Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) (U54 Clinical Trials Optional)

The purpose of the Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program is to expand the national capacity for research in the health sciences by providing cooperative agreement support to institutions that offer doctorate degrees in the health professions or in a health-related science and have a documented historical and current commitment to educating underrepresented students, and for institutions that provide clinical services to medically underserved communities. The primary goals of RCMI specialized center awards are to: (1) enhance institutional research capacity to conduct world-classbasic biomedical, behavioral, population and/or clinical research; (2) enable all levels of investigators at the recipient institution to become more successful in obtaining competitive extramural support, especially from NIH, for research on diseases and conditions that disproportionately impact populations that experience health disparities; (3) foster institutional environments conducive to research career development and enhancement for post-doctoral fellows, junior faculty, and other early-stage investigators; (4) enhance the tools for and conduct of research generally and specifically for improving minority health and reducing health disparities; and (5) establish sustainable partnerships with community-based organizations to promote research efforts and the dissemination of research findings.