The Johns Hopkins Clinical Research Scholars in Women's Health (BIRCWH)

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The overarching goal of the Johns Hopkins BIRCWH program (JH-BIRCWH) is to develop highly qualified, independent investigators who will conduct innovative and significant women’s health and sex and gender differences research. The program represents a successful and robust collaboration of the Johns Hopkins Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health. In our first period of support, we recruited 10 Scholars, all outstanding junior investigators from diverse disciplines, including 5 under-represented minorities. The success of the program is illustrated by their success: 100% (5/5) JH-BIRCWH alumni secured new external federal and/or foundation research funding. Because of JH-BIRCWH mentorship and career development, these Scholars continue to develop as independent investigators and leaders in innovative, interdisciplinary research. Scholars broaden their understanding through the lens of a life course perspective with particular attention to research on the health needs of diverse and high-risk populations. During this next proposed period of support, our JH-BIRCWH program is well positioned for sustained success. Consistent with the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) strategic plan (2019-2023), we will continue to recruit highly motivated junior faculty scholars, with priority given to investigators from groups underrepresented in research. We will build on the established foundation of our learner-centered and competency-based approach to interdisciplinary career development. A critical resource for the JH-BIRCWH program is the cadre of highly experienced, internationally recognized faculty who are active in research related to women’s health or sex/gender differences, and who are committed to supporting and sponsoring Scholars. The three core strength areas of the JH-BIRCWH program are: 1) diseases specific to women (e.g. women’s cancer and reproductive biology); 2) sex and gender differences in disease expression (e.g. immunology, neuroscience, cardiovascular and genetics); and 3) social determinants of women’s health and disparities (e.g. violence against women, trauma, addictions and poverty). During this administrative supplement, the JH-BIRCWH will annually support 1 scholar. This scholar will receive expert mentoring from a multidisciplinary team along with funding, and access to institutional resources that are also available to our current cohort of BIRCWH scholars. The scholar’s long-term goal is to establish a career as a clinician-scientist and independent investigator focused on identifying novel clinical and community-based strategies to eliminate racial disparities in maternal cardiometabolic outcomes among Black women. With the support of this supplemental funding, they will be well prepared to lead interdisciplinary teams to improve women’s health by advancing their understanding of sex gender differences and health concerns unique to, more prevalent, or with differential consequences in women.