Based on recent past achievements made possible through the research partnership with the NIH RCMI Program and recommendations of its advisory structures, the Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC) is proposing a viable strategic plan to strengthen and expand its research capacity in the health sciences for the next five-year period (2004-2009). This plan will be operated under two interacting divisions. The Research Support Division will comprise the Office of the Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, which will provide statistics, editing and consultant services; the Scientific Human Resources Development Unit, which will aim at increasing the critical mass of researchers, establishing a mentoring and sabbatical program, and fostering clinical research; and the Common Instrumentation Area and Technical Services, which includes an expansion of the electronic workshop and the machine/carpentry shop, developing a continuous monitoring system of instruments and freezers and increasing research space at UCC. The Research Activity Division will be constituted by research centers, for which funds are requested to improve substantially their specialized infrastructure to foster scientific studies relevant to areas of HIV/AIDS, Substances of Abuse, Neurosciences and Cell and Molecular Biology. RCMI continuous support for the implementation of this plan is considered essential; particularly, to accomplish previous and present research commitments of increasing significantly peer-reviewed publications, research funding, and human and physical resources. [unreadable] [unreadable]