The "decade of the brain," an initiative intended to raise awareness aboat the nervous system in health and disease and increase participation in Drain researcti, will soon come to a close. During that period neuroscience has grown significantly, yet there are some uni'versities and colleges. that do not have a program in neuroscience teaching and research. This is particularly disturbing because neuroscience, as a life science discipline, is at the hub of biological, medicinal and pharmaceutical sciences. Institutions without a neuroscience program are mostly smaller universities and universities that serve the minority population. These university systems are aware of the critical need for training and research in neuroscience, but the difficulties in developing neuroscience programs are in part due to the lack of adequate facilities, resources and trained personnel. The goal of the application is to request funding for Agricultural and Mechanical University. The approach is to organ ize the human resources into a team and develop the infi7astructure to conduct research related to the structure, function and diseases of the nervous system. The specific aims for a neuroscience research program include: (1) developing the physical environment, (2) engaging and supporting existing neuroscientists, and (3) recruiting additional neuroscientists. To achieve the aims, the commitments of the research participants and the host institution are imperative. The program will be engaged in multidisciplinary research, but based on the strength of the participating researchers, emphasis will be placed on research related to the aging brain and neurodegeneration. Training programs in neuroscience, at the B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. levels will eventually be developed. It is hoped that the program will be identifiable by its personnel, functions, service and its physical structure, and serve as a model research and training facility.Our resolve is to develop a competitive program that has the capacity for growth and the capability for independent existence after the RCMI support.