CAMBAC, a University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Center, accelerates discovery and innovation by integrating research across genetics, immunology, rheumatology, orthopaedics, and related fields.

Mission
Our mission is to enhance patient outcomes through collaborative science, robust data infrastructure, and career development initiatives.
Goals
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Cultivate a vibrant intellectual environment that drives innovative research and generates new knowledge to improve patient outcomes in arthritis, musculoskeletal, bone, and autoimmune conditions.
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Support and retain outstanding early-career investigators, promoting entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
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Provide comprehensive education, training, mentorship, and resources for new and established investigators to foster professional growth.
We achieve these goals by:
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Fostering a Collaborative Intellectual Hub
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Facilitating interdisciplinary research collaborations across UAB.
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Supporting large-scale, multi-investigator research initiatives (e.g., P30, P50, P60 grants).
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Providing access to shared research cores, registries, and data repositories.
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Supporting and Retaining Exceptional Faculty and Trainees
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Investing in NIH-funded training programs (e.g., T32, K12, T90) to develop future research leaders.
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Offering continuous professional development through journal clubs, seminars, workshops, and symposia.
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Providing competitive pilot funding to initiate innovative projects and collaborations.
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Implementing strategic recruitment and retention efforts to sustain and enhance our scientific community.
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CAMBAC by the Numbers (FY26)
- 147 faculty members
- 120+ attendees at annual symposium
- $50,000 in pilot funds awarded
- $44.1M in member active funding
- 9 UAB schools represented
- 4 NIH training programs supported
- 1 mission: Advancing discovery in musculoskeletal and autoimmune disease.