MeTRC has developed this Pilot program in order to significantly advance the conduct of translational research at Meharry Medical College. Pilot program solicitations (RFAs) will be distributed throughout the campus for submission of small (T1-T4) and larger collaborative pilots (T2-T4). MeTRC will fund 8-10 small and 6-8 larger projects over the term of this renewal. Investigators will be invited to submit studies that will lead to a better understanding of the cause, prevention, progression, treatment and/or cure of those diseases that disproportionately afflict minority populations. To aid in this process, key activity leaders of Collaborations and (Research) Partnerships (CRP) will advise, help establish or strengthen multidisciplinary partnerships between investigators at Meharry and/or between Meharry investigators and those at other institutions. Other support for investigators will include MeRCury (Meharry Research Concierge Services), DBRE (Research Design, Biostatistics and Clinical Ethics), PCIR (Participant & Clinical Interactions), and Bioinformatics. In order to engage health professional students in translational research early in their careers, medical and dental students at Meharry will be encouraged to conduct short-term summer research projects working with MeTRC awardees. Stipends will be funded by other resources. Although part of other MeTRC key activities, pre- and post-doctoral students and residents will be encouraged to attend a campus-wide Translational Research Seminar series and other educational activities. Outcome measures will include: the number of applicants and awards made by the Scientific Review Committee (SRC); the type of translational projects funded (small, large, Tl to T4); the number of awardees who began with a Tl project and transitioned to a T2, T3 or T4 award; the number of award-related research publications and presentations; the number and type (T1-T4) extramural grants submitted and funded as a result of MeTRC awards; the number of collaborative partnerships developed and the nature of those partnerships (multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, community-based); the number of medical and dental students involved in a summer translational research project funded by MeTRC; the utilization of support services; instances of collaborative research coordinated through Collaborations and Partnerships, RTRN, and Community Engaged Research Core (CERC); the health disparities studied and the health impact of the data obtained; and finally, the success of efforts to disseminate knowledge gained and lessons learned. The net result will be the establishment of an efficient and highly productive translational research program at Meharry, one that acknowledges the importance of not only providing funding and support services for those investigators just beginning to perform T1 studies, but those who are now prepared to conduct larger, collaborative, multidisciplinary T2-T4 projects.