About Us
The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV Office of Research is a collaborative, service-oriented hub dedicated to advancing research, scholarship, and innovation across all departments. Under the leadership of Deborah A. Kuhls, MD, FACS, FCCM, FRCST (Hon), with support from Kavita Batra, PhD, MPH, BDS, FRSPH, and a dedicated team, the office provides comprehensive support at every stage of the research process, including idea development, study design, grant navigation and proposal writing, funding acquisition, data collection and analysis, manuscript preparation, and dissemination of findings.
The office serves a diverse audience across the school of medicine, including faculty, collaborators, residents, fellows, postdoctoral scholars, students, research staff, and community and institutional partners. Its mission is to foster a culture of inquiry, discovery, and translational impact while ensuring research upholds the highest standards of rigor, ethics, and relevance to patient care and community health. Services are accessible, learner-centered, and tailored to support both independent and team-based scholarly activity.
In collaboration with the UNLV Division of Research, UNLV Health, and the Academic Health Initiative, the office strengthens research infrastructure, streamlines administrative and regulatory processes, and promotes interdisciplinary partnerships that drive innovation, academic excellence, and community-engaged discovery across the medical school.
Associate Dean for Research
Deborah Kuhls, MD, FACS, FCCM, FRCST (Hon)
Professor, Acute Care Surgery Chief, and Associate Dean for Research
Key Strategic Initiatives
A school-wide faculty assessment to identify research gaps and guide resource planning.
Informed by the faculty needs assessment survey, these ongoing educational sessions address key topics such as grant writing, research methodology, ethics, and other areas that support faculty and learner development in research and scholarship.
Join our mailing list if you want to stay updated with our research seminar series!
Personalized consultation and data support for study design, analysis, and dissemination, available to medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty within the school of medicine.
A faculty-led advisory group, established per school of medicine bylaws, to guide research priorities and strategic direction. The committee comprises a diverse mix of dean-appointed, elected, and strategic members representing various departments, ensuring broad input and alignment with the school’s research mission.
Chair: Brian C. Ward, MD, PhD, FACS
Ex Officio: Deborah A. Kuhls, MD, FACS, FCCM, FRCST (Hon)
Facilitating secure, streamlined access to large, de-identified datasets for faculty, residents, and student researchers. The initiative has acquired Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) databases to enable national-level analyses of hospital utilization, healthcare costs, health outcomes, and patient care patterns. Actively expanding the data repository, the initiative aims to strengthen health research capacity by integrating additional large-scale datasets, including clinical, population health, and claims data, to advance evidence-based improvements in healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
A structured research curriculum and mentored experience designed to build early-career scholarly capacity and promote sustained engagement in research and academic inquiry.
A self-paced research training program designed to equip clinicians, residents, fellows, and healthcare professionals with essential skills for scholarly activity.
A flagship event fostering cross-departmental collaboration and showcasing faculty and learner scholarship.
The 2026 symposium welcomed over 200 attendees and featured 10 quick-fire presentations and 70 posters from 13 departments. Nearly half of all submissions presented original research.
Key areas of focus included:
- Advancing understanding of brain health and neurodivergent disease
- Improving stroke recovery and neurological outcomes
- Identifying biomarkers for early diagnosis and intervention
- Examining clinical risk factors and patient outcomes
- Innovating in regenerative and translational medicine
- Addressing population health and health disparities
Core Services
The office of research at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV plays a central role in advancing the school’s research mission by providing integrated, end-to-end support for faculty, learners, and staff. Whether pursuing investigator-initiated research, applying for your first grant, managing a complex multi-institutional project, or launching a clinical trial, our team is here to ensure your success.
- Facilitation of multidisciplinary research teams across departments and disciplines.
- Support in identifying collaborators, co-investigators, and community or institutional partners. Complete our short Research and Collaboration Interest Survey to connect with like-minded researchers!
- Assistance with coordinating roles, responsibilities, and communication among team members.
- Strategic alignment of team expertise with shared research goals, project objectives, and sponsor requirements.
The office of research collaborates closely with the UNLV Office of Clinical Trials, the university’s central unit overseeing clinical research, to facilitate seamless study activation and execution. The UNLV Office of Clinical Trials leads all aspects of protocol review, compliance, and management, while our office serves as a strategic partner in connecting investigators, fostering collaboration, and supporting clinical research growth within the school of medicine.
Key areas of support include:
- Coordination with the Office of Clinical Trials for infrastructure connection, trial activation, monitoring, and data management.
- Guidance on clinical trial protocol development and regulatory compliance.
- Navigation of the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) standards.
- Support in linking investigators with clinical and community partners to enhance trial feasibility and impact.
- Assistance with feasibility assessments, budget planning, and sponsor communications to ensure smooth project initiation.
We offer end-to-end assistance with the grant development and submission process to help investigators focus on their scientific vision while we handle the technical and administrative details. Our goal is to increase competitiveness and reduce barriers to both internal and external funding. Whether you're seeking federal, state, foundation, or industry funding, our team is here to streamline the process and increase your chances of success.
Key Services Include:
- Identifying and disseminating relevant funding opportunities for faculty and learners
- Providing guidance and support for grant writing and proposal development
- Navigating the Cayuse proposal submission platform
- Interfacing with the UNLV Office of Sponsored Programs
- Interpreting Requests for Applications (RFAs) and Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs)
- Building realistic grant timelines to meet all deadlines
- Assisting with budget development and justification
- Formatting and updating National Institutes of Health (NIH) biosketches
- Providing boilerplate language about the institution and the office of research
- Reviewing proposals for sponsor formatting, clarity, and compliance
- Assembling and submitting full applications in partnership with the UNLV Office of Sponsored Programs
- Supporting post-award transition planning and initial steps
- Offering early-stage IRB guidance for grant-linked studies
We provide structured, end-to-end support across all stages of research.
Idea Generation & Feasibility
- Individual and group consultations to refine research questions and study design
- Feasibility and novelty review, variable selection, and methodological alignment
- Support for data acquisition and integration across:
- Electronic health records and Medicaid claims
- Public health registries, surveys, and census data
- Environmental, social determinants, and multi-institutional datasets, including access to Healthcare Cost Utilization Project data
Study Design & Analysis
- Guidance in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches
- Protocol and survey review for methodological rigor
- Statistical planning, analysis, visualization, and results interpretation
Dissemination & Mentorship
- Writing, review, and publication support for manuscripts, posters, and presentations
- Journal selection, formatting, and submission assistance
- Education & Mentorship:
- One-on-one and group mentoring
- Structured research electives and monthly seminars
- RISE Program: Self-paced research and scholarly skills training for faculty, residents, and fellows
What’s Happening
Upcoming Events
Accomplishments
In The News
Contact
Office of Research
1701 W. Charleston St., Suite 200
Las Vegas, NV
Phone: 702-823-3757
Email: research@medicine.unlv.edu