As part of the 2025 Duke Research Summit, the Duke Office for Research & Innovation announced the call for applications for the Duke Research Summit Collaborative Research Planning Grant. This grant provides facilitation services and project management support to allow selected teams to convene, strategize, and develop comprehensive research agendas. By addressing logistical barriers, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and facilitating in-depth planning, this grant empowers teams to tackle complex research challenges effectively.  Selected teams receive:

  1. A full day retreat at the Washington Duke Inn or JB Duke Inn, facilitated by the CTSI Team Science Core, for research teams to engage in focused discussions, strategic planning, and problem-solving. Professional facilitators will work with the team to custom design the retreat agenda and activities to meet the specific needs of the selected team. 

  1. 10% effort of project management support, provided by the Research Project Management Core, for four months post-retreat to maintain momentum. 

The Duke Office of Climate & Sustainability partnered on this inaugural funding opportunity to provide facilitated research planning for teams focusing on research that aligns with the Duke Climate Commitment. This partnership underscores Duke’s dedication to addressing environmental and health challenges while advancing a healthier, more sustainable future.  

The following teams were selected to receive the Duke Research Summit 2025 Collaborative Research Planning Grant based on the strength of their research challenges, the interdisciplinary expertise of their members, the anticipated impact of their collaborative efforts, and the clarity of their proposed objectives.

Team 1: Co-led by Dr. Anna Strasma, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Dr. Nishad Jayasundara, Juli Plant Grainger Assistant Professor Of Global Environmental Health, and Dr. Mercedes Bravo, Assistant Research Professor of Global Health

This team is tackling the urgent issue of climate change-related kidney diseases, specifically Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology. Bringing together experts in nephrology, environmental health, toxicology, epidemiology, and community-based participatory research, their collaborative approach seeks to uncover the underlying causes of this condition and develop strategies to mitigate its impact on vulnerable populations.  

Team 2: Led by Dr. Jessica Ma, Assistant Professor of Medicine

This team is dedicated to enhancing goals-of-care communication in palliative care. Their work focuses on ensuring medical treatments align with patient values and preferences, ultimately improving the quality of care. The team includes senior and junior faculty, clinicians, and researchers with expertise in palliative care, communication, behavioral interventions, disparities, data analytics, and implementation science.  

Team 3: Led by Dr. Emily Bernhardt, James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Biology

This team is focused on advancing environmental intelligence to address planetary change. With expertise spanning ecosystem ecology, marine conservation, hydrology, environmental data analytics, behavioral decision-making, and engineering solutions, their multidisciplinary approach will develop innovative strategies for transforming complex environmental datasets into actionable insights while emphasizing energy efficiency and ethical data use.  

Team 4: Co-led by Dr. Leanne Gilbertson, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Dr. Avner Vengosh, Distinguished Professor and Nicholas Chair of Environmental Quality

This team is focused on sustainable energy transition through critical resources, minerals, and materials. With expertise spanning material design, environmental impact analysis, water quality, global environmental politics, and energy materials characterization, their multidisciplinary approach is essential to addressing the complex challenges of a sustainable energy future.  

Team 5: Co-led by Dr. Anh N. Tran, Associate Professor In Family Medicine and Community Health, and Dr. Gayathri Devi, Professor in Surgery and Pathology

This team brings together a diverse group of researchers, clinicians, trainees, and community health advocates to address disparities in rare cancer care, specifically inflammatory breast cancer. Their innovative "bench to bedside to curbside" approach combines laboratory discoveries with community-engaged strategies to improve awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of this aggressive and rare cancer.  

Team 6: Led by Dr. Hayden Bosworth, Professor in Population Health Sciences

This team is focused on understanding and mitigating the impacts of climate change on cardiometabolic health. With expertise spanning health services research, climate and health data analytics, community engagement, and policy development, their multidisciplinary approach seeks to address health disparities and promote equitable, climate-resilient healthcare systems through innovative, evidence-based interventions.  

 

Purpose: 

The Duke Office for Research & Innovation (OR&I) is excited to launch a new initiative to cultivate competitive, large-scale collaborative research projects through the formation of highly effective research teams. This program aims to boost interdisciplinary collaboration and fortify research teams by offering facilitated research planning. Our goal is to reduce barriers to collaboration, refine research questions, develop innovative approaches, and ultimately generate high-impact research proposals. 

The Duke Office of Climate & Sustainability is also partnering on this request for applications to provide facilitated research planning specifically for teams focusing on research that aligns with the aims of the Duke Climate Commitment.  

Program Overview: 

This program includes the following components: 

  1. A full day retreat at the Washington Duke Inn or JB Duke Inn, facilitated by the CTSI Team Science Core, for research teams to engage in focused discussions, strategic planning, and problem-solving. Professional facilitators will work with the team to custom design the retreat agenda and activities to meet the specific needs of the selected team. 

  1. 10% effort (4 hours/week) of project management support, provided by the Research Project Management Core, for four months post-retreat to maintain momentum. 

Eligibility: 

Applications are open to tenured/tenure-track faculty interested in addressing challenging research problems requiring interdisciplinary collaboration. Applications from teams with external collaborators will be considered eligible, however, retreat attendance is limited to those internal to Duke. Applicants are encouraged to include Postdocs, Fellows, and other trainees on their team.   

Application Requirements: 

Applications must include the following components: 

  • Team Composition: Provide a list of team members, including their roles and expertise. 

  • Team Dynamics: A statement (max 1,500 characters) that describes any previous collaborative experience of the team members together, as well as the team’s current methods for collaboration and communication, strategies for decision-making and conflict resolution, and any challenges or areas for improvement. 

  • Research Challenge Description: A brief overview (max 2,500 characters) of the complex research challenge the team is addressing, including the current stage of the research and specific barriers or issues that the retreat could help resolve. 

  • Retreat Goals: A statement (max 1,500 characters) outlining what the team hopes to achieve through participation in the retreat. 

Selection Process: 

Applications will be reviewed by the Office for Research & Innovation leadership. Criteria for selection will include the significance of the research challenge, the interdisciplinary nature of the team, the potential impact of the retreat on the team’s dynamics and research progress, and the feasibility of the proposed goals. Top teams may be invited for a Zoom interview to further discuss their application. 

Reporting and Follow-Up: 

Each awarded team must complete a post-retreat evaluation form and submit a final report on project progress within six months of the retreat.