7. Project Summary/Abstract Duke University and North Carolina Central University (NCCU), a historically Black institution, are applying for additional support for Dr. Tarannum Jaleel, appointed Sept. 2022 and Dr. Binita Chakraborty (postdoc), appointed Sept. 2023. The Duke/NCCU BIRCWH is a strong, vibrant program that has the leadership and institutional commitment required for continued success. Our partnership, now in its 24th year, provides the foundation for a program that encompasses interdisciplinary research, structured mentoring, and individualized career development for junior faculty, with three major goals: (1) Develop highly skilled, innovative researchers who use interdisciplinary approaches to investigate women’s health and sex/gender influences across the lifespan; (2) Foster diversity in women’s health research and advance health disparities research affecting women’s health by identifying and recruiting scholars from diverse backgrounds and (3) Enable and equip BIRCWH scholars to lead interdisciplinary teams of scientists, and to become the mentors and leaders of the future. Drawing on the breadth of expertise at our two universities, we have the capacity to advance the career development of scholars interested in basic, clinical, or health services research across a broad range of fields. Our scholars learn to integrate approaches to focus on women’s health and sex/gender differences in human disease. Scholars’ interdisciplinary mentoring teams include a mentor from our core group of nationally known senior investigators from Duke and NCCU, with others added to maximize interdisciplinary expertise and collaborations. Scholars perform intense, hands-on research; course work; and training in grant writing, health disparities, team science, SABV and RCR. Scholar progress is monitored by the Leadership Team and the Internal Advisory Committee (IAC). The program is assessed and advised by the IAC and an External Advisory Committee. External evaluations of our program and scholars are performed by an independent evaluator in the Duke Social Science Research Institute. The Duke/NCCU BIRCWH program is achieving its goal to increase the size and influence of a diverse pool of highly trained women’s health researchers who are poised to address the nation’s biomedical, behavioral, and clinical needs. We request this administrative supplement to support these two scholars for one additional appointment period each. This will enable them to complete their BIRCWH project-specific aims, publish their findings in peer- reviewed journals, and apply for additional independent funding.