# IGNITE KUH NRSA Training Core

> **NIH NIH TL1** · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · 2021 · $387,500

## Abstract

Contact PD/PI: Okusa, Mark D. NRSA-Training-001 (883)
NRSA TRAINING CORE ABSTRACT
The Integrated Virginia Research Training Centers in Kidney, Urology and Hematology (IGNITE
KUH) training program is being proposed to address an unmet need and major gap in prioritized
research training through development and integration of a statewide research program in the
Commonwealth of Virginia. The IGNITE KUH NRSA Training Core is an innovative and distinctive
multi-institutional, multi-departmental program comprising a team of 65 outstanding faculty from
the University of Virginia (UVA), Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), and Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT) with primary research programs anchored in the
basic research and clinical science of benign KUH diseases in six thematic areas: Systems
Biology and Functional Genomics, Immunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Engineering,
Nanotherapeutics and Drug Discovery, Clinical and Data Sciences, and Predictive Analytics. The
NRSA Training Core leverages existing strengths in kidney and hematological disease research,
uniting them with urological disease research in a cohesive, integrated and coordinated research
training program. The NRSA Training Core will be enhanced through participation and integration
of the Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia (iTHRIV), a component of the Clinical
and Translational Science Award (CTSA) partnership between UVA and VT, and the Wright
Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR) at VCU. Three major goals of the IGNITE
KUH NRSA Training Core include: 1) increase training of PhD students, residents (urology) and
postdoctoral fellows in basic and translational aspects of KUH in health and disease using a
unified approach; 2) establish an integrated Virginia-wide research training program focused on
KUH-diseases; and 3) attract outstanding students and postdoctoral fellows with long-term career
interests in basic or clinical research into the IGNITE KUH Training Program. IGNITE KUH will
prioritize strategies to attract students from underrepresented populations at several partner
institutions, including three historically black universities in Virginia – Virginia State University
(VSU), Hampton University (HU), and Virginia Union Universities (VUU) – thereby further
enhancing development and training of both PhD researchers and physician scientists. The
IGNITE KUH NRSA Training Core will address human health issues through increased education
and training of the next generation of researchers and physician scientists in basic research or
clinical science who can guide and lead future research programs aiming to lessen human
disease and suffering in KUH-specific fields.
Project Summary/Abstract Page 322
Contact PD/PI: Okusa, Mark D. NRSA-Training-001 (883)
References
1. Jager KJ, Kovesdy C, Langham R, Rosenberg M, Jha V, Zoccali C. A single number for advocacy and
 communication-worldwide more than 850 million individuals have ki...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10457153
- **Project number:** 1TL1DK132771-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- **Principal Investigator:** DIDIER PORTILLA
- **Activity code:** TL1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $387,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-15 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10457153

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10457153, IGNITE KUH NRSA Training Core (1TL1DK132771-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10457153. Licensed CC0.

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