This proposal seeks to create an encompassing Minority Research Infrastructure Support Program (MRISP) at Howard University that will enhance the capacity of all of Howard University's mental health focused faculty and students and its institutional research support systems to develop high quality individual and multi-disciplinary research programs in mental health domains in support of the Health People 2010 initiative and to aid in reducing disparities in mental health among ethnic groups in our nation. This MRISP's specific aims are to provide, (1) a stronger research support infrastructure at Howard University, especially for new and developing mental health researchers to improve quantity and quality of that research, (2) advanced mentoring for individual investigators and MRISP and participating NIMH-COR students, (3) advanced research skills for all developing mental health research oriented faculty and students, (4) measurably enhanced development and scholarly productivity of the Individual Investigator mental health projects proposed here, (5) encouragement for the hiring and retention of strong mental health research faculty members by helping to provide the support needed for high quality research and training programs to thrive, and (6) synergistic research and training activities with the NIMH-COR Honors Undergraduate Research Training Program and similar programs providing a multi-level pathway to research careers. This proposed MRISP is congruent with the University's Strategic Plan for Action which places increased research productivity and the service of underserved peoples in a priority focus. This MRISP proposes to achieve these aims through the creation of a Research Infrastructure Development Plan designed to provide young researchers: mentorship from research leaders, travel funds for research conference presentations and consultations, a series of workshops on advanced methodologies and statistical techniques, grant-seeking and grants management methods, a Mental Health Colloquium Series (in concert with other NIMH Programs) of notable mental health researchers and special emphasis topics, support for Individual Investigator specialty training in off- campus short courses, on-campus biostatistical consultation, and a low- cost, campus-wide research competition to identify, inspire and engage promising new minority faculty for future MRISP development. This MRISP proposes 4 individual investigator research projects across a diverse array of critical issues.
