# IGNITE KUH Network Core

> **NIH NIH U2C** · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · 2024 · $10,464

## Abstract

NETWORKING CORE ABSTRACT
The Commonwealth of Virginia is home to major research institutions including University of Virginia (UVA),
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT) that have
with well-funded and developed research programs. One of the major goals of the Integrated Virginia Research
Training Centers in Kidney, Urology and Hematology (IGNITE KUH) is to strengthen the collaboration between
these institutions, particularly in integrating research in benign KUH fields. The program is a novel effort to create
a research hub to not only train predoctoral and postdoctoral scientists, but also showcase the significance of
KUH research careers to the next generation of scientists. Through the networking core, we will develop a
statewide program by providing a platform for peer-to-peer mentorship and performing outreach activities to
attract students from the three constituent institutions, and also act as a concierge to foster interactions with
students from under-represented and minority institutions in Virginia who are interested in KUH research. There
are several undergraduate research programs at UVA, VCU, VT as well as at the historically black colleges and
universities (HBCU), however there is no central nexus, in particular for research of the KUH-related diseases
that pose a major disease burden for the minority and rural population of Virginia. The networking core of the
IGNITE KUH will act as a liaison between the program trainees and mentors with the students and faculty of
these undergraduate research programs in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The networking core of the IGNITE
KUH has the following specific aims: (1) To provide career guidance for KUH research at multiple training levels;
(2) To provide a platform for dissemination of scientific ideas and progress of KUH research; and (3) To increase
the visibility of KUH research in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The activities will include direct peer-to-peer
mentoring, networking with undergraduate programs, long-term near-peer partnerships, and integration with
national programs. The outreach activities include symposiums, webpages/virtual newsletter, and an information
portal for matching interested students with the appropriate programs in UVA, VCU and VT in partnership with
iTHRIV and Healthy Appalachia Institute initiatives of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10884471
- **Project number:** 5U2CDK129500-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Rahul Sharma
- **Activity code:** U2C (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $10,464
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-16 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10884471

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10884471, IGNITE KUH Network Core (5U2CDK129500-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10884471. Licensed CC0.

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