FIU-center for genome research (FIU-CGR). - florida international university (FIU) is a major public research institution in miami-dade county, florida, serving more than 54,000 students and employing…

The National Human Genome Research Institute awarded Florida International University a $2.499 million cooperative agreement on September 1, 2026, under the Human Genome Research program (CFDA 93.172) to establish and implement the FIU Center for Genome Research (FIU-CGR).

FIU will develop an administrative core, workforce development core, and community engagement core, along with three interrelated research projects designed to advance genomic science at the institution. The center will enhance genomic infrastructure and computational and analytical capabilities; launch state-of-the-art genomic studies focused on conditions of broad public health importance, including HIV, mental illness, and cancer; advance career development for trainees and investigators at all levels; and establish sustainable partnerships to disseminate resources and findings. Anticipated outcomes include substantially increased genomic research capacity at FIU, growth in the size and capability of the genomics research workforce, advancement of genomic science through innovative methods and reproducible findings, and increased student interest and participation in genomic studies leading to improved translation of research into measurable health improvements.

The award funds Phase II implementation of a two-phase initiative. Phase I (UG3) previously developed detailed plans and tested feasibility for the center's establishment.

Performance occurs in Miami, Florida, with a period of performance from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2031.

FIU-center for genome research (FIU-CGR). - 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.