Strengthening of MBRS-SCORE Program at Savannah State University

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Savannah State University (SSU) is submitting a competing renewal MBRS-SCORE application to continue and strengthen its biomedical research program. The proposal is multidisciplinary in nature and involves one research project and three pilot research projects from chemistry and biology, encompassing areas of hematology, biochemistry, and organic chemistry. In recent years, the College of Sciences and Technology (COST) at SSU has acquired several pieces of modern equipment through federal and state grants to improve research infrastructure and through seed money from the NIH/EARDA project to initiate faculty research. The purpose of the SCORE program is to further develop and increase the number of faculty, especially underrepresented minorities, professionally engaged in biomedical research. The primary goals of the proposed SCORE program are to: (1) motivate and involve faculty to conduct competitive and advanced biomedical research, (2) strengthen ongoing faculty biomedical research capabilities, (3) enhance opportunities for faculty to seek competitive funding for research, and (4) improve collaboration between SSU and other research-intensive institutions. To this end, the SCORE program will: (1) provide the state-of-the-art equipment and supplies to enhance faculty skills in biomedical research; (2) provide release time from teaching duties for participating faculty; (3) assist faculty in improving the quality and quantity of biomedical research through interactions at scientific meetings and collaborations with other investigators; and (4) assist faculty in fulfilling the mission of SSU and the research goals of COST. Faculty members participating in the SCORE program are highly qualified scientists and have an impressive record of research publications. Savannah State University will support the SCORE program by providing required resources and approved release time for participating faculty during the four years of the proposal period. If funded, the proposed program will significantly strengthen SSU's biomedical research base by broadening faculty grantsmanship efforts; by integrating their efforts with the recently funded MARC U*STAR Program, NSF-HBCU Undergraduate Program and anticipated MBRS-RISE Program for undergraduate minority students to participate in biomedical research; and by increasing their competitive skills for entrance into the general pool of competition for biomedical research support.