Deep South KUH Premier Research and Inter-disciplinary Mentored Education (PRIME) Admin Core

PROJECT SUMMARY The Deep South of the United States has a disproportionate burden of kidney, urology and non-malignant hematology (KUH) diseases as well as disparities in health outcomes related to these conditions. To reduce or eliminate these disparities, it is imperative to grow the scientific workforce of investigators who can generate new insights into mechanisms underlying KUH diseases and develop interventions for their prevention, treatment and cure. The mission of the Deep South KUH Premier Research and Inter-disciplinary Mentored Education (PRIME) program is to develop a modern workforce of investigators in the Deep South who have the training, skills and drive necessary to advance KUH health through science and medicine. We will do so by leveraging the distinct research strengths and complementary training assets at Augusta University, Tulane University, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham to form a cohesive training network. These institutions have long-standing research partnerships such as the CTSA-funded Center for Clinical and Translational Science Partner Network and a track record of collaborations that have made seminal contributions to KUH science. The Administrative Core (AC) will provide oversight of the entire program and amalgamate the other cores (Network, Professional Development, and TL1) to facilitate the development of future KUH scientists. The AC will be the center point of the organizational structure and governance of the entire program, leveraging the collaborative spirit and established relationships between KUH scientists at the three institutions to form a cohesive training network. In this capacity, the AC will deliver timely and efficient communication regarding overall program activities, initiatives, and proposed changes; assure quality of the network by development and assessment of milestones based on specific metrics; and solicit input from internal and external sources to enhance programmatic evaluation. A full-time Program Manager will facilitate communication between the aforementioned entities and individuals; be responsible for coordinating and scheduling meetings across all cores; collate evaluations; and manage budgetary data. This will allow us to accomplish the following Aims: (1) integrate KUH-focused training mechanisms throughout the Deep South into a new, unified KUH training ecosystem; (2) establish an evaluation program for the Deep South KUH PRIME and all of its Cores, trainees and mentors, including reviews from internal and external evaluation boards; (3) assure that diversity, equity and inclusion are key components of the overall network; and (4) organize a yearly “Building the KUH community” symposium, which will provide a platform for trainees to present their investigative findings and grow a fertile networking environment. Our multiple PI team has an exemplary record in leading collaborative research programs and training KUH scholars ensuring that we will accomplish our overall vision to create and nurture a community of scholars that is diverse, inter-disciplinary, inter-connected, and well-equipped with skills to transform and advance scientific discovery.