# Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health at UC Davis

> **NIH NIH K12** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2020 · $648,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
In the past 14 years, the UC Davis BIRCWH program has trained a sizeable, diverse cadre of
interdisciplinary researchers in women's health and sex differences and heightened the visibility and
prominence of this research. We will build on this strong foundation to create a next-generation BIRCWH
program, led by PI, Dr. Nancy Lane, that increases its innovation and impact. We aim to foster an academically
stimulating and nurturing environment for researchers in women’s health and sex differences, to facilitate their
career development and encourage paradigm-shifting, interdisciplinary collaboration, and team science to
advance research in women’s health and sex disparities. Our short-term BIRCWH objectives are to: 1)
provide in-depth, individualized training and team-based interdisciplinary mentoring to support the independent
career development of scholars in interdisciplinary women’s health and sex differences research; and 2)
advance and achieve high-impact women’s health and sex/gender differences research by establishing cross-
disciplinary collaborations with UC Davis schools that advance science and health. Our long-term objectives
are to: 1) improve women’s health by enhancing understanding of the unique aspects of female sex and
gender and translating this knowledge to clinical practice; 2) develop transformative interdisciplinary team
science for women’s health and sex/ gender disparities research; and 3) train leaders in interdisciplinary
women’s health and sex differences research. To accomplish our objectives, BIRCWH scholars will participate
in: 1) team-based, interdisciplinary mentored research and career development activities; 2) core courses on
study design, grant writing, biostatistics, communication, team science and responsible conduct of research; 3)
supplemental courses tailored to each scholars’ needs and interests; 4) team-based interdisciplinary research;
5) integrated journal clubs; 6) monthly breakfast meetings with the PI and RD to discuss research and career
progress; 7) a biannual symposium of Northern California BIRCWH programs; and 8) the School of Medicine
(SOM) Mentoring Academy, for mentors and scholars to be trained in skills to optimize mentoring experiences.
Our program will leverage campus expertise in four research areas: neuroscience/pediatric neurodevelopment/
behavior; metabolic/inflammatory/nutrition-related syndromes; musculoskeletal diseases and aging disorders;
and cancer/opioid addiction. These areas will be addressed through our BIRCWH crosscutting themes: 1) a
lifespan approach to understanding normal development, illness/disease, and aging; 2) sex and gender
determinants; 3) health disparities; and 4) interdisciplinary research. This program will fund three scholars,
each for a minimum of three years, and we have a funding commitment from the SOM to support an additional
scholar. All BIRCWH scholars must be junior faculty within six years of their terminal degree. All selected
sch...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9937485
- **Project number:** 2K12HD051958-16
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Nancy E Lane
- **Activity code:** K12 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $648,000
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2005-09-01 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9937485

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9937485, Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health at UC Davis (2K12HD051958-16). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9937485. Licensed CC0.

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