In 1989, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) initiated mechanism of supplementing research grants to encourage recruitment of minority scientists and science students into extramural research laboratories was announced.

In fiscal 1990, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was expected to give supplements of about $10 million to approximately 300 ongoing grants under its initiatives for underrepresented minorities in biomedical research. Principal investigators applied for the extra funds to add minority high-school students, undergraduates, graduate research assistants, postdoctoral students, or faculty members to their research team.

The NIH designated blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders as ethnic and racial groups that are underrepresented in biomedical research and, thus, eligible for supplements. Although NIH has a number of other programs that address the dearth of these minorities in science, the new initiatives are especially promising because of their simplicity and potential reach.