The purposes of the BIT Core are to facilitate mentoring of the Center scientists, provide interdisciplinary guidance and consultation opportunities within the Center, and assist with building interdisciplinary research teams. The overall goal of the BIT core will be to develop a cadre of nurse scientists by facilitating their research in the focal area of health promotion/disease prevention in persons with or at-risk for cardiovascular disease in rural areas. Mariene Z. Cohen, PhD, RN, FAAN, will be the director of this Core. Dr. Cohen is Professor and Associate Dean for Research, and holds the Kenneth E. Morehead Endowed Chair in Nursing. She is well qualified, as her active funded program of research focuses on understanding how the worid is perceived by clients and patients, defining and promoting health and preventing disease, examining the influences of social and physical environments on health and illness, and addressing the effects of nursing care on patients and their families to help refine specific therapeutic actions, both interpersonal and physical, that influence people's ability to respond to symptoms and health problems. Dr. Cohen also has developed programs to promote scientific literacy and enhance nurses' publication and presentation skills.