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. 2019 Feb 21;29(Suppl 1):135-144.
doi: 10.18865/ed.29.S1.135. eCollection 2019.

The Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Translational Research Network: Building and Sustaining Capacity for Multi-Site Basic Biomedical, Clinical and Behavioral Research

Elizabeth O Ofili  1 , Paul B Tchounwou  2 , Emma Fernandez-Repollet  3 , Richard Yanagihara  4 , Tabia H Akintobi  1 , Jae E Lee  2 , Mohamad Malouhi  2 , Solomon T Garner Jr  2 , Traci T Hayes  2 , Almelida R Baker  1 , Andrew L Dent 2nd  2 , Muna Abdelrahim  2 , Latrice Rollins  1 , Sandra P Chang  4 , Angela Sy  4 , Brenda Y Hernandez  4 , Pamela L Bullard  4 , Richard J Noel Jr  5 , Bruce Shiramizu  4 , Jerris R Hedges  4 , Marla J Berry  4 , Vincent C Bond  1 , Maria F Lima  6 , Noreen Mokuau  4 , Robert A Kirken  7 , Marcia Cruz-Correa  3 , Daniel F Sarpong  8 , Jaydutt Vadgama  9 , Clayton Yates  10 , Shafiq A Kahn  11 , Karam F Soliman  12 , George Perry  13 , Mark Pezzano  14 , Carlos A Luciano  3 , M Edwina Barnett  2 , Adebayo Oyekan  15 , Deepak Kumar  16 , Keith C Norris  17 ; RCMI Investigators and RTRN Team Members
Affiliations

The Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Translational Research Network: Building and Sustaining Capacity for Multi-Site Basic Biomedical, Clinical and Behavioral Research

Elizabeth O Ofili et al. Ethn Dis. .

Abstract

The Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) program was established by the US Congress to support the development of biomedical research infrastructure at minority-serving institutions granting doctoral degrees in the health professions or in a health-related science. RCMI institutions also conduct research on diseases that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minorities (ie, African Americans/Blacks, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Hispanics, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders), those of low socioeconomic status, and rural persons. Quantitative metrics, including the numbers of doctoral science degrees granted to underrepresented students, NIH peer-reviewed research funding, peer-reviewed publications, and numbers of racial and ethnic minorities participating in sponsored research, demonstrate that RCMI grantee institutions have made substantial progress toward the intent of the Congressional legislation, as well as the NIH/NIMHD-linked goals of addressing workforce diversity and health disparities. Despite this progress, nationally, many challenges remain, including persistent disparities in research and career development awards to minority investigators. The continuing underrepresentation of minority investigators in NIH-sponsored research across multiple disease areas is of concern, in the face of unrelenting national health inequities. With the collaborative network support by the RCMI Translational Research Network (RTRN), the RCMI community is uniquely positioned to address these challenges through its community engagement and strategic partnerships with non-RCMI institutions. Funding agencies can play an important role by incentivizing such collaborations, and incorporating metrics for research funding that address underrepresented populations, workforce diversity and health equity.

Keywords: Health Inequities; Minority-serving Institutions; Underrepresented; Workforce Diversity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. The Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) programa
a. Established by the US Congress to take a “critical role in addressing the health research and training needs of minority populations.” NCRR, National Center for Research Resources; NIMHD, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities; NCATS, National Center for Advancing Translational Science; RCMI, Research Centers in Minority Institutions.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. RCMI Clinical Research Centers: Study participants enrolled by race/ethnicity (2008-2016)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. US Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office of the Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and Office of Minority Health. HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Implementation Progress Report. Washington, DC: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation; 2015.
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    1. Collins F. NIH Research Agenda: How the RCMI Program Contributes. Opening Plenary Keynote Presentation. Delivered at the RCMI Translational Science 2017: Innovate, Translate, Collaborate, Engage, Community; October 30, 2017.
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    1. Tabak L. NIH Research and Workforce Agenda: How the RCMI Program Contributes. Closing Plenary Keynote Presentation. Delivered at the RCMI Translational Science 2017: Innovate, Translate, Collaborate, Engage, Community October 30, 2017.

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