Diverse & Equitable Student Inclusion in Research for future Veterinarians (DESIRe-Vet)

This five-year institutional T35 training program funded by the National Institutes of Health to diversify the biomedical research workforce through immersive research experiences for veterinary students. The program was developed in response to a perceived imbalance between societal needs and career paths chosen by new veterinary graduates and aims to increase representation of under-represented minorities and veterinarians in biomedical research. DESIRe-Vet was conceived and advanced through substantial institutional effort, including two submissions exceeding 200 pages, resulting in an award approximating $882,740 over five years. The grant supports a distributed, science-team–focused research environment with hybrid didactic delivery and multimodal mentoring to prepare students for advanced training and careers in biomedical science.

DESIRe-Vet will pair students each year with experienced research mentors working on chronic and inflammatory diseases, with an emphasis on immunobiology. The program’s curriculum centers on hands-on experience in high-priority biomedical research areas, supplemented by formal and informal peer mentoring, group training in responsible conduct of research, scientific rigor and reproducibility, and professional development topics including career opportunities and dissemination of results. Mentoring will include faculty mentors at WesternU and partner institutions — City of Hope’s Center for Biomedicine and Genetics and University of California San Diego’s School of Medicine — along with coaches who possess multicultural competence and an understanding of the educational and non-academic experiences of under-represented minority students.

DESIRe-Vet intentionally addresses financial barriers that influence career choices by providing stipends to participating students and supporting a year of research after the students’ second year of veterinary curriculum. This financial support is designed to reduce the debt burden that disproportionately affects under-represented minority graduates and to enable participants to pursue research experiences without derailing clinical training. Students supported by the program are expected to complete their clinical training while retaining the option for continued research engagement, creating an entry point to a longer research trajectory.

Participants will be expected to present their work through poster and podium presentations during their participation in the veterinary curriculum, promoting communication of scientific concepts and fostering scholarly engagement within the veterinary community. The program’s combination of immersive research training, targeted mentoring, financial support, and emphasis on dissemination aims to cultivate a pipeline of veterinary professionals equipped with research skills, ultimately contributing to advancements in animal health, veterinary medicine, and the broader biomedical sciences.