics and protein translocation
• post-translational modifications, protein processing, glycosylation and folding
• programmed cell death and apoptosis
• RNA trafficking and localization
• secretory pathway, endocytosis, exocytosis and phagocytosis
• signaling mechanisms and networks

Digestive Sciences – research ranging from basic through clinical studies focused on the entire gastrointestinal tract and related organs

• clinical nutrition/malnutrition (not including prevention)
• digestion, absorption, and nutrient transport
• drug metabolism, pharmacology, and toxicology
• esophageal, gastric, intestinal, and pancreatic diseases, including disorders of the gall bladder and biliary system
• gastroenterological pharmacology and physiology
• liver diseases, including liver transplantation 

Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nutrition, and Reproductive Sciences – research addressing molecular, cellular, and higher order hormone-regulated processes in physiology and pathophysiology

• diabetes mellitus (including its pathogenesis, complications, and treatment)
• disorders of maternal, fetal and neonatal life
• effects and mechanisms of action of drugs, biopharmaceuticals, alcohol and toxicants, xenobiotics
• and endobiotics on reproduction or on endocrine glands
• endocrine function and disease
• gynecologic conditions
• hormone physiology and biochemistry
• hypothalamic, pituitary, gonadal, thyroid, and adrenal physiology and pathophysiology
• male and female reproductive aging and menopause
• metabolism and metabolic diseases
• neuroendocrinology
• nutrient metabolism, obesity (including its causes and treatment), and clinical nutrition
• obstetrical disorders of implantation, gestation, embryogenesis, and parturition
• reproduction and the pathobiology of its disorders (including the causes and treatments of infertility)
• role of nutrition under normal and pathological conditions

Evolutionary and Population Biology – research addressing molecular, cellular, and higher order hormone-regulated processes in physiology and pathophysiology

• comparative genomics
• research linking phenotype to genotypes across populations
• classical and molecular epidemiology approaches to understanding the mechanisms of disease
• comparative medicine and development of relevant animal models for human disease

Genes, Genomes and Genetics – research on fundamental and applied aspects of genes, genomes and genetics of humans and other organisms

• approaches to the identification of disease-related genes
• chromosome structure and dynamics
• DNA recombination and repair
• DNA transcription and translation
• evolutionary genetics
• fundamental mechanisms and regulation of gene expression, including chromosome function and maintenance
• genetic replication, variation and evolution
• genetic/molecular epidemiology
• genome structure and function
• involvement of genetics in human health and disease
• mammalian and human genetics and genomics
• population genetics
• prokaryotic and general eukaryotic genetics and genomics
• protein processing, stability, and degradation
• quantitative genetics and genetics of complex traits
• regulatory mechanisms of gene expression
• RNA processing, stability, and degradation
• translational genetic studies applying fundamental genetic insight into the clinical setting

Hematology – basic research through clinical studies focused on hematopoiesis, blood cells and their diseases and studies of normal and pathologic hemostasis and thrombosis

• bone marrow transplantation and transfusion
• coagulation biochemistry and disorders
• iron metabolism
• leukocyte biology
• platelet biology and disorders
• platelet function
• red blood cell biology and structure, including sickle cell anemia
• stem cell biology and hematopoiesis (including cytokines)
• thrombosis
• vascular biology

Immunology – research ranging from basic through clinical studies focused on immunology and diseases that are principally immunological in their origin or manifestations

• autoimmunity and autoimmune rheumatological diseases
• cellular, molecular, and developmental immunology
• chronic fatigue and related disorders
• immunochemistry and immunogenetics
• immunodeficiency diseases
• immunological aspects of asthma hypersensitivity diseases
• inflammation
• innate immunology
• mucosal immunology
• rheumatology
• tolerance
• transplantation immunology
• tumor immunology
• vaccines

Infectious Diseases and Microbiology – research ranging from basic through clinical studies focused on infectious diseases and microbes

• bacteriology and bacterial pathogenesis
• microbial ecology
• mycology and fungal pathogenesis
• oral, surgical, or other “subspecialty” infections 
• parasitology and parasitic diseases
• vaccines
• virology and viral pathogenesis
  

Integrative, Functional, and Cognitive Neuroscience – research focused on how the nervous system is organized and how it functions at an integrative, systems level

• aging and cognition
• attention and its effects on information processing in the nervous system
• autonomic nervous system homeostasis
• biological rhythms
• chemosensation, hearing, balance, touch, somatosensation
• computational and theoretical models of cognitive processes
• integration of multisensory information
• memory and other cognitive processes
• motor systems and sensorimotor integration
• neural basis of emotional and motivational behavior
• neural coding of complex stimuli
• system function under varying behavioral states
• vision

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Neuroscience – research focused on the basic mechanisms that determine the structure and function of neurons, glia, and other excitable cells, and on aspects of development in both the central and peripheral nervous systems

• apoptosis
• basic cellular and molecular physiology
• basic neuropharmacology
• cell cycle control
• cytoskeleton
• extracellular matrix
• medicinal chemistry
• membrane trafficking
• neurodegeneration
• signal transduction
• structural analysis

Musculoskeletal, Oral and Skin Sciences - research that addresses structural systems that are prerequisite for physical form, mechanical function, movement, and integrity of the body, as well as their associated diseases

• associated autoimmune diseases
• biomineralization
• bone biology and disease
• chiropractic medicine
• craniofacial development and disorders
• dental sciences
• exercise physiology
• extracellular matrix components and biology, including cartilage/ligament/tendon biology and disease
• joint biology and disease
• rheumatological disorders
• skeletal muscle biology and disease
• skin biology and disease
• sports medicine

Oncological Sciences – research involving basic, translational, and clinical investigations that encompass cancer prevention, initiation, promotion, progression, diagnosis and treatment

• cancer genetics and cell biology, including metastasis
• clinical immunotherapeutics, including tumor vaccines
• development of biomarkers/signatures for tumor detection and diagnosis
• drug development and evaluation
• environmental and dietary carcinogenesis
• leukemias and lymphomas
• pathology
  • cytogenetics
  • diagnostic methods
  • immunopathology
• therapeutic oncology
  • biological response modifiers
  • chemoprevention
  • chemotherapy
  • combined modality therapies
  • hormonal therapy
  • radiotherapy

Renal and Urological Sciences - research ranging from basic through clinical studies focused on the renal and genitourinary systems

• causes and treatment of acute and chronic disorders
• clinical studies in nephrological and urological disorders, such as end-stage renal disease, incontinence, infection, and urinary stones
• hypertension
• inflammatory processes affecting the renal and genitourinary system
• mechanisms underlying regulation of fluid and mineral balance
• prostate and related disorders, including obstruction and inflammation
• renal blood flow
• renal transport mechanisms

Respiratory Sciences – research ranging from basic sciences through clinical studies that is focused on the entire pulmonary system and related organs and processes

• adult respiratory distress syndrome
• alterations in processes which can result in inflammation, immune dysfunctions, and altered physiology of the pulmonary system
• chronic airway diseases, including asthma, cystic fibrosis, obstructive airways diseases, and interstitial lung diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis
• environmental and occupational respiratory diseases (i.e., diseases of the lung)
• lung development
• lung transplantation
• processes of development and aging
• pulmonary physiology
• pulmonary toxicology
• pulmonary vascular diseases
• sudden infant death syndrome

Surgical Sciences, Applied Imaging, and Applied Bioengineering - research focus on surgical and related disciplines, and on biomedical imaging and applied bioengineering

• anesthesia
• biomaterials
• bioengineering and radiologic imaging (application of e.g., MRI, PET scan)
• burns and trauma
• diagnostic bioimaging
• drug delivery, bioavailability, and pharmacokinetics
• radiation oncology
• surgery