The Minority Institution Research Support (MIRS) Program is pleased to announce the selection of Michael Ceballos of Salish Kootenai College (Pablo, Montana) to participate in a faculty sabbatical in virology with Ken Stedman of Portland State University, co-chair of the NAI Virus Focus Group and Forest Rohwer, of San Diego State University. The MIRS program, funded by NAI, provides opportunities for researchers, from qualified minority serving institutions, to initiate joint partnerships with researchers in the field of astrobiology.