Mugavero named lead of Forge AHEAD Center Investigator Development Core
Michael Mugavero, M.D., MHSc, professor in the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases, has been named lead of the Forge AHEAD Center (FAC) Investigator Development Core, which became effective Dec. 1, 2023.
The FAC Investigator Development Core is dedicated to preparing and mentoring investigators as they develop innovative health equity research with a precision public health approach, such as translational community and clinical programs.
Mugavero brings a wide range of research-related leadership experiences to the role, such as currently serving as director for the Center for Outcomes Effectiveness Research and Education (COERE) at UAB Heersink School of Medicine, co-director of the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Center for AIDS Research, associate director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Science, and PI of an AHRQ T32 training grant in health services and outcomes research.
“I am excited to join a dynamic team of deeply committed faculty and staff from across our partner institutions in the Investigator Development Core, and to engage with current and future Forge AHEAD Scholars to support their pilot projects, professional development, and successful advancement on the next steps of their career journeys,” Mugavero says.
“Our first cohort of Scholars will wrap up their pilot projects in Summer 2024 – an early priority for me will be to learn more about them and their projects and how we can continue to support them after their pilot grant funding ends,” Mugavero says. He explains that FAC is committed to and invested in Scholars for the long-term, not just while they are funded.
Early this year, the Investigator Development Core will gear up to onboard the next cohort of FAC Scholars.
“Simultaneously, we’ll be onboarding the next cohort of Scholars in January 2024 as they begin their pilot projects, while contemporaneously completing our review of applications for an HIV-focused supplement. So, my initial focus will be navigating transitions of Scholars in and out of the program, leaning heavily on the IDC team and their many successes and lessons learned over the years.”
When asked what it means for him personally to be part of Forge AHEAD Center’s work, he says, “The opportunity to join the Forge AHEAD Center Investigator Development Core aligns with my core values and priorities professionally. To be able to engage with early career scholars who are deeply committed to addressing intersectional health inequities in our region and play a small role in supporting their professional development and advancement, is deeply humbling, inspiring, and rewarding. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work with such an incredible team.”
