# Pathogenesis, Targeted Therapeutics, and New Vaccines for Childhood Disease

> **NIH NIH K12** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2024 · $438,716

## Abstract

Project Summary
The goal of this renewal application is to continue our K12 training program for early career pediatricians with
both the aptitude and passion to become the next generation of basic and translational physician scientists. The
results of our first funding cycle have been excellent, and lessons learned are incorporated to further strengthen
the program. The overarching theme for the program is elucidation of the molecular and cellular pathogenesis
of childhood diseases, leading to identification of therapeutic targets. Our focus is career development in the
following areas where Vanderbilt has internationally recognized programs of discovery combined with a record
of excellence in research mentorship: 1) Lung Disease and Development, 2) Heart Disease and Development;
3) Obesity and Metabolism (including diabetes) 4) Neurological Disorders; 5) Cancer Biology, 6) Genetics and
Genomic Medicine, and 7) Infectious Diseases, including emerging pathogens. The program offers an integrated
pediatric department and medical school training program for four pediatric K12 scholars to receive up to three
years of support that includes intense scientific mentorship and personalized career development. The scholars
will have access to a cadre of well-established faculty including 33 carefully selected senior investigators, all with
sustained NIH funding coupled with a successful track record of mentoring early career scholars. Also, we have
selected 8 pediatric ‘next generation mentors’, with K or early R01 funding that will be well positioned for full
mentorship in the future. The Department of Pediatrics is fully integrated into the Vanderbilt School of Medicine
and health system, a leading NIH funded academic medical center. All departments, hospitals, research
laboratories and core facilities reside on a single campus offering an integrated research environment for
scholars. Through multiple training grants, there is a strong pipeline of future K12 scholars. Program leadership
will also conduct a national search to identify a group of K12 scholars, including underrepresented minorities,
that will thrive in this collaborative environment. Each scholar will have an individualized training program
developed by the PI and training directors in collaboration with a multidisciplinary mentorship team and will be
supported by a broad array of institutional and departmental resources. The primary focus for each scholar will
be their mentored research project, but they will have opportunities to participate in an array of training
opportunities to support their research and career development goals. To avoid distraction from research time,
we will carefully define required activities from optional program opportunities. Required elements include weekly
attendance at lab meetings and with their primary mentor, monthly group meetings with program leaders, six-
monthly scholar oversight committee meetings, and annual evaluations of scholars and program. The...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10842391
- **Project number:** 5K12HD087023-10
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael R. DeBaun
- **Activity code:** K12 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $438,716
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-02-08 → 2026-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10842391

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10842391, Pathogenesis, Targeted Therapeutics, and New Vaccines for Childhood Disease (5K12HD087023-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10842391. Licensed CC0.

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