# The MADURA Program: Mentorship for Advancing Diversity in Undergraduate Research on Aging

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2021 · $58,363

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The proposed UC San Diego MADURA (Mentorship for Advancing Diversity in Undergraduate Research
on Aging) Program responds to the NIA ADAR R25 Training Program Announcement, to offer under-
represented Hispanic/Latino undergraduates tailored, longitudinal mentorship, training and work experiences
with researchers and clinicians focused on aging and Alzheimer’s disease. It will provide effective, sustained
academic and social support, skills training and supervision, to foster academic success and retention over
the near term, and subsequent increased rates of application for aging-related graduate training or
employment, thereby improving inclusion in the field. The MADURA project is designed to achieve these
goals through a multi-component program comprised of: career-relevant Individual, Paid Aging and
Alzheimer’s Disease Research-related Internship Placements with researcher/clinician mentors
(8hours/week); Paid Weekly Group Mentorship/Training Meetings, facilitated by a team of doctoral level
trainers and research faculty (2 hours per week); integrated, tailored Professional Development
Experiences (some with additional funding support); Guided Outreach Experiences for a partner high
school that serves potential first generation college attendees; and formal curriculum and process
development activities and rigorous evaluation, enabling continuous quality improvements and future
dissemination. UC San Diego is an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution with a deep field of diversity-
promoting academic support and Hispanic/Latino student groups, centers and services which welcome
collaboration with the MADURA Program. The MADURA Program is innovative in depth, comprehensiveness
and integration of its evidence-based supportive elements: student pay, broad array of experiential
placements, full integration of weekly Group Mentorship and tailored Training (provided by skilled aging
research facilitators from similar cultural backgrounds), co-occurring peer mentorship and support, and finally,
its fidelity to rigorous evaluation and dissemination of results and materials. MADURA is positioned for
success, given the convergence of experienced program leadership, strong program development and
evaluation teams, pay for students who must earn income in order to stay in school, exemplary willing
advisors and complimentary training activity partners, and existing linkages with Hispanic/Latino
student networks. The carefully conceptualized MADURA Program brings together the leadership, advisors,
training and placement experiences to successfully promote diversity in Aging/Alzheimer’s disease MSTEM
careers for participating Hispanic/Latino undergraduates, within the nurturing context of a University
energized around improving diversity and inclusion.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10397369
- **Project number:** 3R25AG066594-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Steven Dyal Edland
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $58,363
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-09-15 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10397369

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10397369, The MADURA Program: Mentorship for Advancing Diversity in Undergraduate Research on Aging (3R25AG066594-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10397369. Licensed CC0.

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