# Professional Development

> **NIH NIH U2C** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2024 · $47,539

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The PERFORM-KUH Professional Development Core (PDC) provides both structured and customized
curricula to enhance the career development of predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees in Kidney, Urology,
and Hematology (KUH) related research and to advance effective mentoring by PERFORM-KUH
preceptors. We will leverage the complementary strengths of academic institutions in the Philadelphia
Metropolitan area to integrate trainees into KUH-focused research careers, apply innovative resources for
career development, and enhance mentorship skills of PERFORM-KUH preceptors. The program described
here will improve the trainees’ ability to compete for funding, foster biomedical writing, publication, and oral
presentation skills, address work/life balance issues, and enhance professional skills needed to navigate
the next steps towards a scientific career in KUH research. In parallel, the PDC will provide mentorship
training for trainers by adapting curricula from the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in
Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Professional development activities and mentoring will be
monitored and enhanced using data compiled from a detailed PDC evaluation plan that tracks the progress
of trainees and incorporates feedback on trainer mentoring skills. Specific Aim 1 defines the professional
development programs for PERFORM-KUH trainees, including KUH-focused career development seminars
and workshops, an intensive and unique grant writing workshop, a KUH Research in Progress series for
trainees, a biomedical data science seminar series, opportunities for training in Entrepreneurial Science,
Regulatory Science, and Translational Science, and a structured plan for guiding trainees in selecting
appropriate and individualized professional development curriculum. Specific Aim 2 describes a curriculum
for trainers that will enhance and sustain mentorship skills, based on a mentoring program from the Center
for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) at the University of Wisconsin-
Madison. PDC monitoring and evaluation: We also propose a detailed monitoring and evaluation plan
using metrics drawn from the Individual Development Plan (IDP), a trainee survey, and feedback on
monitoring to inform and improve the professional development initiatives for trainers and trainees.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10987325
- **Project number:** 1U2CDK136784-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** PETER S KLEIN
- **Activity code:** U2C (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $47,539
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2029-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10987325

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10987325, Professional Development (1U2CDK136784-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10987325. Licensed CC0.

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