Principal Investigators of the Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program met in San Juan Puerto Rico

The Principal Investigators of the Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program met in San Juan Puerto Rico July 12-14, 2001. Dr. Judy L. Vaitukaitis, Director of the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) and Dr. Sidney A. McNairy, Jr., Associate Director of the Infrastructure Area at NCRR, presented detailed reports on the initiatives available at NCRR to support biomedical research at RCMI Institutions. Dr. John Ruffin, Director of the Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, provided an overview of this new Center and the initiatives that it will be supporting such as research endowments, extramural loan repayment program and the centers of excellence for research education and training.

Dr. Sidney A. McNairy, Jr., Associate Director of the Infrastructure Area at NCRR, Dr. Judy L. Vaitukaitis, Director of the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) and Dr. John Ruffin, Director of the Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Principal Investigators and Program Directors presented a status report of their respective institutions, which highlighted significant achievements, challenges and problems as well as plans for the future. The meeting included discussion sessions for developing strategies and recommendations that will enable the RCMI Programs to meet future needs and expand its interaction with NIH officials.

Principal Investigators attending the meeting included: Dr. Louis W Sullivan, Morehouse School of Medicine; Dr. Henry Lewis, Florida A&M University; Dr. Ronal E Maupin, Jr., Jackson State University; Dr. William L.Lester, Tuskegee University; Dr. NildaCandelario, Universidad Central del Caribe, Dr. José R, Carlo, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, Dr. George Hillyer, University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus and Dr. Diana S. Natalicio, University of Texas, El Paso. Program Directors from the eighteen RCMI Institutions also attended the meeting.

RCMI Meeting Attendance

The Principal Investigators also signed a Resolution of Commendation to the Advisory Council of the National Center for Research Resources at NIH, expressing their gratitude to Dr. Sidney A. McNairy and Dr Judith Vaitukaitis for their support to the RCMI Program. Copies of the this resolution will be forwarded to the Director, National Institutes of Health, the US Secretary of Health, the President of the United States and the members of the Congress, including the authorizing and appropriating committees of the Congress for the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Emma Fernández
RCMI Program

Emma Fernández-Repollet,Ph.D.

Program Director

RCMI Program

Room 621-A, 6th. floor

Main Building, Medical Sciences Campus

GPO Box 365067

San Juan, PR 00936-5067

Email: e.fernandez@upr.edu

Voice (787) 763-9401

FAX (787) 758-5206