NIH Awards Marcelo Tolmasky $1,292,610 for MHRT Program

Marcelo Tolmasky, Professor of Biological Science and Director for Center for Applied Biotechnology Studies, was awarded $1,292,610 by the National Institutes of Health for the “LA Basin CSU MHRT Program.”

Offering opportunities for training in diverse aspects of health disparities at different locations to students across the U.S., the objectives of the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Training (MHRT) program are to: increase the numbers of people belonging to groups underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences research who pursue advanced degrees and careers in these fields; make trainees aware of health problems that disproportionally affect the most disadvantaged and underserved sectors of the society, and to prepare them to seek novel approaches to address them; show trainees the importance of national and international research collaboration in addressing health issues and health disparities; make them aware of existing opportunities for research collaboration to address health issues and reduce health disparities; and contribute to the reduction, and eventual elimination of health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups in the U.S.

The program comprises a consortium of seven CSU campuses in the region — Fullerton (lead campus of the consortium), Dominguez Hills, Northridge, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Pomona and San Marcos — plus Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.