Advancing Competitive Biomedical Research in Puerto Rico

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This renewal of PRAABRE represents a step forward in our efforts to foster the continued development of the biomedical research infrastructure in Puerto Rico. Such continued development is achieved through the implementation of a strengthened and cohesive structure with improved integration of common scientific and educational interests, collaborations, and a newly created Mentoring Initiative. The structure of PRAABRE is represented in the following components: Administrative, Bioinformatics, Scientific Network, Centralize Research and Instrumentation, and Science and Technology and Education. The Administrative Core provides the programmatic direction for the entire PRAABRE. The new Mentoring Initiative will standardize mentoring practices among participating Institutions at all levels of intervention, from undergraduate student research to mentored research at the faculty level. This initiative will also coordinate Grantsmanship Workshops offered by Kentucky INBRE personnel on a yearly basis. The Administrative Core, via a close interaction with the External Advisory Committee and an External Independent Evaluator, will also organize the overall formative and additive evaluation process of PRAABRE. The Bioinformatics Core will assertively foster and stimulate the development of bioinformatics research, collaborations, and consulting services. This core will also be responsible for maintaining high performance lnternet-2 network capabilities at participating Institutions. Our initiative for providing Access to biomedical Research Electronic Information will also be coordinated by the Bioinformatics Core. The Scientific Network will host 11 INBRE sponsored research projects in PRAABRE, all organized into thrust areas within the biomedical sciences. The Centralized Research and Instrumentation Core integrates the corresponding facilities established at the UPR-Rio Piedras and Medical Sciences Campuses by prior BRIN and INBRE cycles, as well as by COBRE and RCMI, all NCRR programs. The Science and Technology Competence and Education Core will host the PRAABRE Seminar Series, Technology Transfer Awards, Faculty Summer Internships, Continued Education and Technology Competence Workshops, and the Science-on-Wheels project, a K-12 initiative. This PRAABRE Core will also help coordinate Summer Internships in Kentucky for PRAABRE students, an Initiative covered by the Kentucky INBRE. A special quality of this renewal application is the collaborations among the distinct cores, which makes the proposed efforts a true networking of ideas, education, and biomedical research in the Island of Puerto Rico. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE (provided by applicant): This renewal application will further augment and strengthen Puerto Rico's biomedical research capacity, productivity, and competitiveness. PRAABRE will continue to build upon the established biomedical research network of 16 Institutions with a scientific focus on Neuroscience, Molecular Medicine, and Drug Design. PRAABRE will also serve as a pipeline for students throughout the development of their scientific careers and contribute to the development of a knowledge-based economy in the Island.