Project EXPORT Training Core and Pilot Core
Training Core and Pilot Core Specific Aims and Recent Highlights
Due to the complementary roles of the Training and Pilot Cores, they
are listed together here. Significant collaboration occurs between the
cores to ensure mentoring opportunities, didactic experiences, and
adequate support for pilot investigators and their research. The aims
of each core are as follows:
Overall aims of the EXPORT Training Core
Specific Aim 1:
Provide structured mentorship for minority junior investigators from
Drew and UCLA who are seeking research careers that focus on
disparities and minority health.
Specific Aim 2:
Provide an individualized curriculum to prepare minority junior
investigators with research skills to conduct studies in the community
that address health disparities.
Specific Aim 3: Prepare minority junior investigators to succeed as independent researchers focused on disparities and minority health.
Specific Aim 4: Recruit and retain minority junior faculty from Drew and UCLA for careers in health disparities research.
Overall aims of the EXPORT Pilot Core
Specific Aim 1:
To fund junior faculty members at Drew University and UCLA to conduct
health disparities pilot projects that will provide preliminary data
for future research findings to eliminate health disparities.
Specific Aim 2: To
fund innovative pilot projects for established faculty members at Drew
University and UCLA that have high potential for helping to develop
important research findings to eliminate health disparities.
Specific Aim 3:
To fund pilot projects for established faculty members from other areas
of Drew University and UCLA that bring state-of-the-art research on
health to focus on ethnic minority populations with the goal of
reducing health disparities.
These are the most
important cores for building the future of health disparities
researchers. The combination of structured and hands-on mentoring has
been paramount for the development of junior faculty. The process
includes following and supporting them through and beyond independent
funding, as well as supporting them through career advancement.
Recent Training Core and Pilot Core Highlights
- Highly
successful mentorship practices continue. This includes review of
Career Development Plans and quarterly progress reports providing
feedback, support, and identification of resources for pilot
investigators.
- The Training and Pilot Cores
have collaborated with other cores in prioritizing the development of
junior faculty members. Several full-day retreats were held with
participation from all Drew and UCLA cores. Areas of focus have
included approaches to grant-writing, peer pre-review of manuscripts
and review of research proposals.
- New Pilot
Selection Process: To build high quality research in this area, a new
call for new pilot project proposals was announced in September 2006.
However, this year the review process included the EXPORT community
advisory board. From this group of pilot proposals, seven (7) new pilot
investigators were funded.
- A monthly works in
progress meetings featured dedicated time to review scientific updates
and address any active challenges facing each pilot investigator. This
interactive process allows each pilot investigator to learn from their
colleagues as well as the EXPORT faculty.
