The primary goal of this proposal is to increase the number of minority students, specifically African-Americans, who enter graduate school with the intent of establishing a career in the biomedical sciences. The proposed program will better prepare MARC trainees to compete successfully for opportunities in quality Ph.D. programs. This will be accomplished through student participation in a number of activities developed within the context of the established objectives as explained in this proposal. Qualified rising juniors apply to the MARC program and if accepted will remain MARC trainees until graduation, unless circumstances warrant otherwise. With a sound curriculum serving as the foundation, the Tougaloo College MARC program will emphasize both internal and external activities to enhance the skills and experiences of its trainees. Courses to be offered on an alternate year basis are Bioinformatics, Advanced Spectroscopy, and Modern Topics in Chemistry. On-campus workshops will aid in further development of students' critical reading abilities, presentation skills, and standardized test-taking proficiencies. Off-campus activities will include mentoring by respected and experienced science faculty, summer research opportunities at major universities, and attendance and participation at national meetings. In addition MARC trainees will have many opportunities to interact with noted research scientists, both on-campus and during their off-campus research experiences.