CHS Assistant Professors Given "Jumpstart" on NIH Research

Recently hired assistant professors of Kinesiology, Dr. Cory Smith and Dr. Kisuk Min, were selected to participate in the next cohort of UTEP’s NIH Jumpstart program.

NIH Jumpstart is an annual competitive-admissions program coordinated by UTEP’s Office of Research and Sponsored Projects and aimed at preparing junior faculty and staff to submit an NIH R01, R03, or R21 proposal. The program entails participating in a seven-month series of workshops, during which cohort members are matched with mentors in the National Research Mentoring Network. Priority for admission into the program goes to research-active faculty and staff who have not yet been awarded a major NIH grant and whose research is on track to provide sufficient data for an NIH proposal by the end of the program.

This year, ORSP will work with a new cohort of 12 faculty, including Smith and Min. Activities will be completed virtually in small groups and will include workshops on how to write NIH-style research proposals; how to develop a compelling case statement; and, one-on-one guidance with experienced researchers and grant writers to finalize the submission. To be successful, faculty need to commit to participating in all activities.

Min, whose research will explore the mechanisms of heart failure, said he was thrilled to have been chosen and believes it will help expand his research interests.

“I will have the opportunity to work with renowned researchers, motivated early-stage researchers, and well-organized programs. We can create a research network through the NIH jumpstart program,” he said.

At the end of the program, Min aims to submit an NIH grant focused on identification of biological targets that will provide a novel therapeutic approach for heart failure.

Smith plans to submit a grant proposal for the development and implementation of a non-invasive neuromuscular plasticity-tracking device for use in clinical populations. As an early career investigator, Smith expects that participating in Jumpstart will help reduce the learning curve for NIH grant submissions and improve his chances for success.

“The skills I will learn can also be applied to other grant proposals I submit, including the Department of Defense and NASA,” he explained, adding, “The resources I obtain will be also be passed down to my graduate students to best prepare them for successful careers in research.”

Go Miners!