Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH)

The Tulane Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) Program provides mentored career development for junior faculty to increase the number of highly trained independent investigators in sex differences and women's health in the fields of cardiovascular disease, infectious disease or neurological disease.  Our program is dedicated to promoting research and the transfer of findings related to Women's Health by promoting research independence among junior investigators.  In order to improve the quality and increase the quantity of Women's Health research, Tulane BIRCWH bridges the period between advanced training and research independence, as well as links professions, scientific disciplines and areas of interest for selected scholars.  The common theme running throughout the various research areas is interdisciplinary research to advance scientific knowledge in cardiovascular, infectious and neurological disease. In addition to our long-term goal of increasing the number of skilled, independent interdisciplinary investigators, we are also committed to promoting, through the BIRCWH Program's illustration, the awareness of the need to ensure a strong pipeline when fostering entities; establishing institutional  and individual renown both nationally and internationally for the BIRCWH Program's findings to improve Women's Health across the lifespan by effectively training the next generation of conscientious, competent and independent academic Women's Health researchers.

Message from the PI 

Image of Dr. Tonette Krousel-Wood, BIRCWH PI

M. "Tonette" Krousel-Wood, MD, MSPH

Welcome to the Tulane BIRCWH website!  The Tulane BIRCWH was established in 2002 with funding as a K12 program from the National Institutes of Health.  Its long-term goals are to increase the number of highly trained, competent, independent, interdisciplinary investigators in Women’s Health with an emphasis on Sex Differences research across the lifespan in the fields of cardiovascular, infectious and neurological diseases.  The career development program is designed to prepare leaders and scientists who are capable of conducting high quality research in Women’s Health and Sex Differences. The Scholars learn cutting-edge research methods and skills from Bench (cellular, molecular, and genetics), to Bedside (clinical research and clinical trials) to Population (epidemiology and prevention services, and health economics). In addition, they acquire skills necessary for an academic career (e.g. grant writing, responsible conduct in research and leadership), and conduct their own research projects in established laboratories/research groups in a mentored, interdisciplinary environment. Tulane BIRCWH program has a strong foundation through interdisciplinary relationships and partnerships among the Tulane School of Medicine, the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, the Tulane School of Science and Engineering, Tulane School of Social Work, Xavier University, and Tulane’s Mary Amelia Douglas-Whited Community Women’s Education Center (Women’s Center). The BIRCWH program serves as a model for career development at Tulane and is vital to bridging the gap between research training and research independence for early career investigators.

Tulane has a critical mass of accomplished and dedicated mentors with active research programs in basic and clinical cardiovascular, infectious and neurological diseases, a vibrant academic environment with demonstrated interdisciplinary research to benefit women’s and men’s health, solid partnerships with community and global health programs, strong institutional support for mentored career development, and established research and training centers and programs that complement BIRCWH. Lastly, we have proven prior success in enhancing the cadre of junior faculty committed to interdisciplinary research to investigate complex conditions that affect women’s health.
We invite you to explore the possibilities with the Tulane BIRCWH Program. This career development program offers a tailored, mentored research program in a well-established program with outstanding mentors. More importantly, the BIRCWH program prepares Scholars for research independence and leadership roles in the future.

 

For further information, contact:

Rachael Ruiz Currier, MPH
BIRCWH Program Manager
rruiz1@tulane.edu 
(504) 988-7055