Enhancing Translational Biomedical Research in Alaska.

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Center for Alaska Native Health Research (CANHR) conducts health disparities research in partnership with Yup'ik Eskimo communities in rural Southwest Alaska. The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), on behalf of CANHR and the Specialized Neuroscience Research Program (ABNP), proposes to renovate empty space in the Arctic Health Research Building (AHRB) in Fairbanks to add 3600 ft2 of space devoted to biomedical research, and another ~1400 ft2 on the Kuskokwim campus in Bethel, Alaska. Bethel is the hub city for the 56 Yup'ik Eskimo villages in which we conduct health disparities research. The Kuskokwim campus in Bethel is in close proximity to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation building and hospital. The opportunity exists to expand our physical infrastructure and co-locate our intellectual resources in biomedical research to create a synergy between UAF scientists conducting translational research with rural Yup'ik Eskimo communities (T1-T4), and basic discovery bench research (T1) on the UAF campus. The increased space will positively impact our ability to conduct more clinically-oriented research at UAF and communicate regularly with our rural Alaska Native research partners and participants in the region in which we have worked for eight years. It will significantly increase jobs in one of the most economically depressed minority communities in the state and nation. The specific aims of our proposed research are: Specific Aim 1: To renovate a net of 1566 ft2 of program space in the Arctic Health Research Building (AHRB) on the Fairbanks campus to create an integrated clinical and nutritional assessment suite directed at research on understanding and eliminating health disparities among Yup'ik Eskimos. Specific Aim 2: To build an electrophysiology lab of 1899 net ft2 of program space to conduct experiments using animal models aimed at understanding the etiology of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and the effects of nicotine on the brain. Specific Aim 3: To renovate an empty space at our branch campus in Bethel to build a facility that parallels the AHRB renovation. It will increase participant engagement, create jobs and build research capacity in the Yukon Kuskokwim (YK) region. This facility will allow our researchers to collect data face-to-face in a clinical research facility when working in the YK. Significance: This renovated facility will increase research on obesity and chronic diseases and other health disparities among an underserved community. It will enhance communication, dissemination of research results, translation from bench to community and improve data collection.