This program continues to pursue the primary goals of the Arkansas IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) to expand biomedical research capacity in Arkansas. Building upon infrastructure developed during the earlier BRIN and INBRE phases, three research-intensive, lead institutions in the state—University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS); the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (UAF); and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) – provide scientific leadership.

The focus of the Developmental Research Project Program (DRPP), directed by Dr. Helen Beneš (UAMS), is to expand the number of faculty at primarily undergraduate institutions (PUI) engaged in biomedical research. The DRP Program will accomplished this by assisting PUIs with faculty recruitments, providing research funding and supporting career development of PUI faculty. Arkansas INBRE supported research led by PUI faculty are conducting research in collaboration with their mentors at the lead institutions under the overall theme of Cellular Signaling, Growth, and Differentiation.

The Administrative Core, directed by Drs. Lawrence Cornett (UAMS) and Helen Beneš, (UAMS) and Roger Koeppe, II (UAF) provides operational support and coordinates all Arkansas INBRE activities. Outreach Programs broaden opportunities for undergraduate student participation in research. The accomplishments of undergraduate researchers across the state are showcased at an annual conference attended by all PUI faculty and students.

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.

Communication among INBRE participants is facilitated by a teleconferencing network and a Social Media Hub.

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 will continue to play a central role in training the next generation of bioinformatisists.

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

Through further enhancement of research infrastructure, particularly at undergraduate institutions, the Arkansas INBRE will continue 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 biotechnical industries in Arkansas.