Proposed is the addition of a NIH-NIGMS Initiative for Minority Student Development at the University of Mississippi (The University of Mississippi's Biomedical Research Internship Program). This program has been designed to strengthen and expand The University's ability to champion the achievements of talented minority students in a new and challenging ways. The University of Mississippi is dedicated to expanding its commitment and support for minorities and women, especially African Americans. The ability to participate in NIH-NIGMS Initiative for Minority Student Development Program will contribute to The University's capacity to address the needs of Mississippi and the nation, to tap the talents of minority and female students, and to provide them with the educational framework to develop into state, regional and national leaders in the biomedical sciences. The University will draw from its experience with the Minority High School Summer Research Program, the NIH-NCRR Minority Initiative Project and other such projects, to increase the pool of minorities entering and completing graduate programs which result in a career in the biomedical sciences. Over a four year period, two minority students per year will be recruited into one of the four basic pharmaceutical science graduate programs at the University of Mississippi's School of Pharmacy (Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutics and Pharmacognosy), in addition, each year three minority undergraduate students will be recruited to spend a one-year research internship in the laboratories of a biomedical researcher in the School of Pharmacy. These students will enter into academic research areas that have typically graduate student/advisor ratios of 1:3 or smaller. With these educationally beneficial ratios it is expected that at least 75% of the students entering into the proposed program will graduate and become of member of the biomedical research community.
