# Catalyzing Systemic Change at Drexel University to Support Diverse Faculty in Health Disparities Research

> **NIH NIH U54** · DREXEL UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $145,170

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The overarching goals of the Faculty Development Core (FDC) are to develop and implement best practices at
the department, college and university for mentoring and supporting diverse early-stage faculty dedicated to
health disparities research and to enhance research development and investigator capacity to conduct health
disparities research and submit competitive NIH R01 grant applications. Early career faculty will represent
diverse races and ethnicities, be committed to and engaged in the spectrum of health disparities research
(detecting, understanding, reducing) and focus in one of our cluster areas (aging, chronic disease and
environmental determinants). The specific aims of core are (1) To provide professional development and
implement best practices for mentoring and sponsorship to support the career development of the FIRST
faculty cohort and prepare them for successful promotion and tenure; (2) To support the research development
of the FIRST cohort to maximize the ability of the cohort to obtain R01-type research funding by their third year
on faculty; and (3) To build a community of Assistant Professors with a special focus on health disparities (from
population health to intervention) to increase high impact interdisciplinary research on health disparities
research at Drexel University. We will accomplish these aims through a set of evidence-based structured and
unstructured activities including: (1) one-on-one mentoring sensitive to intersectionality; (2) peer and near-peer
mentoring (3) use of the consultancy model, (4) writing accountability groups, (5) professional development
workshops (5) support for teaching and (6) research development activities including a grant writing bootcamp
and grant review activities. In addition, we will implement networking and scientific exchange events to
promote a culture of inclusion, reduce isolation and promote interdisciplinary and collaborative health
disparities research across the University generally. Our scientific premise is that successful implementation of
these aims will enable FIRST faculty to advance their scholarship and result in the submission of competitive
NIH R01s which have potential to advance health disparities research and impact individual and population
health outcomes. We will leverage programs and policies already in place as well as a rich health disparities
research environment at Drexel University to develop an innovative comprehensive faculty development plan
that supports the members of the FIRST Cohort and provides a pathway to success that will not only benefit
the FIRST cohort but can be scaled up to benefit Drexel University as a whole. Innovative aspects of our
approach include the strong focus on interdisciplinary approaches to health disparities research from etiology
to intervention, the bridging of public health and nursing and health professions (with connections to other
areas such as arts and sciences and medicine), the grounding in a...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10361799
- **Project number:** 1U54CA267735-01
- **Recipient organization:** DREXEL UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Leslie Ain McClure
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $145,170
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-21 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10361799

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10361799, Catalyzing Systemic Change at Drexel University to Support Diverse Faculty in Health Disparities Research (1U54CA267735-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10361799. Licensed CC0.

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