PROJECT SUMMARY. Mississippi has some of the nation's worst health outcomes and was ranked by the United Health Foundation as the “least healthy state” in 2019. Further, the racial disparities surrounding these health outcomes are profound. The complexities associated with effectively addressing Mississippians' health outcomes and ameliorating Mississippi's health disparities necessitate a strong, multi-disciplinary research and outreach infrastructure. The Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research (MCCTR) was established in 2016 to provide this infrastructure, equipping researchers with the resources needed to conduct clinical, translational, and population-based research projects. The MCCTR proposes to continue and expand its efforts through what it has termed as “Phase II.” In Phase II, the MCCTR will add two new institutional partners, Mississippi State University and University of Mississippi-Oxford, to its Phase I partners, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Tougaloo College, and University of Southern Mississippi. It will also add two CTR/CTSAs as collaborating partners, the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Center for Clinical and Translational Science and the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences, to its Phase I partners: Mayo Clinic's Center for Clinical and Translational Science and the Louisiana Clinical and Translational Science Center. The Administrative Core will be responsible for managing the administrative, fiscal, and scientific aspects of the MCCTR, including the oversight, marketing, and coordination of all MCCTR cores and activities. The Professional Development Core will offer structured mentorship, training opportunities, and protected research time for early stage investigators at MCCTR partner institutions. The Community Engagement and Outreach Core will provide training and support to investigators in conducting community engaged research; partner with healthcare providers through its new Practice-Based Research Network; and work with its expanded Community Advisory Board to provide bi-directional communication and guidance on community values, concerns, and needs and represent the MCCTR to Mississippi Communities. The Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design Core will provide training and assistance with research design, data collection and management, and statistical analysis to increase the effectiveness, efficiency, and success of research conducted by MCCTR investigators. The Pilot Projects Program will support clinical, translational, and population-based research projects likely to have a meaningful impact on Mississippi health outcomes and lead to extramural funding. The Research Services Core will support research projects through study coordination and regulatory support and will help connect researchers to communities through expanded telehealth and cohort-study resources. Finally, the Tracking and Evaluation Core will provide accurate and timely information on MCCTR performance and impact to inform planning and implementation by leadership and advisory bodies. Through the infrastructure of resources and personnel developed by MCCTR, Mississippi's health outcomes will be positively impacted.

PROJECT NARRATIVE The Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research (MCCTR) has developed the first ever multidisciplinary and institutional program in Mississippi that combines efforts of basic, clinical and population scientists and the community. During Phase II, we propose to facilitate clinical and translational research projects in racial/ethnic health disparities, rural health, and telehealth strategies focused on improving the health of Mississippians. This critical goal will be achieved by expanding, enhancing and adding greater value to clinical and translational research in our state via innovative approaches that emphasizes growth in rural and health disparities, telemedicine and implementation research.