Investigator Development for Early-Career Researchers to Tackle Health Disparities
Official title: Investigator Development Core
Funded at Meharry Medical College · NIH-11382230 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A funding opportunity helps early-career scientists build pilot data and develop skills to study diseases that hit African American communities and other health disparities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Meharry Medical College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 1997 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $344,234 |
| NIH project number | 5U54MD007586-40 |
| Project ID | NIH-11382230 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Early-career investigators (post-doctoral fellows and junior faculty) pursuing health disparities research, especially related to diseases impacting African American or other disparity populations.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not directly involved in health disparities research or those outside the study's focus areas may not experience immediate benefits.
What this research studies
The Investigator Development Core supports junior faculty and post-doctoral fellows by funding pilot projects that create preliminary data for future grants. It emphasizes basic biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research focused on health disparities and diseases affecting African American populations. The program combines career development, mentorship, and rigorous, individualized tracks, using technology and data science to boost research capabilities. Participants gain professional growth, leadership skills, and pathways to extramural funding. The core aims to cultivate the next generation of funded investigators dedicated to health disparities research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients from underserved communities could see more focused research leading to better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment options for health disparities.
How similar studies have gone: Other pilot-based investigator development programs have shown that structured mentoring and pilot funding can lead to successful extramural grants for health disparities research.
Where this research is happening
-
Meharry Medical College
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Villalta, Fernando — Meharry Medical College
- Study coordinator: Villalta, Fernando
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.