The forum is free and open to the public. Attendees can register at http://hsri.ucmerced.edu/form/valley-fever-meeting-registration, or contact Erin Gaab at (209) 228-4803 or egaab@ucmerced.edu for more information.
Presentations from researchers, clinicians, advocates and community members are intended to spark discussions and lead to a plan to improve health care, research and community interventions. This forum represents the first step in an action plan being developed by a consortium including UC Merced; UCSF Fresno; CSU, Fresno; Community Medical Centers; Children’s Hospital Central California; the public health departments in the eight counties that make up the San Joaquin Valley; and community organizations serving or working with people most at risk for valley fever.
A dozen UC Merced undergraduates will gain an edge in their journey toward a career in biomedical and behavioral research, courtesy of five years of funding from the National Institutes of Health.
The campus recently received a Minority Access to Research Careers grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences that will give the students experience in conducting research, presentation, writing and networking. The MARC funding, – $171,000 per year – is renewable, so there’s a good chance more students will be helped.
The grant is intended to increase the highly trained underrepresented biomedical and behavioral scientists in leadership positions. In the United States, blacks, Latinos and Native Americans are some of the most underrepresented groups in biomedical and behavioral research. With UC Merced’s great diversity, applying for this grant made a lot of sense, said Professor Rudy Ortiz, who applied for the funding.
The program will begin accepting applications in February for the two slots in the second cohort.