The Minority Health and Research Center (MHRC) is inviting applications for the 2007 funding of one-year pilot developmental research projects focusing on health disparities. The submission deadline is Aug. 1. These projects must demonstrate relevance to health disparities and may be (a) clinical, (b) in epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences or (c) basic science.

Eligible applicants are faculty at UAB, Morehouse School of Medicine or Tuskegee University at the instructor, assistant professor or associate professor level. Minority faculty are encouraged to apply. If the applicant is an assistant professor or lower, a senior co-investigator should serve as a mentor for the investigator submitting the proposal.

Three developmental projects likely will be funded:
• The Charles Barkley/CTSA Health Disparities Research Award led by a minority faculty investigator with a health disparities focus ($80,000). This project includes matching funds from the Office of the Vice President for Research.
• One Charles Barkley Health Disparities Research Award that addresses health disparities in the African-American population, led by a minority or majority faculty investigator ($40,000).
• One Charles Barkley Health Disparities Research Award that addresses health disparities in the Hispanic/Latino population, led by a minority or majority faculty investigator ($40,000).

Please send a letter of intent by Wednesday, May 30, via e-mail to Ann Smith at annsmith@uab.edu . The letter of intent is required and should include PI and investigator(s), title, senior mentor name(s) and a one-paragraph description regarding the goals/focus of the study. Applicants will be notified by June 11, regarding approval to submit a full application. 

Direct questions concerning the submission of these proposals to Smith or UAB MHRC Research Program co-leaders Catarina Kiefe, M.D., Ph.D., director, Division of Preventive Medicine; Duck-Hee Kang, Ph.D., Marie L. O’Koren Endowed Chair, UAB School of Nursing; and Graciela S. Alarcón, M.D., Jane Knight Lowe Chair of Medicine in Rheumatology, UAB School of Medicine.

Selected applicants will be notified by Sept. 17 regarding the outcomes of the review process. Barkley will present the awards to faculty whose projects are selected for funding at the MHRC Gala Sunday, Sept. 28.

For more information on the UAB MHRC, visit the Web site at www.uab.edu/medicine/mhrc .