PROJECT SUMMARY This project is a continuation of the New Mexico Idea Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (NM- INBRE), a statewide network that builds biomedical and community-based research capacity. The population of the State of New Mexico is majority-minority, lives mostly in rural areas, and is economically disadvantaged. The NM-INBRE program supports faculty research and professional development, encourages primarily undergraduate institutions to build their research culture, and provides formal research experiences to undergraduate students. Further, the NM-INBRE provides valuable access to data science technologies by providing consultation services, intensive training, and direct support for cloud computing resources to the faculty and students at NM-INBRE partner institutions. The network includes ten institutions of higher education and two Tribal Communities. NM-INBRE’s effective organizational structure includes institutional cooperation and recognition of each partner's important and unique roles. The proposed NM-INBRE_5builds upon prior scientific achievements, to facilitate effective integration of training and research using data science technologies, connect new investigators with established mentors and collaborators, and contribute to developing New Mexico's biomedical research workforce. The specific aims are: 1. To enhance the established multi-disciplinary research network that strengthens the lead and partner institutions' biomedical research expertise, infrastructure, and research environments, especially at primarily undergraduate institutions (PUI), 2. To provide support to faculty research programs at participating institutions through developmental research funding, access to critical research-enabling technologies and processes, mentorship, and various professional development activities, 3. To provide research opportunities and training for students from primarily undergraduate institutions, community colleges, and minority-serving institutions to build a pipeline to health- research careers within IDeA states, 4. Encourage collaborative, interdisciplinary research among NM-INBRE investigators (within New Mexico and in other INBRE states), and between NM-INBRE and COBRE investigators. Organizations participating in NM-INBRE include the non-PUI institutions New Mexico State University (NMSU) as the lead institution, the University of New Mexico, both main campus and its Health Sciences Center (UNM), the National Center for Genome Resources (NCGR), and Burrell College of Medicine (BCOM). Partner PUI institutions include Dona Ana Community College (DACC), Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU), New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT), New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU), Northern New Mexico College (NNMC), San Juan College (SJC), and Western New Mexico University (WNMU).

Project Narrative: The NM-INBRE program provides research, training, and career development opportunities for early-career faculty and students at all levels of education. We deliver innovative biomedical research that contributes to improving human health, especially to underserved populations in New Mexico.