Building research and implementation capacity for driving growth and equity (bridge) training collaborative program

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded George Washington University $376,266 on May 1, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to establish and operate the Building Research and Implementation Capacity for Driving Growth and Equity (BRIDGE) Training Collaborative Program through April 30, 2031.

BRIDGE recruits eight underrepresented minority undergraduate trainees annually from four participating institutions to engage in six weeks of paid summer residential research training hosted at George Washington University in Washington, DC, combined with a year-long virtual participatory learning program. Trainees receive HIV implementation science and equity research training, participate in collaborative research efforts, network with researchers and clinicians, and complete at least one academic publication as part of the program's outcomes.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey (School of Nursing), The Johns Hopkins University, and Howard University serve as sub-recipients, each hosting and training cohorts of trainees as part of the collaborative training network. Performance occurs across all four partner institutions' locations plus George Washington University's Washington, DC campus, where the centralized residential summer component is held. The award is a project grant, an assistance type supporting research training and capacity building in infectious disease research and workforce diversity.

Abstract

Despite decades of efforts to increase representation in american higher education, racial equity in full-time faculty positions for underrepresented minority (URM) groups remains an unrealized goal. Greater representation of black scholars in american academia and other research positions is needed to foster innovative solutions to cross-disciplinary racial health equity issues. To help address this underrepresentation and to increase diversity in the scientific research workforce, we propose to leverage our team's health equity- focused research portfolio to provide research training combined with community-based experiential learning opportunities for URM undergraduate students through the building research and implementation capacity for driving growth and equity (bridge) collaborative training program at george washington university (GWU). Bridge trainees will receive six weeks of paid summer residential training and a year-long virtual participatory learning program, culminating in at least one academic publication. The residential program will be hosted at GWU and will provide bridge trainees the opportunity to engage in collaborative research efforts, to meet and network with researchers, clinicians, and community-based organization leaders, and to kickstart their research careers through the training needed to produce original health equity research. Our specific aims are: aim 1: identify and recruit URM trainees for the bridge collaborative training program. We will recruit a total of 8 trainees each summer from 4 participating institutions per year to participate in the bridge collaborative. Aim 2: implement an HIV implementation science and equity training curriculum, residential research training program combined with community-based experiential learning opportunities in washington, DC. Aim 3: form and sustain virtual learning communities that will meet before and after the residential session, provide peer support and guidance among students and receive mentorship from a bridge collaborative training program.