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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.
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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.
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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.
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Application and Enrollment Process
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
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Program Overview:
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GRIT Successes:
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Year 1:
Tiffany Carson, PhD, MPH
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2018National 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 interventionCrystal Chapman Lambert, PhD
School of Nursing
GRIT Cohort 2018National 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 HIVBertha Hidalgo PhD, MPH
School of Public Health
GRIT Cohort 2018National Heart Lung & Blood Institute
Grant Mechanism: R01
Years Funded: 2022-2025
Project Title: Epigenetic biomarkers of preeclampsia risk among mothers with chronic hypertensionChristina Muzny, MD
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2018National 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 VaginosisAadia Rana, MD
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2017National 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
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2019National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Grant Mechanism: K23
Years Funded: 2021-2026
Project Title: Investigating Inhibitory Control Networks in Parkinson's DiseaseKaylee Crockett, PhD
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2019National 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 HypertensionLatesha Elopre, MD
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2019National 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 HealthcareFaith Fletcher, PhD
School of Public Health
GRIT Cohort 2019National 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 PerspectiveTrisha Parekh, DO
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2019National 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 PatientsGabrielle 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 managementMichael Seifert, MD
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2019National 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
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 SouthKarin Hardiman, MD, PhD
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2020National Cancer Institute
Grant Mechanism: R01
Years Funded: 2022-2027
Project Title: A novel, transferable sialylation-mediated mechanism of chemoradioresistance in GI cancerSamantha Hill, MD
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2020National 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 UseBrandi 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 OutcomesCaroline Presley, MD, MPH
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2020National Center for Complementary & Integrative Health
Grant Mechanism: K23
Years Funded: 2022-2025
Project Title: Mindfulness-Based Diabetes Education for adults with elevated diabetes distressRachel Sinkey, MD
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2020American 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: 2022-2027Project Title: The ACHIEVE Trial: Achieving longer gestation in preeclampsia via antihypertensive therapy.
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Year 4:
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 diseaseAshley 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 MelanomaCarrie Howell, PhD, MPH
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2021National 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 PreventionAmerican 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.
School of Medicine
GRIT Cohort 2022Grant Mechanism: NIAMS Diversity Supplement
Years Funded: 2022 - 2024
Project Title: Functional and Integrative Omics of Recurrent Gout Flares
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Year 1:
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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. -
Andrea Cherrington, MD
Professor, Preventive MedicineGareth Dutton, PhD
Professor, Preventive MedicineLarry Hearld, PhD
Professor, Health Services AdministrationRenee Heffron, PhD
Professor, Infectious DiseasesNataliya Ivankova, PhD
Professor, Health Services AdministrationDustin Long, PhD
Associate Professor, BiostatisticsAlayne Markland, MD
Professor, Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative CareTapan Mehta, PhD
Professor, Health Services AdministrationMichael Mugavero, MD
Professor, Infectious DiseasesGabriela Oats, PhD
Associate Professor, Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine