# Duke Women's Reproductive Health Research Scholars

> **NIH NIH K12** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $337,944

## Abstract

PROGRAM SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The long-term goal of the Duke Women's Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) career development
program is to develop a cohort of highly skilled obstetrician/gynecologist (Ob-Gyn) researchers with expertise
in research methodology reinforced by an understanding of the resources, skills, and tools needed to build a
successful long-lasting career as Ob-Gyn clinician-investigators. We will leverage deep Institutional and
Departmental expertise, infrastructure and commitment to research career development to: (1) identify and
recruit Scholars from diverse backgrounds and provide individualized mentoring and career development
support in an environment of team science, (2) train this cohort of researchers by fostering state-of-the-art
multidisciplinary research emphasizing the importance of diverse and innovative scientific methods, and (3)
provide the skills and resources needed to lead their own multidisciplinary teams, ultimately becoming mentors
for a new generation of clinician-investigators who will strengthen the field of Ob-Gyn. To achieve these aims,
we have assembled a group of experienced mentors across 6 areas of excellence aligned with departmental
and institutional expertise and priorities: 1) Reproductive Infectious Disease and Immunology; 2) Gynecologic
Cancer; 3) Peri-conceptional Wellness and Early Human Development; 4) Pregnancy and Perinatology; 5)
Pelvic Floor Disorders and 6) Innovative Research Methods. Two Scholars will be supported at any one time,
with Scholars spending 2-5 years in mentored research training with a specific focus on topics relevant to the
clinical practice of Ob-Gyn and its subspecialties. The Duke WRHR program builds on two successful existing
K12 programs that are directed by experienced leadership in our department to create a dynamic career
development program specifically for Ob-Gyns dedicated to women's reproductive health. The associated well-
established infrastructure and tested approach to career development includes: creation of individualized
career development plans, intense hands-on research on specific defined research projects, selection of a
complimentary mentoring team, didactic course work, seminars, workshops, peer scholar group meetings,
training in responsible conduct of research, and executive coaching to refine leadership skills. Scholar
progress will be closely monitored by the Program Director and Research Director, as well as an Advisory
Committee. We have built in mechanisms for feedback from both internal and external stakeholders and a
novel evaluation plan to help the program better understand the gains experienced by Scholars. At the
completion of the program, Scholars will be expected to have published their WRHR research in peer-reviewed
journals and obtained independent funding. By building on the outstanding ongoing research relevant to
women's reproductive health at Duke, the comprehensive career development resources available, and the
Ob-Gyn depar...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10847488
- **Project number:** 5K12HD103083-05
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** MATTHEW D BARBER
- **Activity code:** K12 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $337,944
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-21 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10847488

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10847488, Duke Women's Reproductive Health Research Scholars (5K12HD103083-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10847488. Licensed CC0.

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