This R25 application entitled ?The Stanford Pre-Renal Initiative: Undergraduate Training in Kidney Health? seeks to develop a thriving research training program for undergraduate students in the NIDDK and KUH mission areas of adult and pediatric nephrology and (benign) urology. Key features of the Program include: 1) an energetic, highly motivated Program Director with a track record of NIH-funded research, mentorship, and teaching; 2) an experienced, dedicated Advisory Council comprised of three Department Chairs and two Senior Associate Deans, including the Dean for Faculty Development and Diversity; 3) a talented, diverse Training Faculty from within and outside the host Divisions and Departments, with a broad array of research interests in basic, translational and clinical research; 4) a recruitment plan to host students from Stanford and seven regional undergraduate institutions with a commitment toward recruitment of women, underrepresented minorities, and undergraduates from other disadvantaged backgrounds; 5) well-established and time- tested methods of tracking progress of individual trainees; 6) a Nephrology and Urology training program with a truly exceptional level of focus and dedication to diversity recruitment; 7) an outstanding track record of training and mentoring in Nephrology and Urology with 582 publications or abstract presentations, 329 (57%) with trainees as lead author; and 8) didactic coursework and workshops with a focus on introducing Nephrology and Urology to potential, future kidney physicians and scientists. We propose to host eight students to participate in a 10-12-week summer research program accompanied by two didactic threads on: 1) research techniques and 2) application of life sciences to kidney physiology and workshops designed to prepare undergraduates for the next phase of their careers with inspiration to continue training in kidney health.
This R25 application proposes a new research training program in the NIDDK/KUH mission areas of adult and pediatric nephrology and adult and pediatric (benign) urology. Our Nephrology and Urology training program has successfully trained fellows for careers in academics in basic, translational, and clinical research, while focused on diversity recruitment and retention. For this undergraduate initiative, we have utilized best practices from our teaching and mentoring experience for kidney scientists and leveraged the strengths of the Stanford School of Medicine to promote recruitment and success of women, underrepresented minorities, and other disadvantaged groups.
