Research Opportunities
Residents are encouraged to pursue areas of special interest including clinical or bench research. Opportunities also exist for matriculating in the ABIM Research Pathway.
The Department’s research programs provide an extraordinary environment for faculty and trainees to work collaboratively in preventing, diagnosing, and treating human disease. In FY 2006, the Department’s faculty and trainees secured $132 million in research funds (460 total awards) – an increase of 6% compared to 2005 from governmental and private agencies. The Department’s research funding from the National Institutes of Health place it in the very top group of research- intensive Departments of Medicine in the United States. The Department has internationally renowned research programs in a number of areas.
Examples include cardiovascular biology, pulmonary inflammation and immunology, obesity, androgen biochemistry and biology, diabetes, arthritis, alcohol/substance abuse, genetics, obesity, cancer biology, clinical epidemiology, amyloidosis, vasculitis, HIV/AIDS, and sickle cell disease. The most important longitudinal study of cardiac risk factors ever conducted – the Framingham Heart Study – is based at Boston University and is strongly supported by investigators in the Department of Medicine.
The National Emerging Infectious Disease Institute funded by the NIH, Boston University and Boston Medical Center will open in late 2009. This 200,000 sq ft research center will attract 20 research teams to conduct research on emerging infectious diseases.
Together, these well-funded research centers provide unique opportunities for our House Officers to receive advanced training in basic, clinical, and translational research. At least one-third of our Trainees spend significant time in an on campus research setting, stimulated by projects that resulted in nearly 160 abstracts at our annual Evans Department of Medicine Research Celebration.
Each year a large percentage of our residents present their research at national scientific and clinical meetings, as well as our Senior Resident Academic Day.
Additional research opportunities pertaining to specific departments and laboratory investigators may be found on our Department of Medicine Main Webpage.
