Enhancement of Excellence in Research at UPR-RP

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案是第二次补充提交，以扩大SCORE计划，现在活跃在波多黎各大学，里约彼德拉斯校区（UPR-RP）。 该项目包括一个从化学（根据我们的第一个补充申请的摘要声明中报告的评论修订）和三个从生物学;两个也修订后，最近的批评和一个由一个年轻的分子生物学家今年夏天招聘的部门。 这些新项目旨在共同开展以下领域的竞争性生物医学研究：环境信号对基因表达的调节，特别是无义介导的信使RNA降解（Gonzalez）;蜜蜂模型中肌肉解剖学、神经肌肉生理学和行为发育之间的关系（Giray）;决定蛋白质和肽二级结构的物理和结构参数（Schweitzer-Stenner）;以及蜘蛛丝腺细胞中发生的独特和组织特异性转录和翻译过程。 所有这些项目都很好地补充了在MBRS的主持下在UPR-RP进行了25年以上的生物医学研究工作，并特别加强了我们的SCORE计划。 目前的计划有11个项目（7个在化学和4个在生物学），刚刚开始他们的第二年的支持。 预计到2002年初，这一数字将增加至少五、六个项目，因为我们的第一份补充申请仍在等待批准。 这些调查将由一个正在进行的行政项目和辅助技术和支助人员来维持。 我们SCORE计划的拟议增长和多样化将为该机构提供额外的研究和开发机会，以及扩大和充分支持的研究氛围。 通过这种方式，它将提高生物医学研究的生产力，科学竞争力和同行认可的参与教师。 该计划的研究活动也加强了该机构现有的MARC U * 星星计划和开始的MBRS-RISE计划。 每个新项目的具体目标和方案总体目标的进展情况将通过既定的评估计划每年进行评估。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is the second supplemental submitted to expand the SCORE Program now active at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus (UPR-RP). The projects included are one from Chemistry (revised according to the critiques reported in the Summary Statement for our first supplemental application) and three from Biology; two also revised following recent critiques and one presented by a young molecular biologist recruited this past summer by the Department. Together, these new projects aim to conduct competitive biomedical research in areas related to: the regulation of gene expression by environmental signals, in particular nonsense-mediated messenger RNA degradation (Gonzalez); the relation between muscle anatomy, neuromuscular physiology and behavioral development in a honey bee model (Giray); the physical and structural parameters determining protein and peptides secondary structure (Schweitzer-Stenner); and the unique and tissue specific transcriptional and translational processes occurring in cells of a spider silk gland. All of these projects complement well the biomedical research efforts that have been ongoing for over 25 years at the UPR-RP under the auspices of MBRS and specifically strengthen our SCORE Program. The current Program has eleven projects (seven in Chemistry and four in Biology) that just started their second year of support. This number is expected to increase early in 2002 by at least five or six projects through funding of our first Supplemental Application, which is still pending. These investigations are to be sustained by an on-going administrative project and by supplementary technical and support personnel. The proposed growth and diversification of our SCORE Program will provide this institution additional research and development opportunities as well as an expanded and fully supportive research atmosphere. In this way it will enhance the biomedical research productivity, scientific competitiveness and peer recognition of the participating faculty. Research activities in the program also enhance the existing MARC U * STAR Program and the beginning MBRS-RISE Program at this institution. Progress in the specific aims of each new project and in the overall aims of the program will be evaluated yearly through an established Evaluation Plan.