SPAD at Stillman College

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PROJECT SUMMARY Stillman College is submitting this application in response to the NIH Sponsored Programs Administration Development (SPAD) Program (UC2 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). The objective of the SPAD at Stillman College program is to establish an Office of Sponsored Programs to increase the productivity of sponsored programs activities to enhance biomedical research and research training. Stillman College is a co-educational, 4-year, undergraduate historically black liberal arts college that was founded in 1876 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. For many years, Stillman was known for producing graduates who are practicing physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, and biomedical scientists. From 1986 through 2008, Stillman benefited from several multi-year NIH projects that totaled $5,983,755 in funding support. The MARC & MARC Honors, MBRS & MBRS SCORE, Minority High School Research Apprenticeship Programs, research projects and supplements, provided the research training and development that garnered Stillman a highly ranked biomedical science reputation. The faculty and researchers who directed those awarded programs for over 22 years, have retired and/or left Stillman, so that now our graduate program numbers and sponsored programs have significantly decreased. While biology continues to be the College’s largest major, and most natural science students aspire to become clinicians and researchers, the decrease in the number of matriculates to biomedical graduate and professional schools is a cause for alarm. New leadership with a vision to increase biomedical research and training is driving the increase in grant applications and awards that exceeds the current grants management capabilities. SPAD at Stillman College will increase the number of student placements into biomedical graduate programs; increase research project partnerships to facilitate enhanced research and training activities for faculty and students; and increase success in grant awards. Infrastructure, recruitment, and training are needed to develop an effective Office of Sponsored Programs to advance research and training activities at Stillman College.