Research Project
9506583
We propose to establish a new Pharmacology Core Facility to provide training, consultation and services on validation, formulation, chemical analysis and characterization, nano-system delivery and pharmacokinetic studies of potential drug candidates or environmental pollutants that can treat or cause diseases that disproportionately impact minority health, especially chancer and cardiovascular diseases. The projects at the newly proposed Pharmacology Core will provide necessary data for investigators to apply for subsequent funding, to generate publications, to increase academic competitiveness of the investigators, and to improve the biomedical research atmosphere at Texas Southern University. We aim to: 1) Upgrade research infrastructure to enhance the university's biomedical research in cancer and cardiovascular disease research which will help promote a research rich environment; 2) assist investigators in obtaining competitive extramural support to conduct biomedical research primarily in the areas of cardiovascular disease and cancer; 3) foster professional development in biomedical science research. We will provide core's user community with pharmacology-related services, including high-throughput drug screening, nanotech-based drug formulation and delivery, pre-formulation and formulation, mass spectrometry services and small animal studies. Investigators will be helped to build research capacity and provided networking opportunities. We expect to have a fully equipped state-of-the-art facility to provide services, training and consultation. By the end of five years, we anticipate a minimum of 2 research associates and the core will recover at least 50% costs needed for institutionalization of resources; there will be a minimum of 30% increase in NIH competitive extramural support and 50% increase in number of publications in peer-reviewed journals; 50% of the investigators using RCMI resource(s) will be expected to advance in academic rank and be awarded tenure. In cooperation with other RCMI units and university initiatives, we expect to double the number of professional development activities faculty participate in from 4 activities per year to 8 per year; there will be at least 6 investigators serving on peer scientific review panels, directing research programs, serving as peer reviewers of manuscripts and/or serving on editorial boards. In summary, a RCMI-Pharmacology Core is essential for the further development of biomedical research at TSU.
