UIC Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health Program

This Supplement proposes to extend the ongoing support for two individuals through the end of the UIC BIRCWH grant period. One individual is a Hispanic physician scientist who was appointed as a BIRCWH Scholar in September 2022 through an administrative supplement. His program of research focuses on health

disparities in cervical cancer. The second is a Black scientist who was appointed as a BIRCWH postdoctoral trainee in August 2023 through the second administrative supplement. Her program of research focuses on a dietary lifestyle intervention developed with and for pregnant Black women to prevent gestational diabetes and

lower cardiometabolic risk. That postdoctoral trainee succeeded in securing a faculty position as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the UIC College of Pharmacy, and these additional funds would provide her the opportunity to transition to a BIRCWH Scholar. Both individuals would continue their ongoing participation in

the UIC BIRCWH. The long-term goal of the UIC BIRCWH program is to promote training and career development of a new generation of researchers equipped with the knowledge and career skills necessary to advance science for the health of women in the next decade and beyond. We are based in the UIC College of

Medicine, but draw on the interdisciplinary strengths of UIC’s seven health colleges. With supplemental funding, the 2019-2024 UIC BIRCWH has trained 8 researchers in women’s or sex/gender-based health research: 4 clinician (MD) Scholars, 3 PhD Scholars, and 1 Postdoctoral trainee. With the requested continued

funding and her new faculty appointment, the postdoctoral fellow would transition to become a BIRCWH Scholar. The UIC BIRCWH capitalizes on four program strengths: (1) our success in launching the careers of a diverse cohort of 25 junior faculty and one postdoctoral fellow in women’s health research (35% Black or

Hispanic); (2) alignment with the goals of the NIH and Office for Research on Women’s Health; (3) the highly interdisciplinary nature of the program and integration across UIC and regional BIRCWH Programs; and (4) the use of evidence-based mentoring practices to prepare scholars to conduct team science and address barriers

facing new female and URM investigators. Our short-term objectives build upon these strengths through ongoing program activities and several new initiatives. Ongoing activities include: a) supplementing team mentoring programs with new training and tools, b) optimizing existing and new UIC partnerships, and c)

augmenting our strong didactic curriculum in women’s health research. BIRCWH activities at UIC related to sex and gender influences in health and disease will advance the ORWH goal to accelerate the translation of knowledge into improved health care for women.