The applicants propose to build an A-BRIN that will unite the three major campuses of the University of Alaska (UA), her 18 rural campuses with high minority populations, and two private colleges. The thematic focus of Alaska A-BRIN will be """"""""Contaminants in Subsistence Foods."""""""" The UA has significant research expertise in ecology, environmental sciences, global change, and marine research, but almost no faculty expertise in biomedical fields (two R01?s are held by UA investigators). The A-BRIN will exploit the research strengths of UA by targeting three research foci of the National Institutes of Health?s Institute charged with health issues related to environmental exposure, the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). To become R01 competitive, UA must increase its strength in those fields of research directly relevant to the NIEHS, namely molecular and cellular biology, toxicology, and biochemistry. The Alaska A-BRIN will focus on molecular mechanisms underlying contaminant mediate disease and dysfunction. The A-BRIN will bring new faculty in these crucial disciplines to UA campuses and allow equipment upgrades that improve research competitiveness and buttress basic science departments. A-BRIN investments will also be used to provide mentoring programs that enhance the research competitiveness of current faculty and/or enhance their teaching performance. The establishment of A-BRIN graduate research fellowships is aimed at attracting high quality students to UA. Undergraduate summer internships will provide laboratory training for Alaska?s young scientists. Summer research experiences for faculty at non-doctoral colleges will increase their effectiveness in presenting health science topics to students, with the goal of increasing the number of students who ultimately pursue careers in health science or research. Seminars and workshops will enhance the learning experience and research competitiveness of Alaska faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates. Finally, the LC is established as part of the A-BRIN to facilitate interaction and exchange of information with those populations whose health is most negatively impacted by contaminants in subsistence foods, the Alaska Natives.
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