This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. It is felt that, based on the last five years achievements, made possible through the research partnership with the NIH-RCMI Program and recommendations of its advisory structures, the Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC) has been able to implement successfully its proposed strategic plan. This was directed toward strengthening and expanding its research capacity in the health sciences. This plan continues to operate under two interacting divisions. The Research Support Division comprises, the Office of the Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, which provides statistics, editing and consultant services;the Scientific Human Resources Development Unit, which aims at increasing the critical mass of researchers, establishing a mentoring and sabbatical program, and fostering clinical research;and the Common Instrumentation Area and Technical Services, which includes an expansion of the electronic workshop and the machine/carpentry shop, developing a continuous monitoring system of instruments and freezers and increasing research space at UCC. The Research Activity Division is constituted by research centers, for which funds are dedicated to improve substantially their specialized infrastructure to foster scientific studies relevant to the areas of Retrovirus, Substances of Abuse, Neurosciences and Cell and Molecular Biology. RCMI continuous support for the implementation of this plan has been essential;particularly, to accomplish previous and present research commitments of increasing significantly (in the last four years), peer-reviewed publications (20-53%), research funding (20%), and human (17 new research faculty) and physical resources (six new research laboratories).
In the last two decades and a half, UCC Administration has strived to develop an environment capable of sustaining a competitive research endeavor by its faculty. This appeared to be an insurmountable task at the beginning. However, with the inception of the RCMI Program in 1986 and the insertion of human and physical resources, a more promising future was opened to this institution's research efforts. This is evidenced by the increased contribution to scientific knowledge by our researchers, mainly the areas of HIV/AIDS, substance of abuse, neuroscience and now in cancer. Without RCMI, UCC would have not been able to progress and contribute to these research fields.
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