The University of Rhode Island (URI), the state's flagship public research university, received $86 million in sponsored program awards in FY 2009. Approximately 80% of this research was federally funded, with approximately 32%, or $22 million, focused on biomedical and bio-behavioral research. A significant portion was for behavior change research, such as smoking cessation, weight management and medication adherence. URI is moving forward on a quarter-billion dollar master plan for health science infrastructure investment in the Health Sciences Quadrangle campus. This Health Sciences North District includes the Chafee Social Science Center, the Social Science Research Center, Nursing, the new Biotechnology and Life Sciences Building, and soon to be constructed buildings for Pharmacy and Chemistry. The subject of this proposal is a centralized behavior change research facility (BCRF) to be developed through renovation of space that is at the center of the Health Sciences district. This facility will integrate four fragmented services: Quantitative and Methodology, Intervention and Training, Telemetrics and Telecommunications, and Survey and Outreach into a full service facility that can provide collaboration and consultation from initial research and behavior change intervention design and outreach and recruitment to treatment training and delivery to quantitative analyses of outcomes. The BCRF will support current research and enhance the development of future PHS-funded research projects in our internationally recognized behavior change research programs. Behavioral research at URI is dedicated to changing single and multiple behaviors to prevent and manage a broad range of chronic diseases. The AARA funds will support 12 FTEs in a state suffering the second worst economy in the nation. This investment in a centralized BCRF will advance URI's bio-behavior change research programs that impact on behaviors that account for about 60% of total health care costs, thus contributing substantially to innovation in enhancing health while controlling health care costs and to Rhode Island's science- and technology-based economy.
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