Parker B. Francis Fellowship Program - Learn About the Program

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>LETTER FROM
THE DIRECTOR

FAREWELL FROM DR. JOSEPH BRAIN - April, 2008

After 10 years of rewarding work with the Francis Family Foundation as the Director of the Parker B. Francis Fellowship Program, I stepped down on March 31, 2008. More than ever, I appreciate the wisdom of this program. It is superbly designed to nurture lung biologists and pulmonary physicians at a critical stage in their development as research scientists. The PBF program is a powerful catalyst that helps diverse talented women and men make the transition to becoming independently funded academic investigators.

I am proud to have collaborated with the late John and Mary Harris Francis and with their children who share an extraordinary vision. I thank a wise board of directors of the foundation who provide guidance and I thank exceptional scientific advisors who help improve the review process and help select the best of the best. I also thank Dr. Nancy Long Sieber, who has served as the PBF Fellowship Program Administrator.

There is abundant evidence that the PBF Fellowship program has advanced the careers of hundreds of talented lung scientists over the past 3 decades. Each year, 15-18 awards are made – each for 3 years. Men and women from varied backgrounds are carrying out some of the most creative and significant research in the critical areas of preventing, diagnosing, and treating lung disease in infants, children, and adults. I have been amply rewarded by being part of this process. I will never forget and will always prize this opportunity.

I leave with the conviction that the PBF fellowship program will continue to thrive. I send my deep thanks and warm wishes to the Francis family. They carry on the legacy of their mother and father and other visionary relatives. I congratulate Dr. Thomas R. Martin, the new director of the program, at the University of Washington and the VA Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Martin will work with Deborah Snapp, who will be the PBF Fellowship Program Administrator. This precious gem is in good hands.

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR, THOMAS R. MARTIN, M.D.

I am pleased to assume the role of Director of the Parker B. Francis Fellowship Program, following Joe Brain, Sc.D., who has provided outstanding leadership for the program over the last ten years. The PBF Fellowship Program has had an outstanding series of leaders, including S. Marsh Tenney, M.D., Donald F. Tierney, M.D., and Joe Brain, Sc.D., who have guided the program to a remarkable record of achievement in fostering careers of new investigators devoted to improving the health of patients with lung diseases. The Parker B. Francis Fellowship Program has supported over 750 fellows since it began 32 years ago. Many of these individuals have become prominent investigators and international leaders in pulmonary research. Their work has led to significant new discoveries which have improved the health of patients with a wide range of lung diseases. The success of the program reflects the remarkable dedication of the Francis Family Foundation to promoting lung health by developing careers in pulmonary science.

The PBF Fellowship Program is open to new investigators with M.D. or Ph.D. degrees, or their equivalent, who are embarking on careers in pulmonary science. The program provides three years of support for research under the guidance of an experienced mentor. There were 54 applications from researchers in the U.S. and Canada submitted in October 2007. This past January the PBF Scientific Council selected 18 of these for funding, which was a difficult task because of the large number of outstanding applications. Each of these 18 PBF Fellows will receive $150,000 in salary support over a three year period, so the total amount awarded to the 2008 PBF Fellows will be more than $2.7 million. I look forward to following the achievements of these and our other PBF Fellows as they conduct their research and develop their careers in pulmonary research. I am honored to have the opportunity to guide this remarkable and important program with the Francis Family Foundation and the Parker B. Francis Fellowship Program Scientific Council. We are grateful for the continuing support of the Francis Family Foundation in promoting careers in pulmonary research.

Sincerely,

Thomas R. Martin, MD