Funds are sought to renovate space assigned to the newly funded Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) at the University of Fairbanks. COBRE will foster health related research and increase the competitiveness of investigators through the support of faculty development and enhancement of the research infrastructure in Alaska. Critical need exists to address Alaska Native health disparities. A cohort of scientists with the experience necessary to address Native health issues proposed the establishment of the Center of Alaska Native Health Research (CANHR). The thematic focus is on weight, nutrition and health in Native Alaskans. The approach of this thematic is to focus from a genetic, dietary, and cultural-behavioral perspective. To cultivate existing research potential, it is proposed a coordinated enhancement of intellectual capital, physical infrastructure, and biomedical research at the University of Alaska. To achieve these goals, CANHR is forming a multidisciplinary, multi-campus research team advised by mentoring-partnerships with faculty at research-intensive universities. In addition, collaborative research partnerships with Alaska Native communities and Tribal Health Corporations will form the CANHR foundation with a goal to increase the University's capacity to respond to the growing demand for health-related research addressing Native health disparities. CANHR will provide additional mentoring, professional development, research assistance and support to enhance the ability of our existing and new faculty hires to successfully compete for National Institutes of Health (NIH) support.
Specific Aims /Goals: 1) Coordinate and enhance research productivity, in partnership with Native communities, to guide multidisciplinary health research that will identify and characterize the prevalence, etiology and associated genetic, nutritional and behavioral risk and protective factors affecting weight and health of Alaska Natives. 2) Provide leadership, through faculty development and the establishment of core resources, necessary to enhance faculty competitiveness, including the hiring of a senior level NIH funded investigator as the Center's Director.
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