# Virginia Commonwealth University Maximizing Access to Research Careers (VCU MARC)

> **NIH NIH T34** · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $344,778

## Abstract

Project Summary
The VCU Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program seeks to build a T34 undergraduate
training program for 12 trainees at Virginia Commonwealth University. This new program will build on the
outstanding record of the current VCU R25 Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) program.
In support of the overall NIH/NIGMS mission and the overarching objective of this T34 mechanism, we have
designed an innovative, intentional, and evidence-based training program focused on developing the next
generation of the US scientific workforce. VCU MARC will be grounded in promoting a sense of belonging
and science self-efficacy. Our overarching goal is to create a community of like-minded peers who are
confident, strong, and have the appropriate skills to become ethical and rigorous young scientists ready to
succeed in graduate education. VCU offers an ideal institutional context for a MARC training program. Over
4500 of our biomedically relevant undergraduate majors classify as coming from UR populations. As an R1
Doctoral University with very high research activity and an MSI institution, VCU is uniquely well-placed to
succeed with MARC. VCU has a deep commitment to undergraduate education (top 50 for BS degrees to
African Americans), research (#56 in Public University Federal Research Expenditures), and an institution-
wide commitment to inclusive excellence, as reflected in our university and research strategic plans. The
VCU MARC program strongly emphasizes mentorship requiring faculty preceptors to participate in training
focused on cultural awareness. The MARC program will prioritize developing the whole scientist. All MARC
scholars will be Exposed to rigorous high-level research, gain Elevated research skills, and become
Engaged in the broader biomedical research community. Alongside rigorous research and academic
experience, MARC trainees will receive training in ethics, scientific rigor and reproducibility, safety, and
health disparities. Our MARC trainees will receive extensive professional and career development
preparation and begin to establish their first professional network. The institution-wide VCU program will
have faculty preceptors from 4 different Colleges/Schools and undergraduate trainees from 8 majors,
including, Bioinformatics, Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Life Science Engineering,
Kinesiology, Physics, and Psychology. The outcomes for VCU MARC trainees will be: (A) 95% will graduate
with a BS degree; (B) 80% will attain a final GPA ≥3.0; (C) ≥60% will enroll in Biomedical Ph.D. programs
nationally; (D) ≥80% will be employed in the biomedical workforce.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10842445
- **Project number:** 5T34GM149502-02
- **Recipient organization:** VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Carlos R Escalante
- **Activity code:** T34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $344,778
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-06-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10842445

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10842445, Virginia Commonwealth University Maximizing Access to Research Careers (VCU MARC) (5T34GM149502-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10842445. Licensed CC0.

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