PROVIDE STUDIES OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

The main goal of the UPRMC Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS)
Program is to increase the number of hispanics and other minorities trained
and educated in the Biomedical Sciences fields emphasizing research
oriented careers. It provides the incentives and opportunities for
minority students and investigators to participate in biomedical research
projects of broad, current significance, and those that address issues
relevant to medical and public health problems unique to terrestrial, and
marine tropical environments. MBRS-UPRMC integrates both current and newly
initiated biomedical research efforts of the faculties of Engineering, Arts
and Sciences and the Department of Marine Sciences at UPR-Mayaguez Campus.
It has established interdisciplinary research projects that provide broad
range of experience and interaction of students and senior investigators
with major institutions in Puerto Rico and the continental United States. The MBRS Program has become one of the most successful endeavors in
research at the Mayaguez Campus. As a precursor of research development,
the MBRS Program has had a direct effect on the establishment of the Marine
Natural Products Center (MRCE:NSF/UPR); provided the initial experience and
opportunities to many investigators that were able to compete in the UPR-
NSF EPSCoR programs and increased the submission of proposals to other
funding agencies, it has also stimulated the institutional interest in
sponsoring symposia, conferences and seminars; it has promoted the
participation of the program's students and investigators to attend
international research symposia and encourage participation in national
meetings, specially the NIH/MBRS Annual symposium. Student participants have been greatly benefited by our MBRS Program.
Undergraduate and graduate students have been introduced to all phases of
research program methodology, including systemic literature review, project
planning, use of technical equipment, analyses of data, and presentation of
results for publication. Premedical students of the Department of Biology
have participated strongly in our MBRS Program. Follow-ups on such
students reveals that experience with the Program contributes greatly to
their success in medical school and has frequently stimulated them to adopt
research-oriented careers in clinics and hospitals associated with medical
schools. The MBRS Director continues to promote and encourage the
distribution of funds specially for students affairs and support. The theme adopted by the guidance and development of the future program is:
"Biomedical Model Systems: Organismal Response, Development, and Detection
of Natural Products in Tropical Environments. The objective of this
proposal is to obtain support to continue strengthening what we have
accomplished and to promote further development of the program. Sixteen
new projects are being submitted in this omnibus proposal.