The success of the RCMI-Clinical Research Center (CRC) at the University of Hawaii (UH) has been challenged by the lack of a university hospital. Thus, the clinical faculty is based at several community hospitals in the Honolulu area with the UH-RCMI-CRC located at one, Kapiolani Medical Center, a specialty women's and children's facility. The major focus of this clinical research center is to foster the development of clinical research that focuses on medical conditions disproportionately affecting Hawaiian minorities. The remarkable success of the UH-RCMI-CRC over the last four years is highlighted by recruitment of a diverse group of investigators from the major community hospitals, as well as investigators from the PACIFIC Biomedical Research Center (PBRC) and the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii (CRCH). Since its inception in September 1995, 99 investigators representing 10 institutions have conducted 86 studies at the UH-RCMI- CRC. During this four-year period, UH-RCMI-CRC supported investigators have published 58 book chapters/reviews, 234 abstracts/presentations, 195 manuscripts, and have been award4ed 23 million dollars in federal grants. In addition, 7 career development applications have been completed. Other proposals have been submitted in response NIH RFAs. Continued support is requested for an additional 5-year term in order to further develop and expand develop and expand the UH-RCMI-CRC, with the specific goal of achieving GCRC status. In order to continue the recruitment of junior investigators from the UH School of Medicine, PBRC and CRCH, the emphasis on protocol development will continue to be a priority. The UH-RCMI-CRC will also continue to assist promising investigators in applying for career development awards. As a major activity, the research infrastructure and clinical facility will be expanded to include a satellite center at another major hospital within the St. Francis Healthcare System. Other goals will be provide nutritional support services, expand the capabilities of the core laboratory to include molecular biology and lipid analysis studies, and establish an affiliation with the University of Vermont-GCRC. In support of major areas of clinical research relevant to the peoples of Hawaii, the UH-RCMI-CRC will foster four areas of clinical research excellence. These include: HIV and Emerging Pathogens, Neonatal/Perinatal Research, Epidemiologic- based Cancer Research, and Native Hawaiian Health. The research efforts of the UH-RCMI-CRC will be seamlessly integrated with the activities of the newly approved Centers of Clinical Research Excellence (CCRE). Finally, our research efforts will be aided by the new Dean of the School of Medicine, Dr. Edwin Cadman from Yale University, who has formally agreed to designate the UH-RCMI-CRC as the central clinical research infrastructure for the School of Medicine.
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