Project Summary/Abstract Dr. Hawkins-Taylor’s project will benefit from our NIH funded Research Centers in Minority Institutions program, the umbrella Center grant under which this proposal is being submitted. The overarching goal of Xavier University of Louisiana’s RCMI Center is to enhance biomedical research capacity in minority health and health disparities. Louisiana has the second highest proportion of African American residents in the nation and is 49th in U.S. health rankings. As such, our State epitomizes the challenges NIMHD is attempting to address. We have been achieving RCMI’s goal by building a multi-component research center that includes a Comprehensive Research Infrastructure Core to provide the most needed scientific tools for Xavier investigators, an Investigator Development core to better prepare our junior investigators for research success, and a Community Engagement Core to promote research on minority health and health disparities and establish sustainable partnerships with community- based programs in low income, minority neighborhoods. Established in 2009, Xavier’s RCMI Center has had a profound impact on the expansion of the University’s research capacity. Xavier’s research active faculty have increased from 11 in 2008 to 53 in 2020 and full-time research staff increased from six in 2006 to 40 in 2020. Peer-reviewed publications in the area of biomedical research have increased from fewer than 10 in 2008 to 63 in 2020. Among the nation’s 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Xavier currently ranks 6th in NIH funding and 1st on a per capita basis. In the last 10 years, the University has focused on hiring more minority faculty and providing start-up funds to new faculty, pilot project funds and mentoring to early-stage faculty as well as support in translational research. Since 2015, pilot project investigators have obtained more than $3.1 million in external funding, published over 20 peer-reviewed manuscripts in high impact biomedical journals, and created 2 spinoff companies focused on oncology therapeutics. In just the last six months, as a result of pilots awarded, two new faculty received NIH RCMI supplement grants to carry out research on issues related to health disparities. 04.30.21