The long term objective of the UCSC- MHIRT Research Program is to actively engage underrepresented minority students in on-going, long term international, biomedically and behavioral relevant research projects conducted in the natural environment in collaboration with students and faculty from the host country. With a long tradition of both graduate and undergraduate research training, UCSC offers challenging and unique biological field research opportunities that combine rich and stimulating cultural experience with productive and creative scientific research training. These experiences will provide UCSC-MHIRT students with broader international scientific and educational perspectives, increased self confidence and independence, plus substantial improvements in technical expertise. This has resulted in a satisfying increase in the number of our underrepresented minority students choosing advanced scientific training and consequently becoming the leadership of the next generation of biomedical scientists and academic faculty. The research will focus, primarily, on the biology of the several species along the Patagonian coast of Argentina and the Gulf of California in Sonora, Mexico as well as coastal New Zealand. In Mexico, MHIRT students will be involved in a long term, multidimensional investigation of the effects of runoff pollutants on the food web of the Gulf of California (Sea Of Cortex). The health of the food chain and fisheries of the Gulf of California has enormous health and economic consequences for the citizens of Mexico. The UCSC-MHIRT Program will not only make direct scientific contributions to these vital studies but will do so while providing MHIRT students with unique scientific training in a field of immediate biomedical relevance. In Argentina and New Zealand, studies will focus on physiological and behavioral studies several marine species, including the elephant seal. This species serves as an unexpected and unique model of mammalian obesity, and the physiology of long term food and water abstinence. Recently, studies have shown that these results have important clinical implications for several severe human pathologies that disproportionately impact U.S. minority populations and emerging countries of the Pacific Rim. These include: 1) morbid obesity and related conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and renal insufficiency; and 2) early childhood developmental pathologies resulting from malnutrition or starvation. ? ?
