Howard University has partnered with the National Institutes of Health to launch a pilot program called the NIH-Howard University Intramural Research Collaboration (NIH-HUIRC). The collaboration aims to successfully position the university’s junior faculty on the path to becoming seasoned research investigators.
“The purpose of the NIH-HUIRC collaboration is to engage in collaborative scientific discovery through research and development of joint training programs between NIH and Howard University,” said Hugh E. Mighty, dean of the College of Medicine and Howard University’s vice president of clinical affairs. “We expect junior faculty who participate in the NIH-HUIRC to develop the requisite skill sets to procure external grants and enhance scholarly productivity.”
The first phase of the NIH-HUIRC will be a two-year pilot to engage junior faculty, graduate, and medical students to identify ways to address routine and recurring issues that arise in scientific research collaborations. After the initial two years, the program will expand to include faculty and students from other academic programs at Howard. The program will also facilitate mentoring opportunities, lecture exchanges, shared equipment, and student training initiatives in biomedical research.
“NIH is delighted to have Howard University as a partner,” said John I. Gallin, chief scientific officer and associate director for clinical research at the NIH. “We are excited about the prospect of leveraging our diverse communities to optimize the research and training at both our institutions.”
