# Summer Program for the Advancement of Research Relevant to NIDDK (SPARK)

> **NIH NIH R25** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $359,207

## Abstract

Project Summary
The R25 proposal “Summer Program for the Advancement of Research Relevant to NIDDK” (SPARK) aims
to provide an intensive, high-quality, educational, and mentored-research summer experience to build and
enhance the diversity of the biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social science research workforce in NIDDK
mission areas. We will partner with 4 existing summer training programs for students from diverse backgrounds;
1) The Advanced Summer Program For Investigation and Research Education/Clinical Research Enrichment
Scholarship and Training (ASPIRE-CREST), 2) The Pediatric Student Research Program (PSRP), 3) The
WashU ENDURE neuroscience pipeline program and 4) the Programs to Increase Diversity among Individuals
Engaged in Health-Related Research (PRIDE). SPARK will provide training in NIDDK-related research by
leveraging the robust intellectual, physical, administrative, and educational infrastructure resources available at
WashU to recruit, train, mentor and engage undergraduate and health professional students from WashU and
partnering institutions around the country that come from groups under-represented in medicine (URiM) and help
them gain entry into graduate programs. The key strengths of the SPARK program include: 1) the strong mentor
pool, 2) our structured training program in nutrition, obesity, diabetes and related disorders (NODR), 3) our
existing, research training infrastructure, 4) institutional commitment, 5) track record of leadership in
administration of educational programs of the Program Directors, and 6) the range of research experiences
offered by our Program and Mentoring Faculty, many of whom are NIDDK grantees. We propose to perform the
following aims: Aim 1) Establish a scholarship and stipend-supported summer program for undergraduate credit
that provides rigorous didactic coursework and hands-on participation in mentored research by established
Washington University School of Medicine faculty, Aim 2) Recruit, train, mentor, and engage a diverse URiM
undergraduate student group in NODR research; Aim 3) Implement a comprehensive mentoring research
program to provide comprehensive, culturally-sensitive mentoring for each SPARK scholar and Aim 4) Perform
robust tracking and evaluation of the SPARK program, trainees, and mentors to better understand the role of
our program in relation to persistence and completion in STEM. These objectives will encourage and facilitate
undergraduate students from URiM groups to stay engaged in scientific research and support their entry into
graduate programs performing research related to NIDDK.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10817114
- **Project number:** 5R25DK132966-03
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Ana Maria Arbelaez
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $359,207
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-05-15 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10817114

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10817114, Summer Program for the Advancement of Research Relevant to NIDDK (SPARK) (5R25DK132966-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10817114. Licensed CC0.

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