Nursing Faculty Recognized by National Institutes of Health

July 30, 2020 — DENTON — The National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has recognized Dr. Jennifer Woo, an assistant professor in TWU’s College of Nursing, as a 2020 Health Disparities Research Institute Scholar.

“I am incredibly grateful to have this opportunity to participate in the NIMHD Research Institute, especially at a time like this when we are literally seeing the impact of health disparities related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Woo. “It reminds me, as a researcher, there is so much work to be done to close the gap of disparity that exists in this country.”

Next week, Aug. 3-7, Woo will attend the institute, held virtually this year. She will get the opportunity to meet with NIH scientific staff engaged in related health disparities research across the various NIH Institutes and Centers as well as engage with other multidisciplinary researchers across the country.

Woo will receive consultation on her developing research, the primary reason she was recognized with the honor. Woo’s research focuses on associations between vitamin D status, symptoms and pregnancy outcomes in women of color.

“This opportunity will help me to strengthen my NIH K award application and hopefully will lead to funding,” said Woo. “My hope is that I can help train and mentor students of color in doing health disparities research at the undergraduate and graduate levels and hopefully be able to inspire some to continue on with their education to do doctoral work focused on health disparities research.”

Woo received her PhD in Nursing Science from Loyola University Chicago and her bachelor’s degree in nursing and master’s degree in nursing science as a certified nurse-midwife (CNM) and women’s health nurse practitioner (WHNP) from the University of Pennsylvania. Her clinical practice as a Certified Nurse Midwife encompasses caring for pregnant women in the maternal fetal medicine clinic and intrapartum care at Parkland Memorial Hospital. She has been recognized by her professional organization, American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) as an expert in the profession and inducted as a fellow in May 2019.

Page last updated 3:40 PM, September 27, 2021