MBRS/SCORE PROGRAMS AT UNIV OF PUERTO RICO AT MAYAGUEZ

UPRM(波多黎各大学，马亚圭斯)的MBRS/SCORE方案的总体目标是，首先，通过更多地参与MBRS/SCORE来提高UPRM科学和工程系的竞争力。由于UPRM招生的98%和教职员工中的72%是少数族裔美国公民，这些目标与MBRS的目标一致，即通过支持少数族裔服务机构的教师进行具有科学价值和生物医学相关的研究，增加从事生物医学研究的少数族裔人数。这些目标也与UPRM公布的教师发展和支持竞争性研究的目标一致。具体目标是1)显示研究人员在实现针对UPRM的每个MBRS研究项目的特定目标方面取得的成功，2)增加UPRM MBRS研究人员发表的同行评议出版物的数量，3)增加UPRM MBRS搜索者在全国(美国)研究会议上介绍与MBRS相关的MBR的数量，4)促进UPRM的MBRS/SCORE调查人员向主流研究资金(如01 R01奖金或来自其他机构的资金)过渡，5)增加作为我们向MBRS/SCORE计划提交的机构建议的一部分的项目数量，以及6)增加在UPRM MBRS项目中发挥重要作用的合作调查人员的数量。除第一个目标外，所有目标都有与现有基线相联系的具体的量化目标，每个项目和调查员以及项目主管的绩效将根据这些目标进行评估。第一个目标有质的目标。生物、化学、海洋科学、数学、物理、农学和化学工程等七个参与部门产生了与这项提案一起提交的16个项目。来自这些系的22名教职员工将以首席研究员或副研究员的身份参与，至少付出25%的努力。这16个范围狭窄的研究项目加在一起，涵盖了广泛的与生物医学相关的基础研究。研究领域从疾病过程的数学模拟到物理化学、分子生物学、生物化学、天然产物化学、给药方法、分子进化和动物行为。这些项目的成功实施和具体项目目标的完成将增加我们研究人员和部门的竞争力。

The broad goals of the MBRS/SCORE Program at UPRM (University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez) are, first, to increase the competitiveness of UPRM science and engineering departments through greater participation in MBRS/SCORE. As 98% of UPRM enrollment and 72% of faculty are minority US citizens, these goals are consistent with the MBRS objective of increasing the number of underrepresented minorities conducing biomedical research through support of scientifically meritorious and biomedically relevant research by faculty members at minority serving institutions. The goals are also consistent with the published UPRM objectives of faculty development and support of competitive research. The specific goals are 1) Show success by investigators at meeting specific aims of each MBRS research project aimed at UPRM, 2) Increase number of peer-reviewed publications by MBRS researchers at UPRM, 3)Increase number of MBRS of MBRS-related presentations at national (US) research meetings by MBRS searchers at UPRM, 4) Promote transition of MBRS/SCORE investigators at UPRM to mainstream research funding such as R01 awards or funding from other agencies, 5) Increase the number of projects submitted as part of our institutional proposal to the MBRS/SCORE Program, and 6) Increase number of collaborating investigators with significant roles on UPRM MBRS projects. All goals but the first have specific, quantitative objectives tied to the existing baseline against which the performance of each project and investigator, and the program director will be evaluated. The first goal has qualitative objectives. Seven participating departments, Biology, Chemistry, Marine Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Agronomy, and Chemical Engineering, have generated the 16 projects that are submitted with this proposal. Twenty-two faculty members from these departments are participating as principal investigators or associate investigators with a minimum of 25% effort. The 16 narrowly focused research projects combined to cover a wide range of biomedically relevant basic research. Areas of study ranges from mathematical simulation of disease processes to physical chemistry, molecular biology, biochemistry, natural products chemistry, methods of drug administration, molecular evolution, and animal behavior. The successful undertaking of these projects and the completion of the specific program goals will increase the competitiveness of our researchers and departments.