The primary goal of the Arkansas IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) to expand biomedical research capacity in Arkansas. Building upon the infrastructure developed during the earlier BRIN and INBRE grants, the research-intensive institutions in the state—University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS); the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (UAF) provide scientific leadership.

The Administrative Core, directed by Drs. Lawrence Cornett (UAMS), and Jerry Ware, (UAMS) provides operational support and coordinates all Arkansas INBRE activities.  Communication among INBRE participants is facilitated by a teleconferencing network and a Social Media Hub.

The Outreach Core, led by Dr. Feng Wang (UAF) provides broad opportunities for undergraduate student participation in research. The accomplishments of undergraduate researchers across the state are showcased at an annual conference at the University of Arkansas and is attended by  primarily undergraduate institutions (PUI) faculty and students from across the state.

The Arkansas INBRE continues its commitment to expand opportunities for underrepresented groups. The INBRE will collaborate with the UAMS Center for Diversity Affairs, the UAF George Washington Carver Research Program, and NIH-funded Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD) Program to increase the numbers of minority students completing graduate degrees in the biomedical sciences.

The focus of the Developmental Research Project (DRP) Program, directed by Dr. Jerry Ware (UAMS), goal is to expand the number of faculty at the PUIs engaged in biomedical research. The DRP Program accomplishes this by assisting PUIs with faculty recruitment start-up packages, awarding of competitive research funding and shared equipment grants along with career development support. Arkansas INBRE supports collaborative research led by PUI faculty under the overall theme of Cellular Signaling, Growth, and Differentiation.

The Bioinformatics Core, a major component of the Arkansas INBRE, led by Drs. Liz Pierce, (UALR) and Galina Glazko (UAMS), is a statewide research and educational resource to give undergraduate faculty and students access to the computational tools needed for multidisciplinary biomedical research and continues to play a central role in training the next generation of bioinformaticists.

The Arkansas INBRE supports a Research Technology Core, directed by Dr. Alan Tackett (UAMS) that provides PUI investigators access to sophisticated instrumentation and technical expertise difficult to establish at small institutions through a voucher program.

Through further enhancement of research infrastructure, particularly at undergraduate institutions, the Arkansas INBRE continues to improve the ability of academic researchers to compete for federal funding, increase the number of undergraduate students who choose careers in biomedical research, and stimulate the growth of bio-technical industries in Arkansas.

updated 04/09/2020