# Investigator Development Core

> **NIH NIH P50** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2022 · $401,350

## Abstract

The Investigator Development Core (IDC) is built upon a well-established collaborative partnership between
Meharry Medical College - the nation’s top producer of African American PhDs in biomedical sciences and a
leader in community-engaged research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center - a global leader in precision and
personalized medicine, and the University of Miami - an international hub for health disparities research and
training of Latino health professionals. The IDC will support the career development of post-doctoral fellows,
early-career faculty, and other early-stage investigators (ESI) in behavioral, clinical, and translational research
focused on health disparities in chronic diseases that disproportionately affect African Americans, Latinos, and
other populations experiencing health disparities. The overarching goal of the IDC is to produce the next
generation of successful
investigators studying behavioral, clinical, and translational research focused on
health disparities in chronic diseases. To achieve this goal, a primary activity of the IDC will be to effectively
administer a pilot awards program designed to allow ESI to generate preliminary results with a high likelihood
of supporting successful extramural grant proposals to NIH. The IDC will assure that ESI are linked to
outstanding local career development opportunities to enhance participation, advancement, and leadership
capabilities. The IDC will apply innovative strategies to provide robust research career development resources,
leveraging technology and data science to address disparities in chronic diseases, and mentoring junior faculty
and post-doctoral fellows, and create a holistic, individualized, and rigorous track for each IDC participant. To
achieve these goals, the IDC will pursue three specific aims: 1) To administer a pilot awards program that
supports research projects focused on health disparities in chronic diseases. Projects will be led by ESI, with
an emphasis on supporting those from backgrounds underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce;
2) To ensure mentoring of pilot awardees, particularly those from backgrounds underrepresented in the
biomedical research workforce, to enhance competitiveness for extramural funding. We will provide consistent,
proactive, skilled mentoring to ESI both before and after they apply for pilot awards; and 3) To foster academic
skills development and scientific team building, emphasizing participatory research training for all ESI. The IDC
is envisioned as a magnet and an engine - a magnet that attracts ESI into chronic disease health disparities
research and an engine that nurtures them toward success in NIH grant funding. New extramural grant funding
that results from the overall efforts of, and support provided by, the IDC will ultimately contribute to healthier
communities nationwide.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10494162
- **Project number:** 5P50MD017347-02
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Fernando Villalta
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $401,350
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-24 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10494162

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10494162, Investigator Development Core (5P50MD017347-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10494162. Licensed CC0.

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