# Biobehavioral Research Training in Symptom Science

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2021 · $96,323

## Abstract

Project Summary
The science underlying symptom etiology, the symptom experience, and symptom management has
advanced substantially over the last few decades. Yet little is known about the biobehavioral underpinnings
of many symptoms or the ways in which biological and behavioral factors interact during the symptom
experience. Even less is known about symptom management strategies that can effectively target both
biological and behavioral components of the symptom response. In addition, symptoms occur within a
context of very influential social factors. There is an urgent need to identify social determinants of symptom
presentation and management that may contribute to unique biobehavioral phenotypes and underlie many
health disparities. The purpose of this training program is to prepare 5 predoctoral nursing students and 3
postdoctoral nurse trainees to conduct biobehavioral research in symptom science. Upon completion of the
program, trainees will have the knowledge and skills necessary to: 1) design and conduct biobehavioral
research on symptoms and health-related outcomes, 2) employ multi-method, biobehavioral approaches to
the measurement of symptoms and the testing of symptom management strategies, 3) examine the
mediating and/or moderating roles of social determinants in symptom presentation and symptom
management, 4) develop and implement programs of symptom research with ethnically and socio-
economically diverse populations across the illness trajectory, and 4) translate research findings into
recommendations for symptom prevention, assessment and management. The predoctoral curriculum
includes standard PhD requirements at UCSF School of Nursing, 4 symptom-specific courses (theories &
methods of symptom science, biobehavioral methods for studying symptoms, genomics and other omics,
and social determinants), and a research residency. Postdoctoral trainees will participate in the 4 symptom-
specific courses and engage in other salient electives to advance biobehavioral research objectives that
are defined in an individualized program plan. They will also have a research residency tailored to more
advanced research aims and grantsmanship goals. The interdisciplinary faculty group has significant
expertise in symptom science, the integration of biologic and behavioral research methodologies, and
social determinants of health. The group includes 16 faculty in the School of Nursing and 9 affiliated faculty
from other Schools at UCSF. Preparing nurse scholars to advance symptom science through rigorous
research training in biobehavioral research is essential for improved understanding of the symptom
experience and better management of symptoms by patients and clinicians. The UCSF School of Nursing
is in a unique position to provide interdisciplinary training in clinical and translational research because of
its strong research programs, its history of successful research training, and its ongoing collaboration with
other Departments and Centers...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10426499
- **Project number:** 3T32NR016920-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** CHRISTINE A. MIASKOWSKI
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $96,323
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2017-07-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10426499

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10426499, Biobehavioral Research Training in Symptom Science (3T32NR016920-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10426499. Licensed CC0.

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