Benedict College has developed a strategy to build institutional research capacity. This approach will increase the competitiveness of biomedical researchers at Benedict College to develop sustainable research programs and enhance the educational experience of the College's students in the life and physical sciences. Support cores and facilities will be established as a foundation for biomedical researchers to conduct research, publish their findings, and compete for extramural grant funding as well as for students to experience biomedical research and be trained to be more competitive for matriculation into graduate programs in the biomedical sciences. In addition to an Administrative Core, areas of emphasis are (I) Faculty Core, (II) Research Support Core, (III) Student Activities Core, (IV) Office of Sponsored Biomedical Research (OSBR), and (V) Developmental/Collaborative Research Core. One new assistant professor and two postdoctoral associates (one for the 1st half and one for the 2nd half of the grant) will be hired to complement the research interests of two recently hired assistant professors and more senior faculty members. Biomedical researchers will occupy and utilize newly completed state-of-the-art faculty and core laboratory facilities. Additional instrumentation will be added to the recently purchased state-of-the-art equipment in these research laboratories. A technician will maintain an animal care facility. A Lab Manager will maintain centralized core laboratories, assist faculty members in purchasing and conducting experiments, and train students to work in faculty laboratories. A Health Careers Advisor will monitor student laboratory experiences, organize and oversee tutoring of students in gateway science courses and formal training of students in preparation for taking the Graduate Record Examination and applying to graduate school, and organize postdoctoral associate teaching experience to make them more competitive in the job market. The Head of the OSBR and a Grants Officer will assist in the application for extramural grants. There will be two research subprojects in reproductive biology each of which will involve collaboration between a faculty member in the Department of Biological and Physical Sciences at Benedict College and a faculty member in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Additional interactions between the two schools will enhance the research experiences. An advisory committee and external evaluator will be advisory and evaluate the program.
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