The R-25 training grant is funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the NIH. This resource funds stipend support for a limited number of minority students from UT Southwestern and other institutions to conduct research at UT Southwestern in areas of interest to the NHLBI. These 'slots' are awarded competitively to students from UT Southwestern and from other accredited US undergraduate institutions, based on academic credentials and the areas of research interest proposed. The program will associate successful applicants with outstanding research mentors exploring research topics of interest to the NHLBI. Although mentored research is the centerpiece of the program, specific lectures and curriculum elements are structured to deepen the training and knowledge bases of the participants. Ideally, participants will return for at least two successive years engaging in research with the same mentor prior to matriculation in medical school.