A major challenge for the scientific community is to increase the participation of underrepresented minority students in biomedical research and subsequent leadership in the professoriate. For example, less than 10% of students in Case SOM biomedical PhD programs come from underrepresented minorities (URMs), and 2% of our full time faculty are URM. To address this need, this proposal is designed to prepare underrepresented minority students who hold a recent baccalaureate degree with additional research training, coursework and student development to successfully transition into biomedical doctoral programs. This proposal requests funds to support 12 students per year (six in the first year) to engage in research in biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology and microbiology, neuroscience, nutrition, pathology, pharmacology or physiology and biophysics. The program will coordinate the expertise of the faculty in an integrated postgraduate training program. Participating faculty mentors all have active and well-funded research programs that contribute to a lively and stimulating scientific environment. In addition to one-two years laboratory experience, students will complete academic coursework to augment their quantitative and biomedical foundation and acquire professional presentation skills. Further, students will have direct tutoring in standardized test preparation and assistance in the preparation of graduate school applications. The participating mentors are located at Case School of Medicine and already interact in the training of graduate students throughout our interdisciplinary PhD programs. The Institution has demonstrated continued success in attracting underrepresented minority students into our medical programs, and will focus that experience now in increasing minority matriculation into graduate programs. Students will be recruited from a national pool of applicants using comprehensive recruitment strategies.
Each aim i s associated with measurable outcomes that assay science interest, matriculation into graduate and other programs, changes in standardized tests as well as information about program efficacy. This combination of interventions is designed to convey the excitement and culture of scientific research along with the academic and programmatic preparation to students and prepare them to transition to graduate school and a biomedical research career.
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