# Developmental Research Program

> **NIH NIH P20** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $176,567

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The NU-CHERS Developmental Research Program (DRP) will serve as the incubator for novel, cutting edge,
and competitive translational research of gynecologic cancer disparities. Centered on the theme of
Contemporary Translational Approaches to Advancing Health Equity in the Detection, Diagnoses, and Treatment
of Gynecologic Cancers, the DRP will identify and fund research pilot projects that utilize innovative clinical and
translational research concepts and approaches that fall under DRP’s theme. These research projects will be
nurtured by nearly all facets of the grant program, will be supported by ongoing career enhancement
programming under the DRP, and will be well poised to seek larger-scale extramural funding or be submitted as
a full research project under a P50 SPORE focused on gynecologic cancer disparities. The DRP Co-Directors
will work with all areas of the overall grant program, including interacting with the Gynecologic Biospecimen
Pathology and Administrative Cores for technical consult and biospecimen access and triage for all potential
applicants and awardees; the Leadership Council, Internal Advisory Board, and Community Advisory Board for
the review and funding of new projects; and the Leadership Council, Internal Advisory Board, and External
Advisory Board for the ongoing evaluation of active funded DRP pilot projects. DRP Specific Aim 1: Through
program-wide coordination, build research capacity by establishing the infrastructure, processes, and direction
for a SPORE pilot funding mechanism to foster high-impact innovation in clinical and basic science research
focused on gynecologic cancer disparities. A central focus of DRP award recipients will be the ability to conduct
novel translational research that is high-risk high-payoff to this and future SPORE grants. DRP Specific Aim 2:
Establish and support a career enhancement pipeline for early-stage and established investigators to enhance
or refocus their career on translational research with a gynecologic cancer disparities focus. We will leverage
and foster interdisciplinary and diverse collaborations between internal and external SPORE faculty, research
project recipients, community clinic leadership, and community members. DRP Specific Aim 3: Track and
evaluate the success of the DRP research projects to ensure further advancement in a full health equity P50
SPORE and other extramural funding mechanisms. We will utilize established and tested evaluation processes
and methods to ensure all project teams are optimized for success in future research endeavors, with the ultimate
goal of setting the stage for valuable contributions in molecular approaches to tackling gynecologic cancer
disparities under a P50 SPORE.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10488648
- **Project number:** 5P20CA233304-03
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** MELISSA A. SIMON
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $176,567
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-17 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10488648

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10488648, Developmental Research Program (5P20CA233304-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10488648. Licensed CC0.

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