# Post Baccalaureate Research Opportunity To Promote Equity In Learning (PROPEL).

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2022 · $318,429

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
An R25 PREP Grant would provide the core funding for a new postbaccalaureate program at UCSF. This
program will build on our highly successful pilot program, PROPEL, which will end this year. The goal of the
PREP program will be to provide trainees from historically underrepresented backgrounds with the research
experience and enhanced scientific training needed to be competitive for top-tier biomedical science PhD and
MD/PhD programs. To achieve this goal, we have developed a research education plan that includes defined
Aims and measurable outcomes. Aim 1 is to provide PREP scholars with the opportunity to obtain
substantive experience conducting rigorous biomedical research in a full-time mentored research
position. A substantive experience conducting original research in a laboratory is one of the strongest predictors
of success in graduate school. However, research internships are few and far between at many universities, and
we find that insufficient research experience is one of the most common reasons why trainees from historically
underrepresented groups are not competitive for our graduate programs. Aim 1 addresses this gap in experience
by placing trainees into UCSF labs, where they obtain first-hand experience conducting discovery-based
research in a supportive, mentored environment. Progress on their research as well as toward their scientific
and career development goals are defined in a Mentoring Plan and monitored by their research mentor and in
biannual committee meetings. Aim 2 is to promote the development of scientific knowledge and
communication skills. A broad foundation of knowledge about modern biomedical science is important to
prepare scholars for graduate level research in this multidisciplinary era, and to help them make informed
decisions about what type of PhD program they want to go into. To develop this knowledge, PREP scholars
attend lectures, and participate in educational activities such as a literature review workshop and biostatistics
and programming classes. The scholars’ scientific development is assessed by the instructors, and the program
content is evaluated and updated regularly. Aim 3 is to promote career development skills and a sense of
community that reinforce scientific identity. A major barrier for many applicants to graduate school is a lack
of sufficient experience with professional work environments as well as a lack of knowledge about the specific
expectations of a graduate program in the biological sciences. To address this need, our scholars complete a
series of workshops, mentored activities, and self-directed exercises that help to develop this crucial knowledge
and professional skill set. The scholar’s career development is monitored through regular meetings with their
mentors and with structured evaluations, and tangible products from these activities, such as an individual
development plan and draft personal statement. These are used to reinforce the scholars’ sc...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10569475
- **Project number:** 1R25GM144250-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Ryan D. Hernandez
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $318,429
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-19 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10569475

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10569475, Post Baccalaureate Research Opportunity To Promote Equity In Learning (PROPEL). (1R25GM144250-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10569475. Licensed CC0.

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