Basic Science

Definition

Basic Science Research (also known as fundamental or bench research) provides the basis for the subsequent applied science and encompasses notably biochemistry, microbiology, physiology, and pharmacology, and their interplay. This type of research is conducted in a laboratory with cell cultures, animal studies, or physiological experiments. Usually, basic science research aims to find the mechanisms for how the human body functions during health and illness.  

Resources

Resources specific to scholarship in basic science at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh are listed below:

Rangos Research Center

The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has one of the fastest growing pediatric research programs in the country and is housed on the Children's campus in the 300,000-square-foot John G. Rangos Sr. Research Center.

The Rangos Research Center, located on the 10-acre hospital campus, is comprised of 10 floors and 300,000 square feet of open laboratories with seven floors dedicated to biomedical research activities. The facility supports biomedical research, including pediatric cancer, diabetes, heart disease, liver failure, childhood infection and inflammatory disease, genomics, immunology, and neuroscience, among other fields.

Utilizing an open laboratory concept, the center is designed for optimal collaboration between researchers and shared use of resources, which is vitally important in supporting major research advances in the twnety-first century. Each laboratory bay consists of 900 square feet including tissue, fume, and equipment alcoves as well as program rooms, dark rooms, environmental rooms, equipment corridor, faculty offices, and state of the art conference facilities designed for optimal collaboration between researchers and shared use of resources. The flexible laboratory space can accommodate 70 principal investigators. Core facilities within Rangos include two flow cores, two confocal/microscopy cores, histology core, metabolic core, and animal imaging (CT and MRI).

Unified Fellows Course

Learn more about the Pitt Pediatrics Unified Fellows Course.

Important Journals & Conferences

This information can be subspecialty specific. Please discuss with your research mentor(s) regarding which journals and conferences are most suitable to promote your scholarship in basic science research. 

Grants & Fellowships

Please see our Grants & Fellowships page for this information, as well as University of Pittsburgh and external grants open to most areas of scholarship. Additionally, consider society and foundation grants. 

Many fellows interested in pursuing basic science research should consider applying for NIH grants to support their fellowship years or beyond fellowship.

Recent Fellow Projects

View recent fellow projects.

Faculty Researchers

Please work with your fellowship program directors and the Pitt Pediatrics Vice Chair of Basic Research to identify potential research mentors.

View other research opportunities at the University of Pittsburgh.