? This project establishes a modern Animal Resource Facility and provides a Cell Culture Core Facility and Research Labs to be housed in the new Biosciences Building at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) which will allow state-of-the-art animal care and research in support of the rapidly expanding biomedical sciences research and educational programs at UTEP, an Hispanic Serving Institution. Over the past 10 years, UTEP has been successful in attracting extramural funding for both biomedical research and research infrastructure. The biomedical and health sciences grants portfolio has increased from less than $1 million in 1992 to over $22 million today. Two new Ph.D. programs in biomedical sciences have been instituted and the number of faculty members actively involved in biomedical research has increased from 50% of 19 tenure-track faculty in 1992 to 75% of the present 27 tenure-track faculty. Six new faculty in biomedical sciences will be added over the next five years. ? ? The University, however, due to its recent success, has several unmet needs in its research infrastructure. ? ? Critical needs include more faculty research laboratories and specialized animal facilities. The 2001 Texas State Legislature responded to the University's need for additional research laboratories and approved funding for the construction of a state-of-the-art Bioscience Research Building. To provide invaluable support for UTEP's rapidly expanding biomedical sciences programs, this application requests funding to establish a modern Animal Resource Facility and to fund the Cell Culture Core and Research Labs to be housed in its new Biosciences Building. ? ?
