The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has approved a five-year renewal of the grant that established UCSF’s innovative K12 Urologic Research (KURe) Career Development Program.
“This is a strong endorsement of the work we have accomplished so far in nurturing talented young scientists,” said Laurence Baskin, MD, Chief of Pediatric Urology, who directs the KURe program. The $3.5 million NIH grant is supplemented by generous support from the UCSF Department of Urology, which sees the development of these young professionals as a vital part of its educational mission.
The program is designed to support young faculty who will serve as future leaders in the field of benign urologic diseases. UCSF KURe scholars currently include Benjamin Breyer, MD, Thomas Chi, MD, Shweta Choudhry, PhD, Hillary Copp, MD, MS, and Nadia Roan, PhD. During their time in the KURe program, they have amassed an impressive record of publications in prominent journals, presentations at national specialty society meetings, and even popular media attention. The success of the program also owes much to the mentors and advisors who guide the KURe scholars, sharing top-flight expertise in fields ranging from epidemiology to developmental biology.
KURe scholars, all of whom hold UCSF faculty appointments, spend a minimum of half their time in research activities. They also participate in the campus-wide Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Clinical and Translational Science Training Program.
“Our scholars are advancing knowledge in areas ranging from pediatric urinary tract infections to genital injuries in adults,” said Baskin. “We are delighted to be able to continue to support their excellent work.”