In close collaboration with both the Community Engagement Core and Research Infrastructure Core and the leadership of the RCMI Specialized Center, the Investigator Development Core (IDC) will build on the foundations of the current and previous RCMI accomplishments and those of other mentoring and research infrastructure programs at the University of Hawaii to support, strengthen and diversify the basic biomedical, behavioral, clinical and community research workforce and thinkforce engaged in the science of minority health and health disparities. To achieve this objective, the IDC will implement a personalized Team-Science Mentoring Bootcamp and a Team-Science Pilot Projects Program. Together, these initiatives will create a supportive environment that fosters career advancement of new and early-stage investigators, particularly those from under-represented minority groups and/or with disadvantaged backgrounds, to succeed as independent investigators in research aimed at improving minority health and reducing health disparities.
Specific Aim 1. Implement a personalized Team-Science Mentoring Bootcamp. Plan: Develop an intensive team-taught curriculum, comprising highly interactive, problem-based learning sessions on career skills and knowledge, responsible conduct of research, and research methods. Identify and match highly motivated new and early-stage basic biomedical, behavioral, clinical and community researchers with senior faculty and established investigators with active research funding and NIH study section experience to serve on transdisciplinary mentoring teams.
Specific Aim 2. Implement a Team-Science Pilot Projects Program. Plan: Develop and deploy rigorous application and review processes to identify and fund the most meritorious pilot projects proposed by new and early-stage investigators, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, that address the genetic, socioeconomic and behavioral determinants of health disparities, and community-engaged research projects among Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. Based on our experience in administering such programs, the expectation is that the proposed Team-Science Mentoring Bootcamp and Team-Science Pilot Projects Program will have a significant impact on heightening research productivity and enhancing grants success of new and early-stage investigators. A significant return on investment, as measured by extramural NIH funding, will serve as the scientific and economic engines to drive future research and funding to sustain the RCMI Specialized Center and its cores.
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