Florida A&M University (FAMU) College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Associate Dean for Research Karam F.A. Soliman, Ph.D., has secured a five-year grant totaling more than $14 million to support the Florida A&M University Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI).
The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Service’s National Institute of Health. The FAMU RCMI was originally established in 1985, and serves as a hub for drug research and discovery with a mission of inventing and improving methods to close the gap in health disparities among minorities, and more specifically the African-American community.
According to Soliman, the grant dollars will help FAMU, through the RCMI, continue its role as a top producer of patents among historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and will also play a significant role in supporting on going innovations related to cancer treatment, prognosis and prevention, as well as treatments for degenerative diseases.
“Our goal is to not only address health disparities on a national level, but also to prevent and cure the diseases that are commonly faced by minorities and especially African Americans,” said Soliman, who has served as the principal investigator at the FAMU RCMI for more than 10 years.
The dynamic research and discovery that occurs at the FAMU RCMI has also aided the university in successfully attracting world-class researchers, faculty and students, such as Soliman.
Among a conglomerate of 100 HBCU’s, Soliman is ranked the No. 1 most published science faculty member. His publication record includes more than 145 published research articles, three books and multiple U.S. patents. Soliman is also considered the nation’s top trainer of African Americans holding a doctorate degree in pharmaceutical sciences. His research has been supported by grants from the National Institute of Health, NASA, Office of Naval Research and the Department of Energy. Since the beginning of his tenure at FAMU, Soliman has been awarded more than $65 million in federal grant dollars. Soliman is a 3M Distinguished Professor and is the past recipient of one of FAMU’s highest honors – FAMUAN of the Century.
