The NHLBI Research Diversity Program is designed to promote the entry of outstanding minority undergraduate and medical students into biomedical research careers. This research enrichment program represents a creative approach that provides an in-depth exposure to biomedical concepts, modern biomedical research areas, and an intensive, """"""""hands-on,"""""""" well-structured 12 week research experience. The NHLBI Research Diversity Program will match talented minority undergraduate and medical students with fully funded NIH research faculty mentors. The program will couple the daily research experience with an ongoing series of summer research seminars, peer round table research discussions, oral presentations, and mentoring from outstanding UTMB faculty. Students will have to opportunity to choose basic, clinical, translational or behavioral research projects. The specific objectives are: 1) To expose minority students early in their career to the excitement and challenges of a research career and to encourage their investigative and analytical skills, 2) To encourage undergraduate and medical students to pursue a career in basic or clinical research in the areas of cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, and sleep disorders research, 3) To provide a valuable experience for students who hope to seek additional research training and funding in the future, 4) To increase the pool of minority physician scientists engaged in biomedical or behavioral research in those areas necessary to continue the mission of the NHLBI, 5) To address the issues of health care disparities by increasing the pool of minority physician scientists performing research in those areas where minority populations are particularly vulnerable, and 6) To expose underrepresented minority students to the medical and graduate school environment and to provide the necessary educational resources which will aid in successful matriculation into UTMB or other health universities medical and/or graduate schools. The NHLBI Diversity Research Program will enrich the research background of the students and will allow them to experience research first-hand in laboratories where outstanding faculty brings the excitement of scientific inquiry to life. The NHLBI Diversity in Research, in acknowledgment of its relevance to public health, will address the issues of heath care disparities by increasing the pool of minority undergraduate and medical students who will perform research in the areas of cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, and sleep disorders. This program will strive to increase the number of minority physician scientists who are dedicated to performing research related to health disparities in areas where minority populations are particularly vulnerable.

Public Health Relevance

The NHLBI Diversity in Research, in acknowledgment of its relevance to public health, will address the issues of heath care disparities by increasing the pool of minority undergraduate and medical students who will perform research in the areas of cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, and sleep disorders. This program will strive to increase the number of minority physician scientists who are dedicated to performing research related to health disparities in areas where minority populations are particularly vulnerable.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Education Projects (R25)
Project #
5R25HL096363-03
Application #
8052745
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHL1-CSR-R (F3))
Program Officer
Roltsch, Mark
Project Start
2009-04-01
Project End
2014-03-31
Budget Start
2011-04-01
Budget End
2012-03-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$106,168
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas Medical Br Galveston
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
800771149
City
Galveston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77555
Dhiman, Monisha; Coronado, Yun A; Vallejo, Cecilia K et al. (2013) Innate immune responses and antioxidant/oxidant imbalance are major determinants of human Chagas disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 7:e2364