MT INBRE RESEARCH CORE

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. The Specific Aim of this core is to mentor and develop the growing number of infectious disease, environmental health, and health disparities investigators at principally undergraduate institutions (PUIs), tribal colleges, and the state's two research universities to sustain and grow an even more productive and competitive biomedical research network. This aim is articulated in the overall goals of the Administrative Core and overlaps with and enhances the aims of both the CBPR and Bioinformatics Cores in its focus not only on research but also on mentoring junior faculty as well as students. Through multidisciplinary mentoring teams and annual project evaluation by the PI, Council, Core Directors, and EAC, the Research Core offers investigators feedback and discussion of their work, help in refining their research plan and milestones for the coming year, and guidance about possible grant and publication opportunities, as well as potential collaborations. Investigators receive one-on-one attention from the PI and other mentoring faculty, whose primary goal is to help position junior investigators for success in their fields and in securing funding for their research efforts. In keeping with the Administrative Core's focus on expanding health disparities research by incorporating research in the social and behavioral health sciences, particular attention is given to identifying and carefully mentoring this young new cohort of investigators. Thirty-one research projects in the areas of infectious disease and environmental health, including 7 social and behavioral health sciences projects, three exploratory research studies on health disparities, 8 projects in the CBPR and Health Disparities Core, and, through an administrative supplement, 2 CBPR projects with Native communities are supported by MT INBRE. Projects are located at five of the state's baccalaureate colleges, all seven Tribal Colleges, the University of Montana (Missoula), and MSU. Twelve of these 31 projects are the focus of the Research Core. Most of these Project Leaders have well-established research projects (some funded through BRIN and INBRE I) and are working toward securing additional extramural funding to sustain their research programs. Many of them have published their research and been successful in obtaining additional grant funding. Those with more research experience are positioned to serve as excellent mentors for up and coming junior investigators not only at their institutions but across the network. One Project Leader graduated from the INBRE program two years ago, and four are currently in the process of graduating. Four new junior investigators, Dr. Tom Lewis (MSU-Billings), Dr. Michael Gilbert (UM-Western), Dr. Grant Hokit (Carroll College), and Dr. Roger Dilts (Salish Kootenai College) are in their second year of funding. Six of the Core's projects focus on educational outreach and developing the student pipeline in the biomedical sciences. All network researchers have access to shared facilities, equipment, and training at MSU-Bozeman and UM-Missoula through the Bioinformatics Core and the mentoring team. The long-term goal is to position these investigators to be competitive for their own NIH funding. In addition to these research projects, two research sub-groups continue to flourish and provide visible mechanisms for providing training, collaborations, and research support for the Project Leaders: the Big Sky Mycology Group and the Bioinformatics Users Group (in the Bioinformatics and Genomics Core).