The main goal of the UPRMC Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) Program is to increase the number of hispanics and other minorities trained and educated in the Biomedical Sciences fields emphasizing research oriented careers. It provides the incentives and opportunities for minority students and investigators to participate in biomedical research projects of broad, current significance, and those that address issues relevant to medical and public health problems unique to terrestrial, and marine tropical environments. MBRS-UPRMC integrates both current and newly initiated biomedical research efforts of the faculties of Engineering, Arts and Sciences and the Department of Marine Sciences at UPR-Mayaguez Campus. It has established interdisciplinary research projects that provide broad range of experience and interaction of students and senior investigators with major institutions in Puerto Rico and the continental United States. The MBRS Program has become one of the most successful endeavors in research at the Mayaguez Campus. As a precursor of research development, the MBRS Program has had a direct effect on the establishment of the Marine Natural Products Center (MRCE:NSF/UPR); provided the initial experience and opportunities to many investigators that were able to compete in the UPR- NSF EPSCoR programs and increased the submission of proposals to other funding agencies, it has also stimulated the institutional interest in sponsoring symposia, conferences and seminars; it has promoted the participation of the program's students and investigators to attend international research symposia and encourage participation in national meetings, specially the NIH/MBRS Annual symposium. Student participants have been greatly benefited by our MBRS Program. Undergraduate and graduate students have been introduced to all phases of research program methodology, including systemic literature review, project planning, use of technical equipment, analyses of data, and presentation of results for publication. Premedical students of the Department of Biology have participated strongly in our MBRS Program. Follow-ups on such students reveals that experience with the Program contributes greatly to their success in medical school and has frequently stimulated them to adopt research-oriented careers in clinics and hospitals associated with medical schools. The MBRS Director continues to promote and encourage the distribution of funds specially for students affairs and support. The theme adopted by the guidance and development of the future program is: """"""""Biomedical Model Systems: Organismal Response, Development, and Detection of Natural Products in Tropical Environments. The objective of this proposal is to obtain support to continue strengthening what we have accomplished and to promote further development of the program. Sixteen new projects are being submitted in this omnibus proposal.
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