MISSISSIPPI INBRE OVERALL Project Summary/Abstract The Mississippi IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (MS INBRE) is a statewide network dedicated to enhancing biomedical research at all institutions of higher education in Mississippi. The overall goal of the network is to build the biomedical research workforce needed to address health disparities and inequities in MS by improving leadership and capabilities. With this goal in mind, the MS INBRE has developed its activities around three scientific themes that disproportionally impact Mississippians: cancer, infectious diseases, and obesity. MS is ranked second lowest in the United States in terms of access to healthcare, primarily owing to the state's small economy and historically low investment in health care infrastructure. This is mirrored in MS's biomedical research infrastructure, which has lagged in comparison to other states. The result is a vicious cycle in which it is more difficult to make improvements in health care equality and availability. This makes investments, embodied by the MS INBRE program, key to improving the biomedical infrastructure at partner institutions that will provide the education and training to underserved communities who have historically suffered from severe health disparities. The following aims have been developed to accomplish the overall goal of the MS INBRE: 1) Improve research capacity at Primarily Undergraduate Institutes (PUIs) in Mississippi; 2) Build collaboration among academic scientists and community-based organizations; and 3) Develop a skilled and diverse workforce in biomedical research and health-related careers. At the completion of the proposed project, we will augment the competitiveness of Mississippi in biomedical research by improving biomedical research infrastructure, enabling research at undergraduate institutions and training of students that address the needs of Mississippians.