# Training in Research for Academic Neurologists to Sustain Careers and Enhance the Numbers of Diverse Scholars (TRANSCENDS)

> **NIH NIH R25** · NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE/RES/EDU · 2020 · $259,258

## Abstract

The ability to make innovative discoveries in a scientific field such as clinical
neuroscience is increased when its community of researchers has varying approaches,
backgrounds, and experiences. However, diverse and underrepresented minority (URM)
physician-neuroscientists, when compared with their representation in the US population, are
inadequately represented among medical school faculty, are less likely to receive NIH research
awards, and are less likely to be promoted likely due to significant cultural, societal, and
financial pressures, as well as restricted access to role models and community support. A well-
trained and sustained workforce of URM faculty is essential to clinical neurosciences research
because URM faculty are more likely to engage in research that affect increasingly diverse
communities, help recruit minority individuals for participation in research; and contribute a
disproportionate amount of effort to mentoring URM trainees and early career faculty. The
Training in Research for Academic Neurologists to Sustain Careers and Enhance the Numbers
of Diverse Scholars (TRANSCENDS) program is a collaborative initiative between the Medical
University of South Carolina (MUSC) and the American Academy of Neurology (AAN).
TRANSCENDS will offer a two-year innovative, evidence-based mentored learning experience
to URM clinical neuroscientists. The involvement of the AAN brings to this important effort, wide
access to neurology disciplines, strong commitment to diversity, volunteer engagement from
leaders in the field, worthwhile in-kind resources, and proven experience in implementing high-
impact programs. Focusing particularly on post-residency subspecialty fellows and early career
faculty (no more than 3 years out of training) from among racial/ethnic minorities and individuals
with disabilities, the specific aims of the program are: 1) To select and retain a group of highly
promising diverse junior faculty or post-residency fellows from a national pool of applicants who
are committed to pursuing research careers in the field of clinical neurosciences; 2) To increase
mentees' knowledge, skills, and motivation to pursue academic careers through intensive
research training (comprehensive online Master of Science in Clinical Research degree
program and AAN annual meeting Diversity Poster Session); 3) To enhance mentoring benefits
and networking opportunities for URM Scholars (congruent one-on-one mentoring approach,
AAN annual meeting mentoring and networking activities); 4) To evaluate the effectiveness of
the Research Education Program. Measures for assessing Scholars’ achievements will be
monitored following program completion, and will include position(s) held; number of
presentations at professional meetings and peer-reviewed publications; leadership positions
held in academia and public service; and funding for investigator-initiated research projects or
career development awards. TRANSCENDS will address a critical deficiency...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9912194
- **Project number:** 5R25NS098999-04
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE/RES/EDU
- **Principal Investigator:** BRUCE OVBIAGELE
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $259,258
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-03-01 → 2021-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9912194

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9912194, Training in Research for Academic Neurologists to Sustain Careers and Enhance the Numbers of Diverse Scholars (TRANSCENDS) (5R25NS098999-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9912194. Licensed CC0.

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