The proposed program expands TWU's previous efforts as an MBRS Associate Investigator Institution. Of the MBRS undergraduates, 85.7% completed their degree; 83.3 % of MBRS students completed their M.S. degree; and 100% of MBRS students completed their Ph.D. degree. Since 1989, MBRS students have made 48 scientific presentations and MBRS students have been first author or co-author on 25 refereed publications. The current application is designed to build upon the foundation initiated by the existing MBRS program and to complement TWU's program to motivate and train minority students to pursue research careers in science.
The specific aims of the proposed 4-year program are: 1. to motivate 10 minority undergraduates to pursue a research career in the biomedical sciences. 2. to recruit and train 10 minority graduate students in pursuit of a Ph.D. degree in the biomedical sciences. 3. to increase the amount of biomedical research support from non-MBRS funds for minority students on the TWU campus. 4. to increase the number of minority scientist role models available to students on the TWU campus to further motivate students toward a research career. 5. to track participating students in their progression toward careers in the life sciences; and 6. to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed program relative to TWU's overall program for minority research activities in the life sciences.
