The Association of Minority Health Professions Schools (AMHPS) proposes the establishment of a Junior Research Investigator Enhancement Program. The long-term objectives are designed to stimulate the research interests of highly motivated postdoctoral students and junior faculty members, enrolled or employed at AMHPS schools and provide support for training in areas of research supported and sponsored by the National Health, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
The specific aims are to expose selected applicants to recent developments in cardiovascular, pulmonary and hematologic research at nationally prominent scientific meetings; to promote their personal interaction with a cross section of eminent scientists in the field and to develop channels of research communication on their campuses, among AMHPS schools, graduate research institutions and NHLBI. There is an underrepresentation of minority faculty in the research areas represented by the NHLBI. Although this condition exists in all areas of biomedical sciences, AMPHS feels that the NHLBI provides an excellent resource because of a core of minority scientists training or training in this area. There is further interests in the fact that the minority population in the United States is excessively afflicted by diseases that are of primary interest to NHLBI. Through this program, AMHPS seeks to increase the numbers of minorities in active research and teaching in the areas represented by the NHLBI. Candidates are recruited from the seven AMHPS campuses by senior faculty investigators or mentors. Mentors are responsible for recruiting and assessing the progress of junior investigators in their career development. Successful candidates must be recommended for the award by the mentor and receive the endorsement of a member of the AMHPS Directors or AMHPS Research Group.
