As the principal U.S. institution of higher education engaged in biomedical and bio-behavioral research within the Pacific basin, the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM) seeks continued support from the Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program, of the National Center for Research Resources, to further develop research excellence in biomedicine and health by establishing a translational research interdisciplinary pipeline (TRIP) aimed at linking basic sciences and clinical medicine, integrating research discoveries with innovative medical applications, and developing improved patient-care practices with community participation. Designated Research Outcomes Accelerating Discoveries for Medical Applications and Practice (ROADMAP), the UHM RCMI Program for the 2006-2011 cycle will embrace the spirit and tenets of the NIH Roadmap by creating interdisciplinary collaborative research networks employing emerging technologies for clinical and translational sciences. Specifically, the proposed research activities on biomedical imaging and bioengineering and bioactive nutrients, as well as the core facilities for tropical infectious diseases detection and prevention and for biostatistics and computer support services, will rely heavily on close interdisciplinary collaborations and intellectual exchange between basic scientists and clinicians, in applying knowledge of human biology and fundamental principles of physics, mathematics, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology and microbiology to develop novel and improved disease-specific diagnostic tests, therapeutic interventions and preventive strategies for health disparities of regional and national importance. Moreover, these activities will be designed to closely complement the basic science, clinical and patient-oriented activities of the RCMI Clinical Research Center (RCRII) and those of other NCRR-funded initiatives, including the Pacific Research Center for Early Human Development (CCRE), Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Research (COBRE), Cellular Basis of Immunological and Neurological Disease (INBRE), and Emotion and Cognition on Gene, Cell and Systems Levels (SNRP). The triangulation of basic science, clinical medicine and community participation will also serve to better position UHM to participate fully in the RCMI Translational Research Network (RTRN) and to ultimately secure a Clinical and Translational Sciences Award (CTSA). Strong leadership has been identified for each of the research and research-related activities. And five promising basic-science junior faculty have been paired with clinician scientists to conduct highly innovative, hypothesis-driven, interdisciplinary translational research projects that have a high likelihood of leading to independent funding. Finally, complementary technical cores are being developed and expanded to achieve greater success in competing for mainstream extramural NIH funding for research and training.
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