SDSU HealthLINK Center: Low-Cost Extension Administrative Supplement

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

PROJECT SUMMARY The SDSU HealthLINK Center for Transdisciplinary Health Disparities Research (SDSU HealthLINK Center) was established in 2018 to augment investigator, partner, and institutional capacity for conducting minority health and health disparities (MHHD) research at SDSU and SDSU-Imperial Valley (SDSU-IV), a second campus located in Imperial County. SDSU/SDSU IV is a Minority-Serving Institution with health-related doctoral programs in numerous disciplines. During our first 5-year funding cycle (2018-2023), significant strides were made in improving individual investigator, partner, and institutional capacity to conduct innovative, transdisciplinary MHHD research. Institutionally, this included developing the personnel, systems, and physical infrastructure to support two large Research Projects, 17 Pilot Projects, and four Cores. A clinical research center was opened, along with a wet-lab and body composition and technology-focused suites. Among the Cores established was a Research Infrastructure Core with six scientific methods groups now offering three scientific recharge services to SDSU, SDSU IV and partner organization researchers. The Community Engagement Core established the Community Coalition, a 12-member multi-sector group representing the Counties of San Diego and Imperial, our catchment area. This is a large catchment area spanning the entirety of the California-Mexico border. The Investigator Development Core mentored, trained, and supported 17 Pilot Projects toward completion and is now working with them to support project closeout, dissemination, including resource sharing, and career advancement, including the acquisition of new extramural funding. The Administrative Core led on the development of processes to hire personnel, obtained space, collaborated on the renovations and alterations of all facilities, and supported the fiscal administration of Core and Project funding. Low cost extension funding will ensure that the goals of the SDSU HealthLINK Center can continue to be met - to build the capacity of individuals and institutions to collaboratively foster new discoveries and to translate these discoveries with partners into evidence-based practices and policies to promote health equity and reduce health disparities. During this one-year low cost extension period, refinement of Center functioning, including Center research service delivery, would strengthen our ability to become a sustainable research infrastructure at SDSU. Thus, in this low cost extension Administrative Supplement (PA-20-272) application, we propose four Specific Aims that align with the continuing developmental needs of the Center: Aim 1) Further develop and optimize the administrative functioning of the Center to maximize efficiency and sustainability; Aim 2) Optimize partner relations to maximize the relevance of research and research infrastructure development efforts; Aim 3) Further develop and optimize systems for dissemination of Core and Project findings, data, and research resources; and, Aim 4) Further develop and optimize Center services delivery, including cost recovery services delivered via the Research Infrastructure Core.