The KURe – K12 Institutional Career Development Program at Duke University has announced the addition of Bin Ni, MD, PhD. Dr. Ni is a Fellow in the Divison of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine at Duke University and her research focuses on addressing BK virus-associated complications in renal transplant recipients, including ureteral stenosis and nephropathy.
BK virus-associated complications are significant causes of graft injury and loss. By integrating clinical factors and polyfunctional T-cell signatures associated with BK virus reactivation, Dr. Ni aims to create validated risk prediction models to identify patients at risk for BK virus-related complications post-transplantation. This will ultimately enable tailored screening and immunosuppression strategies, improving patient outcomes.
Dr. Ni’s broader research interests extend to understanding interactions at the host-pathogen interface, with the goal of developing novel diagnostics and host-directed therapies for infectious diseases. Her work exemplifies the multidisciplinary and collaborative approach promoted by the KURe program.
The KURe Program at Duke University, part of the CAIRIBU network funded through the NIDDK, recruits talented clinical, translational, and basic science researchers from diverse disciplines. The program aims to develop independent research careers focused on benign urological research questions. Junior faculty, fellows, and postdocs from any department with an interest in benign urology research are encouraged to apply.
Program Contacts, Leadership, and Staff include Principal Investigator and Program Director, Cindy Amundsen, MD, Program Coordinator, Friederike Jayes, DVM, PhD, and Career Development and Program Specialist, Rebecca Kameny, PhD.
Duke’s KURe Program, a K12 Institutional Career Development Grant, provides scholars with comprehensive career development training and support. Scholars receive salary support up to $100,000 per year for 75% of full professional effort. Additionally, up to $40,000 per year is available for research supplies, equipment, technical personnel, tuition, fees related to didactic courses or career development, and travel to research meetings. Scholars are expected to publish and apply for independent grant funding by year three, with a maximum support duration of five years.
CAIRIBU’s K12, P20, and U54 centers and programs are united in their objective to improve the understanding of urogenital disease mechanisms and develop clinical therapies. The addition of Dr. Bin Ni to Duke’s KURe Program marks a significant step towards these goals, fostering a new generation of researchers dedicated to advancing the field of benign urology.