FIU-Diversity Center for Genomic Research (FIU-DCGR) - Florida International University (FIU) is a major public research institution in Miami-Dade County, Florida, serving more than 54,000 students and employing over 1,100 full-time instructional faculty. FIU supports scientific research on conditions of broad public health importance, including HIV, mental illness and cancer, aims to expand capacity in cutting-edge genomic science. Although FIU’s investigators bring strong perspectives to genomics, research depth is constrained by limited infrastructure and sustained support for high-throughput, secure, and reproducible analyses. To address this, we propose establishing the FIU Center for Genome Research (FIU-CGR) to accelerate discovery and translation in genomics. The initiative will proceed in two phases. Phase I (UG3) will develop detailed plans and test feasibility for: (i) launching FIU-CGR to conduct innovative, state-of-the-art genomic studies; (ii) advancing career development for trainees and investigators at all levels; (iii) enhancing genomic infrastructure and computational/analytical capabilities; and (iv) establishing sustainable partnerships and disseminating resources and findings. Phase II (UH3) will implement the Center, supporting an Administrative Core, a Workforce Development Core, a Community Engagement Core, and three interrelated, innovative research projects. Anticipated outcomes include: (1) substantially increased genomic research capacity at FIU, enabling a larger volume of high-quality genomic studies; (2) growth in the size and capability of the genomics research workforce; (3) advancement of genomic science through innovative methods and robust, reproducible, high impact findings; and (4) increased student interest and broader participation in genomic studies, leading to improved translation of research into measurable improvements in health outcomes.
