Networking Core: Houston Area Incubator for Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Research Training (HAI-KUH)

Baylor College Of Medicine, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

In accordance with the goals of the NIDDK U2C KUH training initiative, the Houston Area Incubator for Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Research Training (HAI-KUH) will support the scientific training and career development of a pipeline of researchers, equipping them with the skills needed to flourish in independent careers across kidney, urologic, and hematologic (KUH) research missions. As part of this initiative, the Networking Core reimagines interinstitutional scientific engagement within KUH fields in Houston’s Texas Medical Center (TMC). The goal of the Networking Core is to facilitate and incentivize scientific interactions across training stages, institutions, and KUH disciplines to foster multidisciplinary, collaborative research in a supportive training environment. Additionally, by establishing innovative training on core networking competencies, developing virtual platforms to support interaction with other KUH researchers locally, nationally, and worldwide, and supporting engagement between trainees and the Houston community, the Networking Core will promote career advancement and community interest in the KUH areas. In Aim 1, the Networking Core will build an interactive and inclusive KUH research community within the Houston area by facilitating scientific engagement and social networks by providing those in training pods developed by the Professional Development Core and other KUH research trainees with regular networking events and an annual HAI-KUH symposium. It will provide opportunities for community outreach through education seminars designed to promote public interest in KUH research and interaction with other KUH U2C consortia. Aim 2 is to develop a cohort of KUH trainees with strong networking skills through the Networking Core’s Networking, Engagement, and Social Media Training (NEST) series. Networking training that spans valuable in-person, virtual, and social media-based competencies will stimulate collaboration, as will an innovative competitive seed grant program based on new, interinstitutional team science. Aim 3 will enable networking and interdisciplinary interaction by building on trainee-led virtual platforms to develop a HAI-KUH site on the powerful, highly customizable Hivebrite platform. The virtual community established through the site will support interactions within the HAI-KUH community, including alums and KUH-research-related enterprises, and promote civic outreach. Additionally, HAI-KUH will support novel proposals to transform networking and involve the public within the KUH research community. Aim 4 is to build a sustainable pipeline of future KUH researchers by synergizing with the large, established STEM outreach and career development programs in the TMC by creating HAI-KUH-specific tracks. Working together with the Professional Development and Training Cores, the Networking core will integrate trainee feedback and refine the objectives to align with the goals of HAI-KUH. HAI-KUH will ultimately build the KUH research target areas defined by the NIDDK by filling a critical need for community KUH education and engagement through the Networking Core. 0