What are common PRS BASIC research projects?

[Spinietzschon]

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I looked through some journals catering to PRS and it appears that there is not only a preponderance of clinical/basic ratio, but that there are VERY FEW basic research topics - unless I'm looking at the wrong journals, and some are chaulked full of basic research for PRS? Or do PRS academics usually just apply research from other fields by interpolation?

If you have the time to do non-clinical research and I'm told basic is respected highly by most residency programs of all specialities, is there any for PRS? Or would you have to do more dermatology based research and sortof 'steer' it toward PRS the best you can, (or something of the like, just one example)? I'm not at the point where I can ask an adviser yet so I'm looking for food for thought, not specifics of course.

Also, sortof unrelated, NIH doesn't seem to have any institutes that really cater to PRS. PRS can fit into craniofacial, sortof, and musculoskeletal/skin institute, somewhat, but unlike NCI or NEI, it's not as obvious if a PRS researcher has a 'home base' for NIH grants... Is there one institute that PRS researchers look to the way nephrologists look to NIDDK, and I'm just unaware of it?

Thank you all for any thoughts-

 

[Spinietzschon]

🙄 So I'm guessing there are limited known basic options for bread-and-butter PRS research, then.

 

[Airplanepeanuts]

There are a few.

Brian Gastman at Cleveland Clinc studies Tumor Immunology
Maria Siemionow studies face transplant immunosuppressant regimens
Andy Lee at Hopkins studies immunosuppressant regimens for hand transplant

bla bla bla

 

[EmoryGrad]

I'm not sure what journals you are reading, but there is an entire section of PRS on Original Experimental articles. There are tons of opportunities and topics to do lab research on in P&RS (wound healing/tissue eng./CTA/etc...), you just need to take the time to identify what interests you. Also, lab research is not something you do on your own, you will need a mentor and a lab that has ongoing projects (because you will not have the experience to develop your own projects yet). If your goal is to simply do basic science research because it is "respected by residency programs," you should seriously reconsider. Lab research takes time, effort and things almost never go as planned. You should do it because you're interested in it and eventually, see yourself becoming good at it. All published research is respected, regardless of whether it is purely lab/translational/clinical. The reason there are more clinical articles in the P&RS literature is simple: it is a clinical profession and a majority of the board certified people are exclusively dedicated to clinical practice. If you want more specifics on current topics of interest, go on some of the websites for PRS residency programs that have dedicated labs (Stanford/Yale/Pitt/SIU/Harvard/NW/Wash U/etc....). Hope that helps, good luck in the future!

 

[Spinietzschon]

I'm not sure what journals you are reading, but there is an entire section of PRS on Original Experimental articles. There are tons of opportunities and topics to do lab research on in P&RS (wound healing/tissue eng./CTA/etc...), you just need to take the time to identify what interests you. Also, lab research is not something you do on your own, you will need a mentor and a lab that has ongoing projects (because you will not have the experience to develop your own projects yet). If your goal is to simply do basic science research because it is "respected by residency programs," you should seriously reconsider. Lab research takes time, effort and things almost never go as planned. You should do it because you're interested in it and eventually, see yourself becoming good at it. All published research is respected, regardless of whether it is purely lab/translational/clinical. The reason there are more clinical articles in the P&RS literature is simple: it is a clinical profession and a majority of the board certified people are exclusively dedicated to clinical practice. If you want more specifics on current topics of interest, go on some of the websites for PRS residency programs that have dedicated labs (Stanford/Yale/Pitt/SIU/Harvard/NW/Wash U/etc....). Hope that helps, good luck in the future!

I haven't the breadth of knowledge that medical school give you about overall physiology/pathology (or anatomy, pharmacology, etc etc) as I'm not started med school yet. But I've worked past few years full time NIH Intramural research and fully appreciate the engaging and time consuming nature of basic research (vs starting up new clinical, even). I have a strong interest in continuing to develop my base in parallel with becoming clinically competent.

On the other hand I do obviously require a mentor (even if I had the ability to secure my own grant) who has the wherewithal and perspective I lack at this point, regardless of my general basic research competency. Which worries me (if I go somewhere without a big PRS presence in the faculty). Thank you for your food for thought - I have checked abstract archives for several years back at some national PRS conferences, ncbi and journals but not schools with big PRS programs directly. I might consider a year 'off' for research outside my school rather than only audition rotations if necessary, so it would be good to look into your suggestions. Thanks!