DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Alabama A&M University is an 1890 Land Grant Institution with a historical mission of teaching research and public service, including extension, in cooperation with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. The university has an intensive extramural research program and is strongly committed to improving its health related capabilities through the support of the training and research efforts of its faculty and students. The goal of the proposed National Institutes of Health Extramural Associates Program at Alabama A&M is to increase the participation of its faculty, particularly, women and minorities, in biomedical and behavioral research productivity. We propose to accomplish this goal through the establishment of an Office for Biomedical, Behavioral and Environmental Health Research and Training Support. Our nominee for the NIH-EARDA is a 1988 Extramural Associate who has committed to leading this effort. The nominee, an experienced and dedicated member of the faculty will assist the university in coordinating and securing additional funding in the biomedical, behavioral and environmental health areas, and provide additional training and support for our students and junior faculty who have tremendous admiration and respect for the nominee. As a result of this coordinated effort, we expect that there will be an increase in the number of funded research projects and research publications by both faculty and students in the biomedical, behavioral and environmental health sciences. It is also expected that, through training opportunities and research experience, there will be an increase in the number of students and faculty participating in research seminars, internships, workshops and other research collaborations/partnerships.