DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH PROJECT PROGRAM SPECIFIC AIMS

The overall goals of the AK INBRE 5 Developmental Research Project Program (DRPP) are: 1) continue to increase capacity in Alaska for biomedical and behavioral health research; and 2) grow and diversify the pipeline of students and faculty in Alaska seeking biomedical research careers. The DRPP is a fundamental component of AK INBRE 5 investment in biomedical research infrastructure and human capacity in Alaska where the program can directly support biomedical research activity. One Health, the continuing, broad-based research theme from AK INBRE 3 and 4, recognizes the developing expertise and interconnections among network investigators in the biomedical, animal, and environmental sciences. The AK INBRE 5 DRPP uses the One Health theme and the study of health disparities in Alaska Native People as opportunities to build interdisciplinary and clinical and translational research collaborations to address Alaska’s needs for improving the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. AK INBRE 5 DRPP support for biomedical research at partner academic institutions as well as two Tribal Health Organizations, the Southcentral Foundation and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and our proposed new network partner PUI, Iḷisaġvik College, Alaska’s only Tribal College, provides capacity for an inclusive research program that addresses the needs of the broader community. AK INBRE 5 is committed to the coordination and sharing of resources among the NIH infrastructure programs in Alaska and continuing with experienced leadership, project administrators, representation throughout the network, and significant institutional support.

The Developmental Research Project Program (DRPP; AK INBRE 5 Overall Specific Aim 1) will build on the research capacity, expertise, and interdisciplinary collaborations in an expanded network with the goal of providing support for Research Project (RP) and Pilot Project (PP) leaders, their research mentoring relationships, and their professional growth. Memoranda of Understanding from AK INBRE 5 network leadership provided in the Overall section attest that their institution’s DRPP awardees will be allowed the required research effort for RP or PP award eligibility to successfully implement the INBRE funded project, student training associated with that INBRE project, and their own career and professional development. Jason Burkhead, the AK INBRE 5 Program Coordinator (and Co-I of AK INBRE 4) will lead the DRPP and oversee the appointment of science mentors in partnership with the AK INBRE Principal Investigator, Brian Barnes, and each project leader.  Both are established scientists with experience in mentoring and successfully applying for external funding.  To achieve its goal, the AK INBRE 5 DRPP has 2 Specific Aims: 

Specific Aim 1. Provide funding opportunities that enhance biomedical research at the partner institutions. The DRPP will accomplish this by providing funding opportunities for RPs (up to $125,000 per year for two years) and PPs (up to $50,000 for one year), supporting their mentorship of students, and their competitiveness for external awards of ongoing, independent research funding. The program will specifically encourage new and early-stage investigators and incentivize student engagement in research. We expect to support 3-4 RPs and up to seven PPs per year. 

Specific Aim 2. Facilitate mentorship and career development opportunities for Research Project and Pilot Project leaders with AK INBRE 5 awards. AK INBRE 5 will financially and operationally support DRPP researcher-mentor relationships, career development including but not limited to travel, workshops, proposal reviews and networking and working with undergraduate students in research. 

The DRPP is a cornerstone program for AK INBRE 5 that provides opportunities for students and researchers to engage in biomedical research. From experience, these grants lead to extramural funding and advancements that have the potential to improve human health. DRPP projects are vital to faculty and researchers who aspire to independently sustain productive research and student training programs in biomedicine and health, while project support for more established investigators can also be key to sustaining their research excellence and interest in biomedical and health research. Expected outcomes of the AK INBRE 5 DRPP are the generation of research findings that build One Health knowledge in AK and the expansion of training capacity with opportunities for students, faculty and researchers to engage in meaningful biomedical research.