Current Training Programs

The National Institutes of Health has repeatedly selected IRWG to host professional training programs for tomorrow’s leaders in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research.

Substance Abuse Interdisciplinary Training Program

PI: Margaret E. Gnegy (Pharmacology, Medical School), 7/1/2010-6/30/2015

The training program was first established in 1994. The primary objective is to produce new scholars who eventually will conduct ground-breaking substance abuse research and will incorporate other disciplinary perspectives into their research. The predoctoral and postdoctoral training includes: (1) an exposure to a critical analysis of extant research on substance abuse (proseminars and interdisciplinary speakers series); (2) an opportunity to develop methodologically sound research by working with faculty mentors; (3) an interdisciplinary discussion of culturally and gender sensitive research strategies (fall meetings and proseminar); (4) the opportunity to present their research to an interdisciplinary audience for critique, (5) an opportunity to learn about the responsible conduct of research; and (6) the initiation of a research career in the field of substance abuse (for predoctoral fellows) or the development of additional skills to enable the postdoctoral trainee to become an independent investigator.

Michigan BIRCWH Career Development Program

PI: Dr. Timothy R.B. Johnson (Obstetrics & Gynecology, Women’s Studies, Human Growth and Development), 9/1/2000-7/31/2015

The goal of the Michigan BIRCWH (Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health) is to use a mentored scholarly research experience to develop a cadre of new junior faculty scholars who will ultimately develop independent scientific careers addressing interdisciplinary women’s health concerns. This award pairs at least three clinician scientists and two nonclinical postdoctoral scientists per year with faculty mentors for a minimum of two years each. Recruitment and selection focus on identifying young scholar-scientists who have superior academic potential and scientific skills, with special attention to achieving a diversity of scholars and scholarship. Special focus will be on scholars in (1) pelvic floor/urogynecology research; (2) health services research; (3) reproductive science and women’s medicine; and (4) biobehavioral and aging research.

Of the 17 scholars trained by the Michigan BIRCWH since 2000, five are associate professors in schools of medicine, public health, and literature and science; 11 are assistant professors in schools of medicine, nursing, social work, and literature and science; and one is a research investigator. All conduct interdisciplinary research in women’s health.