The primary purpose of this FRESP grant proposal is to obtain the funding needed to help Sheldon Jackson College achieve the following goals: (1) increase the number of faculty designed research proposals, (2) increase the number of research projects funded by external sources, (3) increase the number of Sheldon Jackson College graduates entering graduate and professional programs, (4) develop a strong alliance with NIH and other government funding agencies, and (5) increase the number of Alaskan Native and other minority students entering and graduating from our science program.