Minority Biomedical Research Support Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement Program (MBRS-RISE) Director: Marvin Bernstein
| The National Institutes of Health (NIH) established the MBRS Program at New Mexico State University in September of 1974. Individuals of Hispanic, American Indian and African American heritage are markedly underrepresented in all scientific areas throughout the United States. This program is designed to attract and retain these ethnic minority students into academic tracks allied with biomedical research. The ultimate goal of the program is to increase the number of Ph.D. minority graduates who elect to pursue careers in biomedically-related research. Although a major objective of the program is to support undergraduate students while they conduct research projects with faculty mentors, there is considerable support for graduate students as well. The program at NMSU currently enjoys the support and efforts of 14 faculty from the Departments of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Agronomy-Horticulture, Animal Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, and Biology. These faculty serve as mentors for 28 undergraduate and 17 graduate students. During the 1999 funding period, the program was awarded a total of $882,041 (direct plus indirect funding). In the 25-year history of MBRS at NMSU, 372 graduates of the program have completed 267 bachelor’s degrees, 56 completed master’s degrees, 30 earned the Ph.D. degree at NMSU, and 31 earned Ph.D. degrees at other universities. Among the bachelor’s degree recipients, 80.1% have progressed on to postbaccalaureate graduate and professional schools in the biomedical sciences. During the 1999 funding period, 16 minority students completed bachelor’s degrees, 4 earned the master’s degree, and 2 earned Ph.D. degrees. Among those earning the B.S. degree, 13 gained admission to postbaccalaureate studies with 10 entering graduate schools, 3 entering medical schools, and 2 with master’s degrees entering Ph.D. programs.
The MBRS Program is currently in the last year of a four-year grant that extends from September 9, 1995 through February 28, 2000, totaling $2,513,851 (direct costs). A competing renewal application is currently pending at NIH for new funding beginning March 1, 2000. |
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| Phone: (505) 546-1015 | |