CARMEL, CA: Dr Vedang Londhe (Porter Ranch), Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the division of neonatology at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, received the 2008 Ross Award in Research by a Young Investigator at the Western Society of Pediatric Research annual meeting in Carmel, CA, on Jan 31.

The society, a regional organization that encourages basic and clinical research relevant to pediatric diseases, presents the award to emerging young faculty members in recognition of their outstanding research in a field related to pediatrics.

Londhe's research focuses on the role of inflammation during lung development. He is currently coordinating four major projects designed to investigate the role of inflammation on lung development and stem cell homeostasis.

The doctor has published eight peer-reviewed articles, authored two textbook chapters and consistently presented his work at annual national meetings. He has received five research grants and is currently funded by a NIH award and a UCLA Faculty Research Grant.

Londhe's career goals include becoming an independent scientist and developing expertise in the field of alveolar formation and stem cell regulation. In addition, he plans to continue his involvement in clinical patient care and in the teaching and training of future academic physician scientists.

He earned his medical degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago. He then completed his pediatric residency at Kaiser Foundation Hospital (Oakland), and a neonatology Fellowship at the University of California San Francisco and joined UCLA's division of neonatology in 2002.