Under the RFIP, grants are provided to public and nonprofit institutions to expand, remodel, renovate, or alter existing research facilities or construct new ones. These facilities must support basic and/or clinical biomedical and behavioral research, and research training.

"The creation of the Northern Plains Center for Behavioral Research will allow us to house behavioral research and to provide training for desperately needed staff so they can give critical assistance to our community's most vulnerable populations -- American Indians, rural elderly poor, Latino migrant farm workers, women and children -- who suffer disproportionate rates of physical and mental disorders," said Glenda Lindseth, Ph.D., principal investigator of the project at the University of North Dakota. "Our situation is particularly urgent as the Northern Plains American Indian population is one of the most health-care deprived and fastest growing ethnic groups in this state."


RFIP funding can be used for alterations and renovations, additions to existing buildings, and completion of "shell" space, but do not support construction or land acquisition.

FY 2005 Research Facilities Improvement Program Grants:

* Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, Mass.)
$1,279,478
To establish 2,173 square feet of space to add neuroimaging capabilities to the Intensive Care Unit

* Meharry Medical College (Nashville, Tenn.)
$4,000,000
To repair crucial research laboratory infrastructure, including upgrading fire sprinkler and alarm systems, and improving the plumbing and electrical systems

* Montana State University (Bozeman, Mont.)
$3,991,951
To completely renovate 11,680 square feet of the Cooley Microbiological Laboratories

* Tulane University Health Sciences Center (Covington, La.)
$4,000,000
To erect a 10,534-square-foot facility to house nonhuman primates assigned to a variety of research studies

* University of Alaska, Fairbanks (Fairbanks, Alaska)
$3,865,944
To complete the new 9,741-square-foot Centralized Animal Facility for animal holding, support, and veterinary services

* University of California, Irvine (Irvine, Calif.)
$2,085,000
To build an 11,574-square-foot Breast and Women's Cancer Laboratory devoted to basic and translational research

* University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, N.D.)
$3,913,697
To construct the Northern Plains Center for Behavioral Research, that will include 16,700 square feet of research space

* University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pa.)
$1,344,587
To create the Center for Human Genetics and Complex Traits, that will include 8,257 square feet of research space

More Industry Headlines