This proposal will establish the operational and research infrastructure for a Comprehensive Center for the study of Health Disparities in the area of HIVIAIDS. It is unique and important because for the first time the three accredited Medical Schools in PR (UPR School of Medicine, UCC School of Medicine, and Ponce School of Medicine) will collaborate as partners in a common pursuit. Some of the specific aims of the center are: (1) the enhancing of clinical and translational research through collaboration among these three schools, (2) to establish this tradition or """"""""culture of collaboration"""""""" for the future, (3) to develop sustainable, replicable and culturally appropriate prevention and/or intervention research programs targeted to the Puerto Rican population to decrease the burden of disease, (4) to develop and validate a series of culturally appropriate instruments to measure diverse variables such as but not limited to: sociodemographic, HIV risk behaviors, co-morbidities, adherence, stigma, history of violence and abuse; and to make them available to interested investigators and health care providers, (6) to establish a Mentorship program for junior investigators with resources from both local and abroad (PR and US institutions) and to create the stimulating academic environment that will encourage students and fellows to pursue a career in health disparities research and in particular, HIV/AIDS research and (7) to enhance the opportunities for multidisciplinary research collaborations between the island institutions and those with a more established research programs in the US mainland. During a Phase I the operational infrastructure of the center will be established and one pilot project per institution will be supported. During the Phase II, these pilot projects will become research projects and new young investigators will join the Center through pilot projects. A strong Core component of faculty development will assure the growth and productivity of the center's investigators. Other Core activities will be a Data Center, a Lab, a CRC, a publications office with the assistance of a writer/editor, and the recruitment of 3 health disparities investigators.
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