Grants and Funded Projects

Postdoctoral Training in Clinical Genetics Research
(National Institute of Nursing Research - T32 NR07110)
Program Director: Janet Williams, PhD, RN, FAAN

Co-Directors:  Toni Tripp-Reimer, PhD, RN, FAAN and Trudy L. Burns, MPH, PhD

The purpose of this new application for an Institutional NRSA is to provide post-doctoral research training linking genetics and nursing research. The primary goal will be to incorporate genetic research into programs of research for nurse scientists. The training is designed to provide opportunities for post-doctoral students to extend their knowledge and skills in clinical genetic nursing research with an emphasis on a) individual and family responses to genetic information, diagnosis, and risk factors especially with regard to socio-economic, race, and ethnicity factors; b) gene-environment-behavioral relationships and interventions for management and risk reduction of specific health problems, and c) population based surveillance and interventions regarding genetic factors related to human health and disease. A secondary goal is to integrate nursing research within post-doctoral training for genetics scientists.

The specific objectives of this program are to:

1. Provide rigorous 2-year interdisciplinary training in the theories, methods, and applications of genetics research for post-doctoral nursing fellows
2. Prepare nurses at the post-doctoral level to conduct independent research on genetics related topics
3. Generate opportunities for faculty-trainee research collaboration and mentorship, as well as additional opportunities for interdisciplinary faculty research collaboration
4. Integrate nursing research in the post-doctoral training for selected genetic scientists
5. Stimulate interest and recruitment into genetics and nursing research through a 2 month summer intensive short term training program
6. Develop a predoctoral training program as a focal track in genetics in the existing PhD nursing program
7. Foster the mentoring capabilities of junior nursing faculty
8. Contribute to the advancement of nursing and genomics by preparing a cadre of scientists who are skilled in clinical genetics research