Support for Enhancement Excellence in Research at UPR-RP

University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras, San Juan PR

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This second supplemental application requests the addition of three regular and one pilot projects to the SCORE Program currently active at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras. The projects included are three from the Department of Biology and one from Chemistry. Two of these are revised applications according to the critiques reported in summary statements of our SCORE application (Soderquist) and of the first supplemental application (Dominguez). Another is presented from a recently hired evolutionary biologist and quantitative geneticist (Hrbek) and the other is from a junior investigator that participated in the previous grant cycle (Giray). All together complement biomedical research efforts at UPR-RP that have been ongoing for over 33 years under the auspicies of the MBRS program and specifically, strengthen the present SCORE Program which groups 14 regular and 3 pilot projects (10 in Chemistry, 5 in Biology and 2 in Mathematics). Together these new projects aim to conduct competitive research in areas related to (1) replacement and inter-strain conversion of Helicobacteri and amino acids pylori types resulting from the mixing of different human populations, and potential impact on disease, (Dominguez); (2) the understanding of the integration of muscle (motor) with adult behavioural development in a bee model (Giray); (3) the development of a model system for evaluating biomedically relevant complex traits, senescence and developmental diapause, in the fish super family of Aplocheiloide that has evolved these traits in response to environmental pressures (Hrbek), and (4) to the invention and development of new methods for the synthesis of non-racemic amines and amino acids, chiral building blocks which have a wide range of potential applications for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and complex natural products (Soderquist). [unreadable] [unreadable] These investigations are to be sustained by an ongoing administrative project and by technical and support personnel that include four laboratory technicians and three postdoctoral associates. This enhanced SCORE Program will provide this institution first-rate research and development opportunities as well as a fully supportive research atmosphere and will thus help the participating faculty to increase their biomedical research productivity, scientific competitiveness and peer recognition. Research activities in the program also enhance the existing MARC U*STAR Program and the 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. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]