New co-directors have been named for the Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan Organized Research Center and the Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research.
The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has appointed Nicole “Jennifer” J. Klinedinst, PhD, MPH, RN, FAHA, associate professor, as the co-director of the Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan (BBAL) Organized Research Center and Michael Lepore, PhD, professor, as co-director of the Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research (CHEOR). Both BBAL and CHEOR are among UMSON’s research Centers of Excellence.
The centers’ extramurally funded investigators study a variety of critical health problems, including chronic pain, impulsivity and drug abuse, neuromuscular disorders, sleep, web-based interventions, health care organizational issues, and bone health. The centers provide critical grounds for developing synergies between researchers and facilitate collaboration and transfer of expertise between more seasoned researchers and those with less experience. They also offer research-related training opportunities, inform members about each other’s research, and provide resources to support researchers with frequent updates about research best practices, grant opportunities, and changes in policies and procedures for grant applications. Membership in the centers is open to faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and students. The center co-directors provide critical and frequent input that determines strategic goals, priorities in hiring research-intensive faculty, focus of internal funding opportunities, evaluation of grant proposals, and collaboration with the University of Maryland Medical System, among others.