Project Summary/Abstract Developmental Research Project Program (DRPP) Component The Developmental Research Project Program (DRPP) will select and support the most promising and meritorious biomedical research in Idaho. The INBRE-4 broad and inclusive scientific theme, Cell Signaling, will best serve investigators from a variety of research areas. The DRPP integrates well into the programmatic goals of the Overall Component Specific Aims 2 and 5 by providing research opportunities to faculty and students that meet high standards of research excellence. An estimated pool of 700 faculty is eligible for the DRPP. To accommodate diverse research/teaching appointments, three stratified levels of faculty research participation, each with specific obligatory milestones, will be available. The top-tier, a DRP Investigator, requires >50% research effort. An “on-ramp” (tier-two) to this level is a Pilot Project Investigator, requiring >25% research effort. Although faculty at the research-intensive institutions are eligible, emphasis will be to (i) strengthen the research environment at the primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs), (ii) integrate research into the PUI educator's career, and (iii) expose PUI students to meritorious research. To further encourage research at the PUIs and community colleges, a third-tier of participation will be the Student Research Mentor (<20% research effort). These educators have established or newly developing projects that focus on providing students with high-impact participatory research experiences. Scientific Mentor/Advisors will provide guidance and ensure productivity milestones are met. Investigators will be recruited through an internal statewide INBRE funding opportunity announcement (FOA). The tier-one application will use the NIH R15 template to propose a problem, its significance, give background, a hypothesis, specific aims, experimental approach, expected outcomes, pitfalls, and alternatives. The Pilot Project and Student Research Mentor proposals will be abbreviated applications. All will include biosketches, justified budgets, and meet federal compliance requirements. External scientific review scores/recommendations will be vetted by the statewide Steering Committee (SC) and the External Advisory Committee (EAC). Meritorious projects will be prioritized based on review score, participant diversity, available INBRE infrastructure, and NIGMS approval. The effective INBRE-3 policies and practices for solicitation, submission, external review by a panel of experts, selection criteria, and prioritization of awards will continue. This successful approach funded 120 projects over four years, yielded 20 new NIH grants (+14 pending), and 158 new non-NIH awards. These projects generated 262 scientific publications, 374 national presentations, and mentored 699 students. Additional INBRE-4 initiatives will include (i) a regional alliance (RAIN) with Montana and New Mexico INBREs and (ii) DRPP investigator-responsive short duration funding. Statewide benefits to the lead and partner institutions from the DRPP investments will be measured, tracked and evaluated to justify and adjust this approach. Assessment will be done by the Evaluation Director, ad hoc reviewers, SC, EAC, and by a commissioned end-of-year-two external review.