More
GRIT_1.png

  • Led by COERE and co-sponsored by CCTS, the Department of Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, and the Office of the Vice President for Research, GRIT offers scholars 12 months of highly structured activities focused on specific steps in the extramural grant application process. From Biosketches and Aims to mentor selection and budgeting, GRIT provides invaluable guidance, structure, accountability, and group and/or one-on-one coaching to help investigators meet submission deadlines and craft exceedingly responsive resubmissions, as needed. Details on the program is available below. GRIT accommodates applicants at the Whatever to K (W2K), K to R (K2R), and Whatever to R (W2R) stages. Since its inception in 2018, GRIT participants have had a >65% success rate in securing extramural K- and R-series awards.

    • Program Overview:

      Pragmatic workshops: Workshop topics include but are not limited to: how to talk to your Program Officer, developing a comprehensive to do list, creating a submission timeline, non-science grant sections, preparing the K Table, general submission navigation, the Just-in-Time process, etc.

      Writing groups: Weekly writing groups are offered for several hours at a time. Participants self-select a date/time that fits their schedule. Writing groups will likely consist of participants in various career stages (W2K, K2R, W2K).

      Cohort editing and group coaching: Participants are assigned to a group of peers in the same career stage (W2K, K2R, W2R) and a group coach. Participants receive feedback from their coach and peers on core grant components (i.e., Aims, Biosketch, the K Table and Candidate/Career sections (K submitters only), Significance, Innovation, Approach, and Response to Reviewers). Time is also reserved each month for coaches and participants to engage in general consultation and discussion.

      Individual editing and coaching sessions: Participants are alloted 12 one-hour sessions with their coaches. These sessions provide dedicated time for the GRIT participant to discuss specific aspects of their application, review drafts and grant strategy, and provide advice regarding resources and networking at UAB. Individual editing includes review and feedback of all grant pieces. Sessions are scheduled as preferred by the participant and continue until grant submission or end of 12-month participation in GRIT.

      Submission navigation: Guidance regarding processes required for grant submission at the UAB/Institutional level. Consultation regarding issues with the submission process, compliance, requirements and best practices for budget and budget justification development. Consultation regarding processes after submission, such as Just-in-Time requirements as well as other non-standard requests by program officers after submission.

      Celebration: All GRIT participants are invited to an annual grant submission celebration. Details will be shared with participants each year.

    • Eligibility

      The GRIT program supports the following career stages:

      Whatever to K (W2K) — Participants who are developing their first extramural Career Development Award (e.g., K01, K23, K08, K99/R00 etc.), regardless of previous funding record.

      K to R (K2R) – Participants who have been awarded an intramural (e.g., KL2, K12) or extramural Career Development Award (e.g., K01, K23, K08, K99/R00 etc.) and are developing their first independent R-level grant.

      Whatever to R (W2R) — Participants developing their first independent R-level grant (e.g., R01, R34, R31, etc.) or other independent research project grant, regardless of previous funding record.

    • Application and Enrollment Process
      Application and Enrollment Process
      1. Online Application: Those interested in participating in GRIT should apply through the “APPLY TO GRIT” tab of this website. Failure to provide all requested information will result in delays in processing your application.
      2. Introductory Call: After submitting your application, you will be contacted by program leadership to have a preliminary discussion regarding your research career and grant development plans.
      3. Review Panel: Applicants are then invited to present their specific aims, mentor team (if preparing a Career Development Award such as a K01 grant), and Biosketch to a review panel. Together, the panel decides if applicants are ready to enroll in GRIT. Meet the Specific Aims Panel here
      4. Selection: Within two weeks of the panel, applicants are either invited to enroll in GRIT or provided with feedback on ways to prepare for a future enrollment in GRIT.
      5. Enrollment and Program Fee: Applicants invited to enroll choose to participate in the Cohort Model or Intensive Model, pending availability. Participants in the cohort model will be assigned to a group of near-peers in the same career stage (W2K, K2R, W2R) and a group coach. Upon enrolling in the GRIT program, participants will be invoiced for the program fee.

  • GRIT Successes:

    • Year 1:

      Tiffany Carson, PhD, MPH

      Tiffany Carson, PhD, MPH

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2018

      National Cancer Institute
      Grant Mechanism: R01
      Years Funded: 2021-2025
      Project Title: Determining the structural- and functional-level effects of diet-specific interventions on the gut microbiota of a diverse sample of Southern United States adults

      National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases
      Grant Mechanism: R01
      Years Funded: 2021-202
      Project Title: Improving weight loss outcomes of black women using a culturally relevant, stress management enhancement behavioral weight loss intervention

      Crystal Chapman Lambert, PhD

      Crystal Chapman Lambert, PhD

      School of Nursing
      GRIT Cohort 2018

      National Center for Complementary & Integrative Health
      Grant Mechanism: K23
      Years Funded: 2019-2023
      Project Title: Feasibility of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Intervention for Black Women Living
      with HIV

      Bertha Hidalgo PhD, MPH

      Bertha Hidalgo PhD, MPH

      School of Public Health
      GRIT Cohort 2018

      National Heart Lung & Blood Institute
      Grant Mechanism: R01
      Years Funded: 2022-2025
      Project Title: Epigenetic biomarkers of preeclampsia risk among mothers with chronic hypertension

      Christina Muzny, MD

      Christina Muzny, MD

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2018

      National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
      Grant Mechanism: R21
      Years Funded: 2021-2023
      Project Title: The Impact of Testosterone Use on the Vaginal Microbiota in Transgender Men, including Susceptibility to Bacterial Vaginosis

      National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
      Grant Mechanism: R01
      Years Funded: 2020-2025
      Project Title: Microbial Interactions between Gardnerella, Prevotella, and Atopobium Prior to Incident Bacterial Vaginosis

      Aadia Rana, MD

      Aadia Rana, MD

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2017

      National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
      Grant Mechanism: R01
      Years Funded: 2018-2023
      Project Title: Geographic Variability in Time from HIV Diagnosis to Viral Suppression in the Deep South: A Roadmap to Accelerated Treatment Initiation

    • Year 2:

      Nicole Bentley, MD

      Nicole Bentley, MD

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2019

      National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
      Grant Mechanism: K23
      Years Funded: 2021-2026
      Project Title: Investigating Inhibitory Control Networks in Parkinson's Disease

      Kaylee Crockett, PhD

      Kaylee Crockett, PhD

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2019

      National Heart Lung & Blood Institute
      Grant Mechanism: K23
      Years Funded: 2021-2026
      Project Title: Adaptation and Pilot Testing a Behavioral Physical Activity Intervention with Peer Support for Women with HIV and Co-Occurring Hypertension

      Latesha Elopre, MD

      Latesha Elopre, MD

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2019

      National Institute of Mental Health
      Grant Mechanism: R34
      Years Funded: 2021-2024
      Project Title:       PrEP 4 Her: Developing a Novel Strategy to Implement PrEP into Women's Healthcare

      Faith Fletcher, PhD

      Faith Fletcher, PhD

      School of Public Health
      GRIT Cohort 2019

      National Human Genome Research Institute
      Grant Mechanism: K01
      Years Funded: 2021-2024
      Project Title:
      Developing Evidence-Based Guidance for Engaging Rural Residents in the Deep South in Genomics Research: A Stakeholder-Driven Perspective

      Trisha Parekh, DO

      Trisha Parekh, DO

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2019

      National Heart Lung & Blood Institute
      Grant Mechanism: K23
      Years Funded: 2020-2025
      Project Title: Development of a Community Health Worker-Led Stress Reduction Intervention for Low-Income COPD Patients

      Gabrielle Rocque, MD

      Gabrielle Rocque, MD

      GRIT Cohort 2019

      National Institute of Nursing Research
      Grant Mechanism: R01
      Years Funded: 2021-2026
      Project Title: Evaluating the implementation and impact of navigator-delivered ePRO home symptom monitoring and management

      Michael Seifert, MD

      Michael Seifert, MD

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2019

      National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
      Grant Mechanism: R01
      Years Funded: 2020-2025
      Project Title: Clinical and Molecular Biomarkers of Endpoints in Pediatric Renal Transplantation

    • Year 3:

      Ronnie "Matt" Gravett, MD

      Ronnie "Matt" Gravett, MD

      GRIT Cohort 2020

      National Institute of Mental Health
      Grant Mechanism: K23
      Years Funded: 2022-2027
      Project Title: Amplifying Our Voice: Understanding HIV PrEP Promotional Messaging to Create Authentic PrEP Content by Men Who Have Sex with Men in the Deep Sout      h

      Karin Hardiman, MD, PhD

      Karin Hardiman, MD, PhD

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2020

      National Cancer Institute
      Grant Mechanism: R01
      Years Funded: 2022-2027
      Project Title: A novel, transferable sialylation-mediated mechanism of chemoradioresistance in GI cancer

      Samantha Hill, MD

      Samantha Hill, MD

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2020

      National Institute of Mental Health
      Grant Mechanism: K23
      Years Funded: 2022-2027
      Project Title: Integration of Trusted Adult Supports into the HealthMpowerment App to Improve Black Adolescent and Young Adult PrEP Use

      Brandi Pernell, DNP

      Brandi Pernell, DNP

      GRIT Cohort 2020

      School of Medicine
      Grant Mechanism: K23
      Years Funded: 2022-2027
      Project Title: Promotion of Exclusive Breastfeeding in Children with Sickle Cell Disease for Improved Health Outcomes

      Caroline Presley, MD, MPH

      Caroline Presley, MD, MPH

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2020

      National Center for Complementary & Integrative Health
      Grant Mechanism: K23
      Years Funded: 2022-2025
      Project Title: Mindfulness-Based Diabetes Education for adults with elevated diabetes distress

      Rachel Sinkey, MD

      Rachel Sinkey, MD

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2020

      American Heart Association
      Grant Mechanism: Health Equity Research Network on Prevention of Hypertension (HERN)
      Years Funded: 2022-2026
      Project Title: P3 Providing an Optimized and emPowered Pregnancy for You (POPPY)

      National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
      Grant Mechanism: K23
      Years Funded: 2022-2027

      Project Title: The ACHIEVE Trial: Achieving longer gestation in preeclampsia via antihypertensive therapy.

       

    • Year 4:

      Abigail Hernandez, PhD

      Abigail Hernandez, PhD

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2021

      Grant Mechanism: K99
      Years Funded: 2022- 2027
      Project Title: Influence of gut on metabolism and cognition in Alzheimer's disease

      Ashley Holder, MD

      Ashley Holder, MD

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2021

      Melanoma Research Foundation
      Grant Mechanism: Young Investigator Research Team Award
      Years Funded: 2022- 2024
      Project Title: Macrophage Regulation of the Tumor Microenvironment in Metastatic Melanoma

      American College of Surgeons
      Grant Mechanism: George H. A. Clowes, Jr., MD, FACS, Memorial Research Career Development Award
      Years Funded: 2021-2026
      Project Title: Macrophage Regulation of the Tumor Microenvironment in Metastatic Melanoma


      Carrie Howell, PhD, MPH

      Carrie Howell, PhD, MPH

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2021

      National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
      Grant Mechanism: K01
      Years Funded: 2022- 2026
      Project Title: Harnessing Social Determinant of Health Data to Identify and Engage High Risk, Socially Vulnerable Populations for Diabetes Prevention

      American Heart Association
      Grant Mechanism: Career Development Award
      Years Funded: 2022- 2025
      Project Title: Assessing Populations at High Risk for Major Cardiac Events using Social Determinant and Cardiometabolic data (AT-RISC)

    • Year 5:

      Megan Leask, Ph.D.

      Megan Leask, Ph.D.

      School of Medicine
      GRIT Cohort 2022

      Grant Mechanism: NIAMS Diversity Supplement
      Years Funded: 2022 - 2024
      Project Title: Functional and Integrative Omics of Recurrent Gout Flares

  • Thank you for your interest in participating in the GRIT program!


    Please provide all information requested in the application below. GRIT program leadership will reach out to you about next steps shortly after we receive your application.

    Apply to GRIT

  • Andrea Cherrington, MD

    Andrea Cherrington, MD
    Professor, Preventive Medicine

    Gareth Dutton, PhD

    Gareth Dutton, PhD
    Professor, Preventive Medicine

    Larry Hearld, PhD

    Larry Hearld, PhD
    Professor, Health Services Administration

    Renee Heffron, PhD

    Renee Heffron, PhD
    Professor, Infectious Diseases

    Nataliya Ivankova, PhD

    Nataliya Ivankova, PhD
    Professor, Health Services Administration

    Dustin Long, PhD

    Dustin Long, PhD
    Associate Professor, Biostatistics

    Alayne Markland, MD

    Alayne Markland, MD
    Professor, Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care

    Tapan Mehta, PhD

    Tapan Mehta, PhD
    Professor, Health Services Administration

    Michael Mugavero, MD

    Michael Mugavero, MD
    Professor, Infectious Diseases

    Gabriela Oats, PhD

    Gabriela Oats, PhD
    Associate Professor, Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine