This is a proposal to strengthen and enhance the cardiovascular-related research activities at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) through the recruitment of an established cardiovascular scientist. This scientist will be recruited in Phase I of the grant and become the principal investigator of this grant during Phase II. It is expected that the recruited scientist will foster the building of a strong cardiovascular research program at MSM, with a more focused direction to existing basic, clinical, and behavioral research. An expected outcome from this initiative is to establish workshop/discussion groups and funds for pilot studies that foster interdisciplinary collaborative research at MSM. The intellectual exchange as a result of this endeavor will not only benefit existing MSM investigators, but it will also attract high-caliber graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who are interested in pursuing a career in cardiovascular research. To this end, the effort to develop a cardiovascular research training program (with pre- and postdoctoral trainees) at MSM should come to fruition under the recruited scientist. The specific objectives of Phase I are to: 1) organize an External Advisory Committee, 2) identify and recruit an established cardiovascular research scientist, 3) develop a detailed plan for Phase II, and 4) submit an application of the Phase II plan for approval by NHLBI. The objectives that will be developed for the Phase II plan should include the following: 1) develop a critical mass of faculty who would provide a multidisciplinary approach to conduct basic, clinical, and behavioral research related to CVD; 2) develop the infrastructure for carrying out clinical research in cardiovascular-related disorders; 3) train minority undergraduates, medical students, and postdoctoral candidates to a level that they may become successful biomedical researchers in cardiovascular-related disorders; 4) strengthen the existing basic CVD-related research capabilities in order to foster internal basic-clinical and external collaborative research efforts. In short, this cardiovascular initiative will facilitate the formation of a critical mass of research personnel exploring CVD-related disease. Such an innovative development will represent an efficient use of NHLBI resources with the end product being competitive funding.
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