Research Training/Education
The goal of the CEHD Research Training/Education Core (RTC) is to recruit, teach, and nurture the next generation of minority health and health disparities investigators at all academic levels. The RTC provides a single integrated home for minority health and health disparities research education and training. We are developing and offering new coursework and seminars, researching training opportunities, and providing mentorship that will both accelerate minority health and health disparities research education and enhance its accessibility to students, junior faculty, and clinical trainees.
The research training/education objectives are:
- To promote careers of students and investigators who are pursuing or planning to pursue a career in minority health and health disparities research by creating, adapting, and offering support and resources.
- To engage and develop minority health and health disparities research investigators, particularly investigators who are members of populations with health disparities, through targeted mentoring.
- To increase the long-term participation of researchers from populations with health disparities in minority health and health disparities research through specialized didactic and mentored research academic-year and summer experiences for well-qualified college undergraduates.
- To develop new and flexible educational resources for community partners and community members to enhance understanding of clinical and translational research, to partner with researchers in community-based participatory research to enhance the health of the community with a focus on health disparities, and to encourage involvement in studies and trials.
News and Information
Undergraduate Minority Health and Health Disparities Mentored Research Program
The Summer/Fall Opportunity for Achievement in Research-Minority Health and Health Disparities (SOAR-MHHD) Research Internship is aimed at engaging, recruiting, and training highly qualified undergraduate students from underrepresented minority and other disparity populations, from local universities, into minority health and health disparities research careers. The SOAR-MHHD Research Internship is a specialized didactic and mentored summer and academic semester program. Students participate in multi-disciplinary research projects of senior investigators who will also serve as mentors and role models. Learn about the experiences of previous interns and mentors.
Welcome the New 2016 SOARS Interns
This year’s interns are:
Alysia Swint (Junior at GU majoring in Biochemistry) is interested in immunology, cancer disparities, physical health, and cardiovascular disease. She has lab experience but would prefer to be exposed to clinical research and would like to interact with patients, if possible. Her sister has Williams Syndrome, so she is particularly interested in cardiovascular disease and developmental and learning disabilities.
CeRelia Donald (Junior at HU majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry) is interested in immunology, cell biology and genetics, physical health, cancer disparities, diabetes, and disease prevention and health promotion. She has lab experience but would prefer to get some clinical experience and interact with patients, if possible. She would also really appreciate an opportunity to work on her writing skills as well as gain research knowledge and experience.
Kayla Rayford (Junior at Bowie State University majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry) is interested in immunology, infectious diseases, cell biology and genetics, and cancer disparities. She has worked in lab-based settings previously — she was in a microbiology lab and she has also done cancer disparities research. Although she is interested in getting exposure to clinical settings, she would prefer to continue doing bench work in a lab.
The closing event for the 2015 Summer/Fall SOAR Interns was held on February 1, 2015. Three of our interns were able to present their work at the event.
