Training
Empowering Scientists, Elevating Communities
To improve biomedical research and clinical care in our communities, ROAR offers various programs and resources for scientists across the course of their careers.
ROAR is designed to develop, integrate, and strengthen programming and research at Augusta University and Medical College of Georgia, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, and University of Mississippi Medical Center. ROAR aims to utilize collaborative partnerships in training and research to become a national resource and leader in the field of Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV) in cardiovascular disease.
Jump to: SABV Workshops & Mentoring Programs & Seminars in SABVMini-SabbaticalsPilot Grants
SABV Workshops for Researchers
2025 Keynote Speaker
Georgia Hodes, PhD
- Virginia Tech | School of Neuroscience
SABV 2.0: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go?
SCORE SABV Mentoring Academy
Led by Dr. Michael Ryan, the SCORE SABV Mentoring Academy will accelerate the process of becoming an effective research mentor. Eight biweekly sessions will be led by experienced SABV faculty and will include intellectual framework, practical methods, and peer support to address mentoring challenges. The goal of the program is to enhance mentors' knowledge through the discussion of a range of mentoring experiences with a diverse trainee and mentor pool.
Proposed Program Topics
Rewards & Challenges of Mentoring
Maintaining Effective Communications
Articulating your Mentoring Philosophy and Plan
Aligning Expectations and Assessment of Understanding
Setting and Respecting Boundaries
Promoting Inclusivity & Belonging
Cultivating Ethical Behaviour
Promoting SABV Collaboration
Promoting Mentee Research Self-Reliance
Fostering and Transitioning Trainee Independence,
Promoting Professional Development
Understanding Faculty Advancement
Enhancing Work-Life Integration
Fostering Wellbeing
Programs in Sex Differences in Research for Undergraduate & Medical Students
ROAR offers summer programs in sex differences research for undergraduate & medical students.
For more information, please contact aaduwus1@augusta.edu.
2025 SABV Summer Undergraduate Research
Augusta University
- Max Diakov | Augusta University
Sex differences in histamine function in the collecting duct cells - Kara DuBois | East Carolina University
Sex specific mechanisms contributing to cardiovascular disease - Charlene Hutt | Bryn Mawr College
Renal histaminergic system in females in rats and humans - Nidhi Shenoy | GA Institute of Technology
Investigating the effects of glucocorticoids and sex hormones on bone throughout the lifespan - Sara Kate Shock | University of Georgia
Enhanced susceptibility of females to high-fat diet-induced increases in blood pressure - Kelly Sullivan | University of South Carolina
Role if IL-33 in ischemic injury in females vs males - Elena Vega | Oglethorpe University
Impact of estrogen treatment on trabecular meshwork (TM) cells - Lily Witherington | Augusta University
Role of IL-33 in blood pressure control in females and males
University of South Carolina
- Mullaly Alaina | University of South Carolina
Sex differences in mitochondrial function in response to stress - Molly Maranto | University of South Carolina
Impact of chronic stress on renal function and blood pressure in male and female mice - Juhi Patel | University of South Carolina
Prevalence of autoimmune diseases, and sex differences in autoimmune diseases in the US veteran population - Ethan Ruinen | University of South Carolina
Sex differences in renal immune cells in response to chronic stress
University of Mississippi
- Pooja Chapagain | University of Louisiana at Monroe
Using electronic health records and physiological modeling for understanding renovascular hypertension - Ashley McCaughan | New York University
MC4R activation with setmelanotide attenuates mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury - Caleb Miggins | University of Mississippi
Immunological changes in the reduced uterine perfusion pressure model of preeclampsia - Jarodic Olive | Mississippi State University
Insulin and immune mechanisms in obesity-induced renal disease - Jaysolyn Smith | Jackson State University
Understanding mechanisms of PCOS using a rat model - Andy Tran | University of Mississippi
Endothelin receptor antagonism reduces obesity induced inflammation in males and females - Casey Young | Tuskegee University
Mechanisms for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy-induced vascular cognitive impairment
Career Enhancement Mini-Sabbaticals
Career Enhancement mini-sabbaticals are offered for pre- and post-doctoral scholars interested in gaining SABV-related experience. Mini-sabbaticals will includetraining in sex as a biological variable (SABV)-related techniques in laboratories across the SCORE Consortium.
Each SCORE program serves as a national resource for SABV research to identify the role of biological sex differences on the health of women. The Consortium includes 12 outstanding Centers with a breadth of expertise spanning basic, clinical, and translational research approaches focused on hypertension, aging, HIV, immunity in influenza, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, addiction, metabolic syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, bioenergetics, and alcohol use disorder.
Eligible candidates include pre- and post-doctoral trainees involved in research within the scope of ROAR at Augusta University (AU), University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), or University of South Carolina (USC) seeking to include SABV in their research, or learn a new technique to address ongoing SABV research. To be eligible, pre-doctoral scholars must have successfully completed their comprehensive exams, and post-doctoral scholars must have been with their mentor for at least 1 year at the time of application.
Pilot Grants
Three pilot grants will be funded per year (up to $20,000/award) for competitive early career investigators in innovative research relevant to the SCORE mission. Pilot ROAR grants will support innovative studies from early career investigators who are interested in engaging in sex as a biological variable (SABV)-related research.
Pilot grants can be requested to:
- expand current research not focused on SABV to include SABV or;
- increase capacity to assess SABV.
Eligible candidates include early career faculty at the level of Instructor, Assistant
Professor, or equivalent at Augusta University (AU), University of Mississippi Medical
Center (UMMC), or University of South Carolina (USC). Eligible applicant must be able
to commit a minimum of 6-person months of full-time effort for career enhancement
and research activities, and be eligible to submit for independent grants.