NEXTGEN: Nurturing next generation of diverse research leaders by providing mentored research experiences

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ABSTRACT The goal of this supplement is to enhance mentorship skills in working effectively with talented physician- scientists from a variety of backgrounds, support one additional T32 trainee who is a woman of minority underrepresented in medicine, and support five mentored research experiences in age-related conditions. Given the growing number of older adults globally, the health-related issues of older adults will dominate the health care landscape. Physician-scientists are well poised to conduct translational research relevant to the older population, particularly in understanding health disparities, as they can appreciate the clinical implications of systemic health and social inequities and have a unique ability to identify areas of research likely to have a substantial impact on clinical care. University of Michigan (UM) is uniquely positioned to train promising physician-scientists from diverse backgrounds in age-related research as UM has made a priority to recruit and train physician-scientists underrepresented in academia. UM has robust programs in geroscience/biology of aging, geriatrics, clinical medicine and health policy research, as well as innovative offices advancing anti-racism and anti-discrimination efforts. The UM Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) supports initiatives throughout the UM focused on the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, staff, and students. Within Michigan Medicine, the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion (OHEI) develops mechanisms for inclusion, diversity and cultural sensitivity among faculty, students and staff. In order to achieve our program goals, we have included five mentored research experiences that will enhance minority recruitment and representation, including projects of three minority researchers and a focus on health disparities. Their mentors represent the spectrum of translational medical research from preclinical research, through to research in healthy and diseased human subjects (i.e., translational), to public policy and population health. Dr. Mody is a clinical interventionalist who has active collaborations with investigators who conduct basic genomic research to scientists in healthcare research policy. Our training program includes mentors for each of the trainees and their mentored research projects. In addition to the individual expertise of the faculty, our program also will leverage several successful programs at UM including: The University of Michigan Older Americans Independence Center, the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research, Biology of Aging, Institute for Healthcare Policy and Research, Michigan Biology of Cardiovascular Aging and Institute for Social Research. We expect that this supplement will advance and support a cadre of outstandingly trained young physician-scientists who will pursue cutting-edge translational research in age-related conditions, with particular emphasis in health disparities and access to care among minority populations, and themselves become mentors and leaders in the field.