The overall goal of this project is to enhance research activities at the Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, India through an application for an International Extramural Associates Research Development Award. This institution seeks to provide appropriate basic and technologically sophisticated health care to populations and patients in India, based on a foundation of academic excellence and ethical training. The strong independent and collaborative medical research programs of the faculty seek to better understand, investigate, control and prevent communicable and non-communicable diseases in south India. The first Research Vice-Principal's office was established at CMC in 2002 in response to a felt need. The commitment of the institution to research has been reinforced by the planned expansion of physical and administrative facilities in 2006-2007 that will permit increased administrative responsibility and oversight from the Office of Research. The greater role of the Office of Research will be aided by the formal training and development of the International Extramural Associate who will i) promote research and development by ensuring compliance with policies and guidelines of funding agencies, ii) aid in the strengthening of the Office for Research and iii) serve as CMC's liaison with the NIH and other U.S. federal agencies. This project specifically aims to provide long-distance and residency training for an administrator in the policies and practices of the National Institutes of Health, in order to understand and comply with the regulatory requirements of funding agencies. The project will also facilitate the research programs of physicians and scientists from southern India in a variety of disciplines by supporting the preparation of grant applications and post-award management, by conducting a series of workshops on granstmanship, research design, analytic tools and research ethics. The training and subsequent implementation of the institutional research development plan will permit CMC to enhance its role as a leader in needs-appropriate research and development. Promotion of excellence in research will increase global infrastructure and capacity for dealing with endemic and emerging diseases in developing countries.
