RCMI Program at the Ponce School of Medicine

描述（由申请人提供）：自1985年成立以来，RCMI项目在将该机构从传统教学学校转变为充满活力的研究中心方面发挥了重要作用。该机构的人力和物质基础设施都有了很大的发展。沿着这些路线，通过RCMI计划的赞助，该机构已经能够获得最先进的设施，设备和其他资源，需要追求有竞争力的基础，临床和行为研究。发展的一些研究领域包括：逆转录病毒学，艾滋病毒/艾滋病，分子生物学，人类和细菌遗传学，蛋白质化学和酶学，免疫学，癌症生物学和流行病学。作为这一发展的直接影响，该机构经历了实质性的改善;同行评议的手稿的数量和质量引起的教师，在竞争性论坛在国家和国际层面的科学演示的数量，并在提交和资助的研究和研究培训计划的数量。RCMI计划在2008-2013年期间继续发展其人力和物质基础设施，以使该机构实现《机构研究战略计划》中所载的主要目标和目的。将特别重视在波多黎各和加勒比海盆地开展健康差距研究，并开展转化研究。拟议的计划包括四个核心活动（行政，艾滋病研究基础设施计划，分子生物学和行为）和五个研究试点项目。本竞争性延续申请的主要目的和目标是：（1）提供行政支持，以促进RCMI计划活动的持续进展，（2）实施正式的教师指导计划，以协助研究人员发展独立和有竞争力的研究事业，（3）加强教师招聘，发展和保留，（4）加强艾滋病毒/艾滋病研究基础设施计划和分子生物学核心，（5）实施和进一步发展行为神经科学核心，（6）为初级教师提出的五个研究试点项目的发展提供必要的领导和指导，以及（7）实施全面的评估计划，以持续评估所有RCMI计划活动所取得的进展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Since its inception in 1985, the RCMI Program has been instrumental in shifting the institution from a traditional teaching school to a vigorous research center. The institution has experienced a substantial development of its human as well as its physical infrastructure. Along these lines, through auspices of the RCMI Program, the institution has been able to acquire state-of-the-art facilities, equipment, and other resources, required to pursue competitive basic, clinical, and behavioral research. Some of the research areas developed include; Retrovirology, HIV/AIDS, Molecular Biology, Human and Bacterial Genetics, Protein Chemistry and Enzymology, Immunology, Cancer Biology, and Epidemiology. As a direct impact of this development, the institution experienced a substantial improvement in; the number and quality of peer-reviewed manuscripts elicited by the faculty, the number of scientific presentations at competitive forums at the national as well as international levels, and in the number of submitted and funded research and research training initiatives. The RCMI Program, through the period of years 2008-2013, proposes to continue the development of its human and physical infrastructure in order for the institution to reach its major goals and objectives contained in the Institutional Strategic Plan for Research. Particular emphasis will be given to the development of health disparities research in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Basin, and the development of translational research. The proposed Program consists of four Core activities (Administration, AIDS Research Infrastructure Program, Molecular Biology, and Behavioral) and five Research Pilot Projects. The major goals and objectives of the present competitive continuation application are to; (1) provide administrative support to foster continued progress of RCMI Program activities, (2) implement a formal Faculty Mentoring Program to assist investigators in developing independent and competitive research careers, (3) strengthen faculty member recruitment, development, and retention, (4) strengthen the HIV/AIDS Research Infrastructure Program and the Molecular Biology Core, (5) implement and further develop a Behavioral Neurosciences Core, (6) provide the necessary leadership and guidance for the development of five Research Pilot Projects presented by junior faculty members, and (7) implement a comprehensive evaluation program to provide continuous assessment of progress achieved by all RCMI Program activities.