Flynt Embraces INBRE鈥檚 Goal to Help Improve Quality of Life in State, Provide Opportunities for Students
Mon, 10/16/2023 - 01:26pm | By: David Tisdale
Dr. Alex Flynt has a vision for a healthier, happier, and more prosperous Mississippi, and believes The University of 51逗奶 Mississippi (USM) research network, the Mississippi IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (MS-INBRE), will play a big role in reaching that goal.
MS-INBRE is a statewide biomedical research network funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and headquartered on USM鈥檚 Hattiesburg campus since 2001. It includes students and faculty affiliated with higher education partners across the state, particularly those in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) programs.
Examples of research relationships that INBRE has include those with EPSCOR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research)and clinical trial programs at the University Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi.
A member of USM鈥檚 School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences since 2013, Dr. Flynt initially worked with INBRE in 2015 overseeing its research facility, with special management of its microscope supply, while also serving as director for USM鈥檚 Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences
In 2018, Dr. Flynt took over as INBRE program coordinator, managing funding awards made to other universities associated with the program; in 2022, he was named director of INBRE. INBRE鈥檚 grant from NIH is renewed every five years, with the application and award process taking approximately a year to complete; Dr. Flynt and his team successfully earned renewal notice in May.
Dr. Flynt said one of his goals as program director is increasing and improving coordination with other universities and colleges, public and private, throughout the state, involving the research efforts undertaken through INBRE.
鈥淭hrough better coordination, we can get the most benefit out of the federal dollars invested in Mississippi by maximizing our research capabilities,鈥� he explained.
Dr. Flynt says he also wants to see a continuation of the effort to build a culture of research excellence, and by doing so, college students involved in INBRE research will benefit, which will result in workforce enhancement producing more doctors and nurses, ultimately improving quality of life indicators in Mississippi鈥檚 by addressing health disparities 鈥渋n a way that every Mississippian of every background benefits.鈥�
鈥淏y advancing STEM education, we鈥檙e producing the next generation of scientists who can help us move Mississippi to a knowledge-based economy that will also help raise our quality of life through our research coordination with other universities and colleges in the state,鈥� Dr. Flynt further noted, while also expressing appreciation to USM administrators for their 鈥渙utstanding support of INBRE, which has been critical.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 happy to be a part of this effort, and to affect change and improve health outcomes across Mississippi.鈥�
Dr. Chris Winstead, dean of the USM College of Arts and Sciences, says Dr. Flynt鈥檚
leadership of INBRE for the renewal proposal for the NIH grant was invaluable.
鈥淚NBRE is a large and complex program involving numerous partners from across 51逗奶
Miss, as well as several other institutions around the state. It takes a very high
level of coordination and communication to develop, propose, and manage such programs,鈥�
Dr. Winstead further noted. 鈥淒r. Flynt鈥檚 work is therefore impacting students not
only from 51逗奶 Miss, but from universities and colleges across Mississippi.
鈥淗is own scientific work has been highly successful, so his leadership of INBRE is
informed by years of transformative research in his own laboratory. Biomedical research
evolves extremely quickly and having an experienced and knowledgeable leader like
Dr. Flynt for INBRE is critical.鈥�
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