New Recruitment to Expand Neuroscience Research at the UPR School of Medicine: The purpose of this application is to request funds to support the hiring of two new faculty at the Department of Anatomy &Neurobiology (A &N) of the University of Puerto Rico's (UPR) School of Medicine (SoM) to develop research projects within the context of a SoM Neuroscience Research &Training Core (NRTC). Neuroscience research at UPR is advancing through the work of a community of multidisciplinary researchers. Links between basic science and clinical research are being fostered through collaborations between various departments, including A &N, Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Physiology, Psychology, Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery. The A &N of the SoM is particularly well positioned to serve as focal point from which these efforts can be centered into a plan to strengthen Neuroscience research in PR, serving as a bridge between basic and clinical sciences. Efforts towards achieving these goals had to recently be put on hold due to unexpected budgetary constraints. While the institution has the necessary space and basic support resources needed to sustain development of new faculty independent research programs and careers, it lacks the needed seed funding for the initial establishment of their projects and laboratories. The Scientific Goals of the proposed program are to: (1) Augment and expand the SoM's community of multidisciplinary researchers focusing in one of the following areas: (a) synaptic/neural circuit physiology;(b) neural development/regeneration/ plasticity;(c) behavioral/cognitive neuroscience;(d) neural mechanisms underlying neurological diseases and stroke;(2) Contribute to achieving a critical mass of researchers that can strengthen the So M capacity to train new generations of Neuroscientists from underrepresented minorities.
The Specific Aims of the proposed program are to: (1) Provide salary for the first two years following appointment of two faculty at the Assistant Professor level. The institution is committed to continue providing salary and release time for at least two additional years;(2) Provide start-up funds for purchasing of equipment and supplies needed to operate the new labs;(3) Provide salary for technical assistance for each new faculty to help them establish their independent research programs in Neuroscience.
The requested funding will strengthen Neuroscience research at UPR and allow immediate creation of 4 new jobs. The faculty jobs will likely also result in future creation of a minimum of 2-6 other jobs (e.g., technicians, postdoctorals, graduate assistants) as the researchers develop their independent research careers. Due to the UPR's geographical location, many of these jobs will likely go to underrepresented minorities.
