# Rio Grande Valley Cancer Health Disparity Research Center

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY · 2024 · $1,089,367

## Abstract

The overarching goal of Research Capacity Core (RCC) of Rio Grande Vally Cancer Health Disparity Research
Center is to establish, maintain, and sustain a unique research infrastructure and core facilities to support and
advance basic science, biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and community research at UTRGV. The prime
objective of RCC is aimed at enhancing the quality, productivity, and cost-effectiveness of RCMI projects, pilot
projects, and UTRGV investigators’ biomedical research outcomes by establishing shared instrumentation and
structured vision. The RCC builds upon consolidation of UTRGV’s research infrastructure and development of
new core facilities and faculty expert-level services to enhance the research capacity of UTRGV investigators.
The RCC facilitates research facility integration, consolidation, and execution by efficient planning, coordination,
and implementation of protocols. RCC will be comprised of six core instrumentation cores (cell and molecular
imaging, small animal imaging, flow cytometry, genomic and proteomic, histopathology, and theranostic
facilities), three faculty-level services (biostatistics, data science and informatics, and biobank resources) and
seven collaborating centers (center for vector borne diseases, analytical, coastal studies, food science and
engineering, nanotechnology, applied biomechanics, and regenerative medicine). The activities of RCC will be
led by Dr. Murali Yallapu (Director) and Drs. Khalid Benamar, Angela Cook, and Upal Roy, who are highly
acclaimed researchers in the fields of analytical, pharmaceutical, and cancer therapeutics, drug development,
pain management, HIV, and biomarker development with record of federal funding, publications, and clinical
operations. The RCC provides core management, service prioritization, and consultation services to facilitate
comprehensive and specialized laboratory techniques, research design and methodologies, data acquisition and
management, analytical support, statistical and artificial intelligence, bioinformatics and health informatics,
biospecimens, and qualitative expertise. For the maximal benefit of UTRGV investigators across all biomedical
health-related research areas, the RCC proposes three specific aims: Aim 1. To identify resources and
consolidate existing resources for effective management of a centralized research infrastructure; Aim 2. To
provide faculty-level expertise core services to increase researcher capacity in biomedical, clinical, and
behavioral research; and Aim 3. To implement dynamic and cost-effective research core facilities with excellent
investigator services. RCC will ultimately reinforce cost-effective services to increase research output, quality of
research and productivity, and funding probabilities of all UTRGV investigators. The successful implementation
of RCC facility will not only provide world-class research facilities and services to UTRGV investigators but boost
innovative interdisciplinary, multidisciplinar...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11001854
- **Project number:** 1U54MD019970-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY
- **Principal Investigator:** Murali Mohan Yallapu
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $1,089,367
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-18 → 2029-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11001854

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11001854, Rio Grande Valley Cancer Health Disparity Research Center (1U54MD019970-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-29 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11001854. Licensed CC0.

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