? The overall objective of this application is to expand and strengthen the conduct of neuroscience research at Meharry Medical College (MMC) by constructing new laboratory and research support facilities for the college's Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience (CMBN). Specifically, the applicant requests funds to enlarge the Neuroscience Annex adjacent to the West Basic Sciences Center by adding laboratories and offices for three faculty members in the CNBN, and to add shared facilities for animal behavior studies and water maze studies to the Annex, to relocate the Molecular Neurobiology Core Facility (MNCF) from its isolated and decaying setting in the Biomedical Sciences Building (BSB) to the Neuroscience Annex. This expansion comprises the second phase of a two-phase construction program to augment neuroscience research. The first, supported by an Extramural Research Facilities award that the college received in October 2002 (1 C06 RR17559), allowed to group seven neuroscientists from isolated or obsolete facilities into two research clusters, one for electrophysiology and one for molecular neurobiology. In Phase II, as detailed in this application, plans are to expand the clusters created in Phase I by extending the Annex to include three new laboratories and offices, shared facilities for behavioral and water maze studies, and a core molecular neurobiology facility. The new structure will be contiguous with both the Phase I Annex and the West Center. The new laboratories will be occupied by the three members of the CMBN: Dr. Clivel G. Charlton, who is the new director of CMBN; Dr. Twum Ansam; and Dr. John T. Clark. The two phases are coordinated within the same timeline so that the Phase I and Phase II structures can be constructed in a seamless manner over four years. ? ?
