# UAB STEP-UP: Promoting Diversity through Team Mentored Research Experiences

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2023 · $386,752

## Abstract

Although there have been numerous efforts to increase the number of underrepresented researchers in
universities across the country, there continues to be a lack of diversity in most disciplines, including the
biomedical sciences. We will leverage our experience in training underrepresented minority students and our
expertise and connections related to NIDDK mission areas to ensure that we inspire and develop the next
generation of NIDDK researchers. The specific aims of UAB STEP-UP: Promoting Diversity through Team
Mentored Research Experiences (UAB STEP-UP), a renewal of the existing, highly-successful UAB STEP-UP
program, include: 1) developing a diverse cadre of promising undergraduate students across the country by
providing a combination of in-person and virtual education and hands-on mentored research experiences; 2)
utilizing existing research networks to develop a cadre of mentors invested in training undergraduate students
to conduct research in the areas of diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic diseases; digestive diseases,
nutritional disorders, and obesity; and kidney, urologic and hematologic diseases; 3) ensuring the success of
this cadre of students by employing a team mentoring and guidance approach consisting of Academic
Mentors, Personal Advocates, and Career Coaches to provide structured guidance and education toward
success in graduate school and future careers; and 4) continuously evaluating the program and its
implementation to allow for quality improvement and mid-course corrections
 The UAB STEP-UP Coordinating Center will select motivated, promising undergraduate students who
have completed at least their freshman year and provide them with the organizational, academic and research
skills and experience needed to be competitive for graduate and professional education. UAB STEP-UP will
collaborate with our current partner organizations including HBCUs across Alabama and Atlanta University
Center schools to engage and recruit traditionally underrepresented students. Elements of the program include
intensive mentored research experiences for 10 weeks during the two summers (30 hours/week) enhanced by
virtual group learning activities in research and career planning (10 hours/week), and followed by virtual
research education activities during the academic year following Years 1 and 2. This is followed by virtual
maintenance to maintain interest in NIDDK research and to keep Trainees connected to the program. During
this program, trainees will develop working relationships with academic researchers and will be involved with
the processes and products of cutting-edge research. Our team mentoring approach includes Academic
Mentors, along with Personal Advocates and Career Coaches to provide additional professional support to the
Trainees. Expanding the mentor network to include these components will promote a deeper and varied
understanding of Trainees’ chosen career fields.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10615216
- **Project number:** 5R25DK113652-07
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** MONA N. FOUAD
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $386,752
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-03-01 → 2027-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10615216

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10615216, UAB STEP-UP: Promoting Diversity through Team Mentored Research Experiences (5R25DK113652-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10615216. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*