(APPLICATION ABSTRACT): This application seeks to augment the research infrastructure at two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)--Tennessee State University and Meharry Medical College of Nashville, Tennessee. The primary aim is to improve the capacity of both schools to conduct high-quality, collaborative, minority-oriented health care research. Specifically, the AHRQ M-RISP Development Center will invoke: (a) institutional infrastructure development; and (b) individual faculty support. In coming years, as this application is implemented, it will use the strengths of each institution to form a synergistic unit that will be more competitive in extramural research. This Center will be structured to meet four objectives: (1) enhance and strengthen institutional infrastructure capabilities to conduct health care and quality research on issues affecting minority populations; (2) increase the capacity of social science and medical faculties to obtain competitive, peer-reviewed research grants; (3) establish collaborative linkages with senior health services researchers at other universities; and (4) ensure the relevance of faculty development research to the overall goal of eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health. The Center combines ongoing health care quality research, faculty development, and student training in an integrated approach to meet the broad objectives of AHRQ M-RISP, which are, in part, to help minority institutions and their faculties to conduct research in issues of health care quality. This application is in two parts: (a) core activities aimed at achieving the above stated objectives, and (b) four individual investigator research proposals. In keeping with objective 4, all individual projects deal with issues pertaining to the elimination of health disparities. Success of the Center will be measured in terms of publications and number of submitted and funded competitive, peer-reviewed grants at the end of the grant period.
