Douglas G. Hock Executive Vice President and System Chief Operating Officer | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Douglas G. Hock Executive Vice President and System Chief Operating Officer | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) have received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to establish the Philadelphia Program for Mentored Research Training in Kidney, Urologic and Hematologic Diseases (PERFORM-KUH). This initiative, spanning from 2024 to 2029, aims to build a diverse research workforce in nephrology, urology, and hematology.
The KUH fields are facing workforce shortages that threaten future advancements. National societies have reported concerning trends: fewer young physicians entering adult clinical nephrology, insufficient pediatric nephrology specialists, stagnant applications for clinical urology training, and overshadowed interest in non-malignant hematology by oncology. These issues are compounded by declining research grant applications over the past two decades.
PERFORM-KUH intends to counter these trends by addressing barriers such as insufficient early exposure to KUH careers, lack of mentorship, lengthy training paths, and perceived career risks. The program offers comprehensive training and mentorship to inspire new KUH scientists.
The program leverages the strengths of CHOP and Penn along with expertise from other Philadelphia institutions like Jefferson Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Drexel University, Temple University, Fox Chase Cancer Center, and the Wistar Institute. Trainees will gain hands-on experience with advanced experimental approaches across all age groups.
"Mentorship and professional development: A structured mentoring process...will guide trainees toward successful research careers," according to program details. Additionally, "Diversity and inclusion: PERFORM-KUH is committed to fostering diversity by lowering barriers."
The objectives include building a collaborative research community within Philadelphia's biomedical network; preparing trainees for impactful careers; inspiring early interest in KUH fields; and enhancing mentorship programs.
Leadership at CHOP includes Wei Tong, PhD in hematology research faculty, and Michelle Denburg, MD leading the Networking Core. At Penn, Lawrence Holzman leads while Peter Klein heads Professional Development Core initiatives.
As demands on the KUH workforce grow, PERFORM-KUH seeks to nurture talent and foster innovation. This effort represents an important step towards addressing workforce challenges in kidney, urologic, and hematologic diseases.
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