FSU RISE Instrumentation Enchancement

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Fayetteville State University (FSU), a public comprehensive regional university, was established in 1867 and is one of the 16 constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina System. A historically black institution with a rich history of excellence in education, FSU is also one of the most diverse universities in North Carolina and the nation. Recognizing the diversity of its student and faculty populations, FSU recently was funded to implement a dynamic, multi-faceted FSU RISE Program with the overarching goal of increasing the number of well-prepared Biology and Chemistry FSU undergraduates entering doctoral programs in the biomedical sciences. To achieve this goal, four RISE objectives were proposed: (1) To strengthen the academic performance of Biology and Chemistry majors; (2) To provide students with meaningful research experiences; (3) To enhance the faculty's capability to provide research training; and (4) To improve the research training environment. A series of phased-in activities has been designed for each level in the undergraduate student's training, from the pre-freshman stage through graduation. New students will be added each year as continuing RISE Scholars advance in their programs of study. This timetable provides the opportunity for students to build upon skills developed at each stage of their participation in the FSU RISE Program, while also allowing faculty time to develop themselves to conduct research and to provide research training. This supplemental application seeks to provide additional resources to facilitate the FSU RISE Program's successful achievement of its objectives. The two components of the supplement are: (1) acquisition of two research grade instruments -- a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system and an ultracentrifuge; and (2) hiring of a support person to provide research training and technical assistance. Theses components will prove immediately valuable in meeting the objectives of the RISE Program. In particular, the instruments will be used in conjunction with state-of-the-art equipment already available in the Core Molecular Biology Research Laboratory during the Biotechniques Workshop offered to the RISE scholars and in specific faculty-initiated intramural research projects. The equipment and technical assistance will also enhance research training, faculty development and research infrastructure by providing new faculty access to necessary research grade equipment and technical assistance needed to acquire preliminary data for future grant proposal submissions. The expected outcomes of this FSU RISE Program instrumentation supplement are: (1) Increased numbers of well trained FSU science graduates; (2) Increased acceptance of FSU students into summer internships and graduate program; (3) Enhanced faculty participation in intramural research training; (4) Increased submission of research grant proposals by FSU faculty.