UK ASCEND to propel community-engaged health equity research

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 20, 2024) — A new project at the University of Kentucky will expand new avenues to develop community-engaged health equity research expertise among early-stage investigators. It’s called Achieving Success in Community-Engaged research to elimiNate Disparities (UK ASCEND).

UK ASCEND is supported by a nearly $3 million grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities part of the National Institutes of Health through their Specialized Centers of Excellence initiative (P50).

The project will leverage existing research initiatives including the Research Scholars Program (RSP) and Research Priority Areas (RPAs).

UK ASCEND will be led by three principal investigators with decades of experience in transdisciplinary health equity and community-focused research:

• Nancy Schoenberg, Ph.D., Marion Pearsall Professor of Behavioral Science in the College of Medicine, founding director of the Center for Health Equity Transformation (CHET), associate vice president for research/research professional development and RSP co-director;
• Darwin Conwell, M.D., the Jack M. Gill Chair in Internal Medicine and professor in the Department of Internal Medicine in the College of Medicine; and
• Lovoria Williams, Ph.D., professor in the College of Nursing and the associate director for Cancer Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the UK Markey Cancer Center.

“UK ASCEND will take a comprehensive and inclusive approach to supporting rigorous and innovative research training that enables our talented investigators to address significant health disparities here in the Commonwealth,” said Schoenberg. “Our ultimate goal is to advance the health of Kentucky and to accomplish that goal, we intend to support the next generation of scholars to acquire advanced training in community-engaged research approaches. With stellar, evidence-based training and support, these researchers will partner with communities to develop programs and policies that seek to make positive health changes. UK ASCEND will be a pivotal step in reaching that goal.”

UK ASCEND will leverage five of UK’s RPAs: cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity, neuroscience and substance use disorder. Supported by the Office of the Vice President for Research, the RPAs offer a collaborative framework and focus research in areas that are the most pressing for Kentuckians and have the potential to expand UK’s reach and impact on health. 

“One of the things that excites me about the possibilities at UK are the opportunities to partner with and nurture the scientific questions our junior faculty want to answer,” said Conwell. “Together with our partners, we are committed to a diverse cohort of early-stage investigators through mentorship, robust training and immersive research experiences that have the potential to simultaneously make significant impacts in our communities.”

UK ASCEND is a two-year professional development program open to research-intensive early career faculty across campus who aim to enhance their community-engaged research skills to address health disparities.

The first year includes the popular Research Scholars Program plus support for community-engaged research training (covering course tuition, workshops and conferences) and the second year includes a mentored and community-guided $50,000 pilot project.

UK ASCEND provides support for scientific mentors, coaches and programming, with extensive and authentic engagement with community stakeholders through forums.

Applications for the next cohort of ASCEND Scholars will open on Aug. 26. Questions may be directed to UK_ASCEND@uky.edu.   

“Our hope is this intentional way of collaborating and partnering will support research that is contextually appropriate and grounded, capable of making impactful and sustained changes at both community and system levels to achieve health equity,” said Williams, who is nationally recognized for her work developing culturally adapted interventions.

With support from the Office of the Vice President for Research, UK ASCEND will also hold a pilot grant competition for postdoctoral fellows, the next generation of community-engaged researchers.

Applications are now open for postdoctoral fellows to submit proposals for one of four $25,000 community-engaged research projects. More information can be found online. Applications must be submitted by Aug. 23.

In addition to internal, external and community advisory boards, ASCEND is supported by mentors, coaches and sponsors from across the university.

The UK ASCEND team includes Hilary Surratt, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Behavioral Science; Kevin Pearson, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences and RSP co-director; Carolyn Lauckner, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Behavioral Science and primary faculty in CHET; Justin Moore, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Behavioral Science and primary faculty in CHET; Pamela Hull, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Behavioral Science; and Misti Salyers-Dunford, project manager.

“We could not undertake this project without our committed partners and are excited to see the potential unfold,” said Schoenberg. “As a model of inclusive talent development, UK ASCEND has the potential to transform health outcomes and reduce longstanding inequities in Kentucky. We believe this project will benefit our communities and serve as a model for other institutions across the country to replicate to advance health equity.”

You can learn more about UK ASCEND online.

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P50MD019476. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.