KidneyCure is pleased to announce the newest addition to its Transition to Independence Grants Program: The KidneyCure Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Research Scholar Grant.
Established with a $1 million donation from Otsuka and Visterra that the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) will match to help endow, this grant will be awarded every other year beginning in 2023. It is KidneyCure's first grant designated for an ASN member who identifies as underrepresented in medicine or is conducting research focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, or justice.
"It's imperative that clinical research is grounded in science and innovations that are fueled by diversity of backgrounds, experiences and thoughts," said Robert McQuade, PhD, executive vice president, chief strategic officer, and interim chief medical officer at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. "Otsuka and Visterra are pleased to support the establishment of the KidneyCure Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Research Scholar Grant," added Brian J. G. Pereira, MD, CEO of Visterra, Inc.
KidneyCure is dedicated to keeping talented investigators in the field of nephrology and on track to making groundbreaking discoveries. The foundation distributes more than $3 million annually to early-career investigators and educators through five different grant programs.
"This grant is critical to the future of nephrology and to the care of diverse populations of individuals with kidney diseases," said ASN Past President and current KidneyCure Board Chair Anupam Agarwal, MD, FASN. "The advances that it will support will align with ASN's commitment to diversity, inclusion, justice, and innovation."
Since it was established in 1996, the Transition to Independence Grants Program has been the cornerstone of the foundation's portfolio. The program provides funding to foster junior faculty transitions to independent research careers and successful applications for National Institutes of Health R01 grants or equivalent. Through this program, KidneyCure supports candidates who show the most promise in producing innovative research to advance nephrology. Up to 10 new and 10 continuing grants are awarded annually at $100,000 a year for two years. Since 1996, the Transition to Independence Grants Program has funded 213 researchers.
