To increase public understanding of science and to encourage student interest in research careers, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will provide $13 million to fund Science Education Partnership Awards (SEPA).

The programmes will target K-12 students and teachers, as well as visitors to science centres and museums across the country. Many of the projects are designed to reach underserved, minority populations that have been historically less likely to pursue science careers. In addition, SEPA partnerships develop projects that educate the general public about health and disease, with the aim to help people make better lifestyle choices, claims a NIH release.

This is the second round of FY 2005 awards for the initiative, which is administered by the National Centre for Research Resources (NCRR), a part of the NIH.

"The SEPA programme is an important part of our public outreach efforts. It's critical to the future of the nation's health that Americans have a better understanding of clinical research and the life sciences in general. By combining the talents and expertise of researchers, teachers, and museum specialists, these programs create excitement about scientific discoveries and deliver important health information to a wide spectrum of audiences," said NIH Director Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni.

SEPA grants provide from two to five years of support. In the initial three-year phase, SEPA programmes form partnerships among biomedical and clinical researchers, educators, community groups, and other interested organisations to create programmes that provide a better understanding of scientific research. In the second two-year phase of the program, these SEPA-generated curricula are more broadly disseminated to students, teachers, and the general public.

The National Centre for Research Resources (NCRR) provides laboratory scientists and clinical researchers with environments and tools that they can use to prevent, detect, and treat a wide range of diseases. This support enables discoveries that begin at the molecular and cellular level, move to animal-based studies, and then are translated to patient-oriented clinical research, resulting in cures and treatments for both common and rare diseases. NCRR connects researchers with patients and communities across the nation to bring the power of shared resources and research to improve human health.