BUilding Infrastructure Leading to Diversity
BUilding Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) are programs funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to understand effective approaches to engaging, training and mentoring undergraduate students in biomedical research fields. The programs also focus on faculty development and research infrastructure at their local institutions. These BUILD sites aim to broaden the pool of students engaged in biomedical research training and test what works, for whom and in what contexts. This may yield useful information that could have a widespread impact on building a diverse NIH-funded workforce.
1. CSULB BUILD - California State University, Long Beach, CA (CSULB)
2. BUILD PODER - California State University, Northridge, CA (CSUN)
3. ASCEND Center for Biomedical Research - Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD (MSU)
4. BUILD EXITO - Portland State University, Portland, OR (PSU)
5. SF BUILD - San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA (SFSU)
6. BLaST - University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK (UAF)
7. ReBUILDetroit - University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI
8. STEM BUILD at UMBC - University of Maryland, Baltimore County, MD (UMBC)
9. BUILDing SCHOLARS - University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX (UTEP)
10. Project Pathways XULA - Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA (XULA)
1. CSULB BUILD
2. BUILD PODER
4. BUILD EXITO
5. SF BUILD
6. BLaST
The CSULB BUILD Program offers intensive research training opportunities for undergraduate students interested in pursuing biomedical research careers. Biomedical research uses innovative methods to examine the cause, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases to improve health and well-being. It is conducted across a number of different disciplines–such as engineering and the behavioral, biological, clinical, physical, public health and social sciences–and can include basic, applied and translational approaches to studying a variety of health issues facing our communities and our nation. The CSULB BUILD Program is committed to providing exceptional research and skills training to the next generation of biomedical scientists in order to advance scientific knowledge and technology contributing to the improvement of every individual's health.
Principal Investigators
Chi-Ah Chun, PhD | Jesse Dillon, PhD
Simon Kim, PhD | Panadda (Nim) Marayong, PhD
Kim Vu, PhD
Contact Information
Principal investigator
Chi-Ah Chun, PhD | chi-ah.chun@csulb.edu
Communications Representative
Nicole Streicker | nicole.streicker@csulb.edu
BUILD Promoting Opportunities for Diversity in Education and Research (PODER) is an undergraduate research training program for sophomores, juniors and seniors that was established in 2014 through a $22-million NIH grant. Students work directly with professors on a wide variety of health-related research projects focused on topics from the molecular to the planetary level, or from public health to the philosophical frameworks for pain. BUILD PODER seeks to generate a vibrant, socially responsible and open environment for asking new research questions and using new methods to reduce health disparities. The program’s long term goal is to increase representation by providing opportunities for individuals with traditionally poorer health outcomes to become researchers who make social change by, for example, studying the health influence of local landfills or neighborhoods with more liquor stores than grocery stores.
Principal Investigators
Gabriela Chavira, PhD
Crist Khachikian, PhD
Patty Kwan, PhD
Carrie L. Saetermoe, PhD
Contact Information
Principal Investigator
Gabriela Chavira | gabriela.chavira@csun.edu
Communications Representative
Alina Adamian | alina.adamian@csun.edu
Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD
ASCEND is "A Student-Centered, Entrepreneurship Development (ASCEND) Training Model to Increase Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce." The purpose of this 10-year (2014-2024) award from the NIH is to strengthen Morgan State University's biomedical training and research infrastructure, with the ultimate goal of training undergraduate students to become outstanding biomedical researchers. ASCEND will create a new cadre of biomedical researchers who are familiar with the root causes of health and health disparities and who can competently address those problems.
Principal Investigators
Christine Hohmann, PhD
Jocelyn Turner-Musa, PhD
Payam Sheikhattari, MD, MPH
Contact Information
Principal Investigator
Christine Hohmann | christine.hohmann@morgan.edu
Communications Representative
Diane Hughes | Diane.Hughes@morgan.edu
The Enhancing Cross-Disciplinary Infrastructure Training at Oregon (EXITO) build program is an undergraduate research training program that supports students from 2- and 4-year schools on their pathway to becoming scientific researchers by providing hands-on skills training at every stage of their education. The BUILD EXITO Model aims to identify students early in their college career and engage them in finding solutions to today's major health problems. BUILD EXITO brings together faculty and researchers from PSU, Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) and other educators in California, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Samoa and the Marianas for a team mentoring approach to meet the multidimensional needs of students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. The program’s goal is to demonstrate how institutions can be responsive and adaptable to support the success of all students, particularly those who have traditionally encountered institutional barriers. Central to the program is the opportunity for scholars to gain research experience as contributing members of Research Learning Communities, which engage in externally funded faculty-directed studies across a range of health-related fields.
Principal Investigators
Thomas Keller, Ph.D.
Contact Information
Principal investigator
Thomas Keller | kellert@pdx.edu
Communications Representative
Arjun Viray | iarjun@pdx.edu
SF BUILD is a project led by San Francisco State University in partnership with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). SF BUILD's mission is to enhance diversity of the biomedical research workforce by transforming the teaching and research environments at SF State. SF BUILD creates engaging and supportive spaces where students and faculty can safely represent different backgrounds and perspectives. Additionally, in partnership with UCSF, students and faculty receive training and mentoring to make significant contributions to biomedical research by asking innovative questions that are relevant to local communities.
Principal Investigators
Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD (UCSF)
Leticia Márquez-Magaña, PhD (SF State)
Tung Nguyen, PhD (UCSF)
Contact Information
Principal investigator
Leticia Márquez-Magaña | marquez@sfsu.edu
Communications Representative
Gian Carlo Baldonado | gbaldonado@mail.sfsu.edu
The Biomedical Learning and Student Training (BLaST) program will enhance capacity for undergraduate biomedical research training and efficacy for engaging students from diverse and rural Alaskan backgrounds in education and training for biomedical research careers. The program's goals are to: emphasize active and experiential learning throughout undergraduate curricula to enhance student engagement; fully integrate teaching and research so students are immersed in biomedical research throughout their undergraduate studies; embed students in a biomedical learning community that takes a holistic approach to student development by emphasizing cultural inclusiveness and comprehensive advising as well as training in critical-thinking and problem-solving skills; and increase diversity of the biomedical workforce by increasing the number students from rural Alaskan and Alaska Native backgrounds who pursue degrees related to biomedicine.
Principal Investigators
Karsten Hueffer, DVM, PhD, FHEA
Arleigh Reynolds, PhD
Contact Information
Principal investigator
Karsten Hueffer | karsten.hueffer@uaf.edu
Communications Representative
Amy Topkok | aktopkok@alaska.edu
The consortium of University of Detroit Mercy, Wayne State University, Marygrove College and pipeline partner Henry Ford College form the ReBUILDetroit Project to fuel the academic renaissance of Detroit by establishing the city as the center for biomedical research training for underrepresented undergraduate students. ReBUILDetroit’s overarching vision is to identify and improve, in a transformative manner, the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students into biomedical degree programs, introduction to biomedical career opportunities and, ultimately, the transition into personally rewarding graduate education and advanced careers in the biomedical sciences. ReBUILDetroit has an overall objective to have at least 75% of BUILD Scholars graduate with baccalaureate degrees in biomedical science or related fields after completing four years of full-time study and have 50% of those graduates matriculate into biomedical research doctoral programs.
Principal Investigators
Amanda Bryant-Friedrich, MS, PhD
Katherine Snyder, PhD
Contact Information
Principal investigator
Katherine Snyder | snyderke@udmercy.edu
Communications Representative
Jonathan Rhodes | rhodesjd@udmercy.edu
UMBC is investigating ways to enhance the diversity and success of students who have the goal of pursuing baccalaureate degrees in the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). STEM BUILD at UMBC is an undergraduate success research initiative and research study that combines innovation with leveraging effective components of existing programs to create a multifaceted new student support model. It builds on the best that UMBC has to offer, from the supportive peer networks of the living-learning communities to the applied learning and internship placements of the Shriver Center. The initiative builds on the rigorous undergraduate research preparation that is a hallmark of the MARC U*STAR program, McNair Scholars Program and UMBC's partnership with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. It expands the community college partnerships of the Gates STEM Transfer Student Success Initiative and the proactive mentorship of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program and much more. The five-year project includes collaborations with five community colleges, Gallaudet University and the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Principal Investigators
William LaCourse, PhD
Philip J. Rous, PhD
Contact Information
Principal investigator
Philip J. Rous | rous@umbc.edu
Communications Representative
Sarah L. Hansen | hansen.sarah@umbc.edu
Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILDing) Southwest Consortium of Health-Oriented Education Leaders and Research Scholars (SCHOLARS) is a center of excellence established at the University of Texas at El Paso with support from the NIH Common Fund. BUILDing SCHOLARS' goal is to implement a suite of programs and activities that will positively transform the training of the next generation of biomedical researchers from U.S. Southwest groups through a multi-institution consortium in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, as well as three extra-regional sites.
Principal Investigators
Stephen Aley, PhD | Thomas Boland, PhD
Marc Cox, PhD | Lourdes Echegoyen, PhD
Osvaldo Morera, PhD | Amy Wagler, PhD
Danielle Xiaodan Morales, PhD
Contact Information
Principal Investigator
Lourdes Echegoyen | lourdes@utep.edu
Communications Representative
John Garza | jpgarza@utep.edu
The goal of Project PATHWAYS is to transform Xavier University's programs through the redesign, supplementation and integration of career services, academic advising, tutoring, personal counseling and the Center for Undergraduate Research (CUR). BUILD also provides funding for the enhancement and expansion of student research training activities in STEM fields, better student preparation for graduate and professional degree programs in biomedical sciences, increased support and guidance for faculty research mentors, and improvement of STEM curricula. As part of Project PATHWAYS, Xavier has developed relationships with a number of partner institutions. These institutions will be working together with Xavier to enhance research capabilities and experiences for students.
Principal Investigators
Maryam Foroozesh, PhD
Marguerite Giguette, PhD
Kathleen M. Morgan, PhD
Contact Information
Principal Investigator
Maryam Foroozesh | mforooze@xula.edu
Communications Representative
Brhea Washington | bwashi15@xula.edu
The Diversity Program Consortium Coordination and Evaluation Center at UCLA is supported by Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health / National Institutes of General Medical Sciences under award number U54GM119024.
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