Opportunity Core

OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM Project Summary / Abstract The University of Kansas Medical Center’s (KUMC) Nutrition Obesity Research Centers Research Resource Center (NORC-RRC) will implement an Opportunity Program. The Opportunity Program will support NORC-wide programs and projects that are consistent with the NORC Program goals, projects designed to improve rigor and reproducibility of nutrition and obesity research, mentorship and career development programming, or other purposes in accordance with broader nutrition/obesity research community's needs. Within the Opportunity Program we summarize the KUMC NORC-RRC’s proposal to develop and implement a robust, vibrant, innovative, and collaborative NORC Opportunity Program. We also propose project and program opportunities that may be appropriate for consideration within the Opportunity Program to advance the collective mission of the NORC Program. We particularly propose ideas to catalyze opportunities to engage and retain early-stage investigators, training opportunities, development of new research tools and methodologies, enhancing rigor and standardization, implementation of translational research, and effective dissemination efforts. Our processes include collaboration with the NORC Program to establish thematic areas of interest, processes for solicitation and review of proposals, selection of meritorious proposals, providing funds to awardee’s institutions, and processes for monitoring successful achievement of the goals of the projects and programs selected for funding.