Introduction
The mission of the University of Kentucky Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (UK-CARES) is to enhance research capacity focused on the major environmental health impacts (e.g., air water, pesticides) that have been implicated in chronic diseases such as heart and lung disease, cancer, diabetes, and child health and early life exposures. This mission is accomplished by promoting the interactions and expanding the critical mass of investigators and citizen scientists with expertise and experience in transdisciplinary, translational environmental health research on the UK campus and in Appalachian communities (targeted region: Big Sandy, Cumberland Valley, Kentucky River). Information on the UK-CARES is found on the website (https://medicine.uky.edu/centers/ukcares).

Award Description
UK-CARES Rapid Response Mini-Grants of up to $10,000 are available to strengthen applications for extramural research funding (for example, NIH R or K awards or awards from private foundations) or address reviewer's comments for a manuscript.  For example, funds can be used for personnel support, analysis of existing biological samples or environmental sampling with existing populations. These grants are limited to no more than seven (7) months in duration. Because of the short duration of these proposals, the required documentation such as IRB, IACUC, etc., needs to be in place at the time of submission. This mechanism will not fund clinical trials (NIH definition).