The California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) MBRS program was designed to provide a maximum of opportunities for participating faculty and students to collaborate in the conduct of original, contemporary, and productive biomedical research. It is our expectation, as our experience has shown, that underrepresented minority students working with able and supportive faculty who are committed to providing students with sound preparation in modern biomedical research concepts and technology, along with academic and professional career counseling, will be motivated to enter biomedical research careers in increasing numbers. Moreover, faculty participation in the program will enhance their professional development and advancement, and will continue to improve the ability of this urban minority institution to conduct a significant biomedical research effort. Cal State LA is geographically located in one of the major population centers of ethnic minority groups in the United States, and its student body, which is 72% minority, reflects this. The Fall 1990 enrollment included 2,073 Blacks; 5,856 Hispanics; 93 Native Americans; and 5,177 students of Asian and Pacific Island origins. Cal State LA is unique in that not only does it enroll 13,199 minority students, it also has significant representation from many minority groups, making it the most culturally diverse four year institution in the United States. The MBRS program at Cal State LA has been very successful in research productivity and student achievement. This application seeks renewal of this very productive effort, and is composed of 22 subprojects from currently productive laboratories in the departments of Biology, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Family Studies & Consumer Sciences, Microbiology, and Psychology. Sixteen of these were prepared by faculty members currently in the MBRS program, and six are new, generally from faculty more recently appointed to positions at Cal State LA. The proposed research subprojects span a range of biomedical inquiry and include neurobiology, development of ethnic identity, enzymology, bioorganic, bioinorganic, and organometallic chemistry, metabolic regulation, and insect genetics. In addition, support is requested for a seminar series which is regarded as an important component of the program.
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