# RISE Research Scholars Program

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS EL PASO · 2021 · $846,502

## Abstract

Project Summary
The primary objective of the RISE Scholars Program at the University of Texas at El
Paso (UTEP) is to increase the participation of disadvantaged underrepresented
students (UR) in biomedical research. The UTEP RISE Program is comprised of two
distinct populations of trainees: a) Students that participate in research projects as
undergraduates and b) Graduate students working towards their Ph.D. degrees. The
specific aims of this program are as follows: (1) To provide increased access to
educational and research biomedical training activities for UR students; (2) Increase the
number of UR undergraduates who choose to pursue careers in biomedical research;
and (3) Increase the representation of UR graduate students in biomedical Ph.D.
programs to levels equivalent to our UR undergraduate population. At the
undergraduate level, the UTEP RISE Scholars program has met or exceeded most of
the originally proposed objectives in the areas of student retention, semester credits
attained, improvements in overall GPA, and placement of undergraduate trainees in
graduate programs. While the graduate training component was implemented as a
supplement in 2006, fourteen UR trainees have completed their Ph.D.s. The RISE
graduate component has significantly enhanced our existing graduate program by
increasing the number of UR trainees, by adding valuable training workshops for all
graduate students, and by lowering the years to degree. In addition, the RISE graduate
trainees will receive enhanced mentorship and guidance from the PD and Co-PDs who
will counsel them at important junctures and checkpoints during their graduate careers.
The planned activities are expected to reduce the time-to degree and thus increase the
output of UR graduates from our programs. The goals and objectives that have been
proposed in this renewal application should allow us to continue to generate a highly
talented pool of trainees with a genuine interest in pursuing academic biomedical
research careers.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10168554
- **Project number:** 5R25GM069621-18
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS EL PASO
- **Principal Investigator:** RENATO J AGUILERA
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $846,502
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2004-03-04 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10168554

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10168554, RISE Research Scholars Program (5R25GM069621-18). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10168554. Licensed CC0.

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