Development of Investigators Supporting Community Outreach and Value of Engagement in health disparities Research (DISCOVER)

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Our proposed P50 Center of Excellence in Investigator Development and Community Engagement – Development of Investigators Supporting Community Outreach and Value of Engagement in health disparities Research, DISCOVER, will establish the organizational infrastructure to develop, and sustain early career investigators to conduct health disparities research to improve outcomes in cancer, stroke and maternal health among Black and Hispanic/Latino residents in the Washington DC area. DISCOVER will transform GUMC’s approach to the development of early career investigators focused on health disparities research by (1) implementing infrastructure for scientific leadership, strategy, and evaluation of training, (2) enriching investigator development in health disparities research in cancer, stroke and maternal health, and (3) fostering DISCOVER investigators’ core competencies in community engagement and dissemination. DISCOVER will benefit from interaction with experts on each of our three Advisory Boards: External, Internal and Community Advisory Boards. We aim to: Aim 1 Implement DISCOVER’s infrastructure to lead the scientific direction, strategy, and evaluation of training in health disparities research. Leveraging GUMC’s current research centers and input from our Advisory Boards, we will: (1) Establish the administrative and advisory board oversight, communication, and interaction between cores, (2) Track progress in health disparities research of early stage investigators, and (3) Evaluate the quality and outcomes of DISCOVER’s training and community engagement activities. AIM 2: Develop investigators to support and sustain research to address health disparities in cancer, stroke and material health. We will use an innovative cohort model with coaching and interactive research development activities to: (1) Develop mechanisms for DISCOVER pilot funding, and (2) Increase investigators’ knowledge and skills in a) awareness of the multilevel structural and social determinants of health (SDOH), b) health disparities research methods, and c) grant development and grant management. Aim 3: Promote community engagement and disseminate findings in cancer, stroke, and maternal health disparities research. We will: (1) Elicit community input on the pilot funding call for proposals, (2) Develop investigators’ core competencies in community engagement and results dissemination and (3) Communicate and disseminate DISCOVER’s goals and progress to GUMC and in Washington DC. DISCOVER will be a catalyst for early stage investigators to conduct community-engaged health disparities research at GUMC and in the Washington DC community.