DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose to renew the UAB Women's Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) Career Development Program, which has been dedicated to providing junior OB/GYN faculty with the research skills that can be applied to the study of important reproductive health problems in women. The primary objectives of the Program will be: 1) To recruit junior faculty (scholars) to the UAB Department of OB/GYN who are motivated to develop an independent research career; 2) To promote the career development of these scholars by providing degree oriented (Master of Science in Public Health in Clinical and Translational Science) or other advanced training in the principles and techniques of biomedical research; and 3) To integrate the career development of these scholars within research projects in scientific areas of emphasis with important relevance to women's reproductive health. We anticipate attracting trainees of diverse backgrounds involved in basic biomedical, translational, and clinical research, covering the disciplines of gynecologic oncology, urogynecology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility, genetics, and maternal-fetal medicine. The Program will utilize specifically selected NIH funded senior UAB Program mentors, the resources of the UAB Center for Women's Reproductive Health (CWRH), the newly established UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), and other UAB campus resources to guide the research career development of these scholars. The Principal Investigator and the Program Director, with the assistance of an Advisory Committee and Minority Recruitment consultants, will be responsible for managing all aspects of the Program and for formally tracking the performance of the Program and scholars. The UAB Department of OB/GYN and the Program have a broad range of funded research interests in which the scholars could be mentored. This Program model was successfully implemented during the past decade and has a proven track record of developing OB/GYN physician scientists. RELEVANCE: To assist junior faculty (scholars) in the UAB Department of OB/GYN with the development of independent research careers, providing degree oriented (Master of Science in Public Health in Clinical and Translational Science) and/or other advanced training In the principles and techniques of biomedical research, and further integrating the career development of these scholars within research projects in scientific areas of emphasis with important relevance to women's reproductive health.