# Understanding Health and Disease at the Behavioral-Biomedical Interface

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · 2024 · $233,575

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The interface of Behavioral and Biomedical sciences is one of the most vibrant frontiers of science today.
The overarching objective of our proposed predoctoral Training Program, Understanding Health and
Disease at the Behavioral-Biomedical Interface, is to train the next generation of diverse behavioral science
researchers to utilize rigorous biomedical methodologies and conceptual frameworks that stretch the
boundaries of their thinking and research to position them to make transformative breakthroughs in
addressing issues of health and disease. The program is built on a foundation of an existing NIGMS-funded
T32 established in 2014, adding new programmatic, evaluation, and curricular plans, which bring greater
evidence-based focus on mentorship, rigorous and reproducible research, and career development. The
Program provides predoctoral behavioral science students in the Department of Psychological and Brain
Sciences (PBS) at the University of Iowa with an integrated program of coursework and laboratory
experiences. These include: (1) Broad-based training in the fundamentals of behavioral science including
rigor, transparency, and reproducible science, quantitative methodology and experimental design,
responsible conduct of research, and key issues in health psychology and neuroscience; (2) In-depth
training in pathophysiology and specific biomedical research areas (including conceptual frameworks,
driving hypotheses, and laboratory techniques); (3) Guidance and mentoring for development and
implementation of an innovative independent research program that spans both behavioral and biomedical
science; (4) Career development; and (5) Cohort building activities that support development of an inclusive
and supportive peer group. Behavioral mentors are from PBS; biomedical mentors are from the Colleges of
Medicine and Public Health. In the current grant, we have used the T32 support and two matching slots from
the Graduate College to recruit outstanding students (including ones from underrepresented backgrounds)
and to provide a catalyst for the Program, which has matured into a dynamic setting for scientific exchange
between behavioral science students and biomedical mentors and their labs. Since the start of the current
program, 51 outstanding students have participated in the Training Program including 12 URM students, 2
students with disabilities, and 5 first generation students. (19 have had T32 support) We have developed
Seminars and Retreats, featuring career development, science communication, manuscript and grant
writing, cohort-building, networking, and discussions of cutting-edge research at the Behavioral-Biomedical
interface, which we will continue in the new Program. The application requests 6 slots/year to provide these
impactful training experiences to our talented pool of trainees. The program is highly relevant to public
health, as training at the behavioral-biomedical interface will enable these scientis...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10627279
- **Project number:** 1T32GM149386-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
- **Principal Investigator:** SUSAN K LUTGENDORF
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $233,575
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-07-01 → 2029-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10627279

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10627279, Understanding Health and Disease at the Behavioral-Biomedical Interface (1T32GM149386-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-08-02 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10627279. Licensed CC0.

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