Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health
NIH BIRCWH Grant: 1K12AR085635
The BIRCWH MPIs held a Virtual Informational Session on Friday, October 17th. The recording of the informational session can be found here.
The BU BIRCWH program is a 2-year K12 career development program for early-career faculty interested in careers in women’s health research here at BU. The vision of the BU BIRCWH K12 program is to promote interdisciplinary women’s health research to improve health quality across the life course. The mission is to develop lifelong independent investigators who contribute to a flourishing national network in women’s health, health outcomes, and sex differences research across the translational science continuum. The BU BIRCWH program will focus on cross-cutting themes of health outcomes across all populations, addiction science, maternal and child health, and sex influences on health, consistent with NIH ORWH priorities and our institutional expertise. Program funding is expected to begin in early December 2025.
Long-Term Objectives
- Increase the number and quality of highly trained diverse interdisciplinary basic, clinical, translational,
and population scientists who become women’s health leaders. - Support Scholars’ vitality on their path to lifelong career independence.
- Disseminate research findings.
Program Directors
 Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Development; Jay and Louise Coffman Professor of Medicine, BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine; Professor of Epidemiology, BU School of Public Health
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 Vice Chair of Research; Professor of Pediatrics, BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine; Co-Director, BU CTSI Workforce Development
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 Inaugural Term Distinguished Professor of Engineering; Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, BU College of Engineering
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Program Components
3 Scholars per year from across BU will participate in this 2-year K12 career development program in women’s health research. Program components include:
- 75% protected time for research and educational activities for 2 years with $100,000 annually towards faculty salary support for Scholars provided by the BIRCWH program.
- Participation in scholarly research project over the 2 years with senior mentors
- Individual Development Plan for career development
- Up to $50,000 per year in research funding for the Scholar to support research costs and educational components for any proposed coursework
- Covered travel costs to annual national BIRCWH meeting (Next meeting: Nov. 4, 2025, Washington DC)
- Participation in monthly BU Women’s Health Research ARC meetings
- Participation in monthly BU BIRCWH meetings (Coaching, vitality, women’s health research topical seminars, team science, community engagement, near-peer talks, grant writing, translational science, works in progress)
- Connection with BU CTSI programming and other BU educational opportunities tailored to the Scholar
- Participation in annual BU BIRCWH women’s health research symposium
Eligibility
- Primary faculty appointment at BU
- US Citizen or noncitizen national / permanent resident
- Clinical doctoral or PhD degree or equivalent
- Completed any postgraduate training expected for faculty appointment in the field (ex: fellowship or residency)
- <8 years of research training beyond last doctoral degree
- Have not been PD/PID on Center or Program project, K-series award, or R-level award, or competitive for a R-level award
- Relevance to women’s health research
Application Materials
| Resource | Type | Updated | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOI Instructions | DOCX | Sep 24, 2025 | Open |
| Program Overview | DOCX | Oct 9, 2025 | Open |
| Application Template | DOCX | Sep 2, 2025 | Open |
| Budget Template | XLSX | Oct 30, 2025 | Open |
| Budget Justification Template | DOCX | Oct 28, 2025 | Open |
| Department Chair LOS Template | DOCX | Sep 27, 2025 | Open |
| Reviewer Criteria | DOCX | Sep 15, 2025 | Open |
- Cover Page
- NIH Biosketch of the candidate
- Other support of the candidate
- Career Development Plan (Candidate background, long-term research goals, educational goals, how applicant would benefit from BIRCWH, commitment to women’s health research) – 3 pages
- Specific Aims – 1 page
- Research Strategy summarizing projects to be conducting during the award – 4 pages
- Literature citations (not included as part of the 4-paged limit)
- NIH Biosketch of primary and secondary mentors (from BU/BMC)
- Other support of primary and secondary mentor (from BU/BMC)
- Primary and secondary mentor letter of support (Note, the primary mentor must have a strong record of NIH/NSF/DOD/PCORI/VA federal R-level funding. Mentors must commit to meeting with the Scholar at least twice monthly, help to develop the Scholar’s Individual Development Plan, attend bi-annual meetings with the mentorship team and BU BIRCWH leadership, partner with Scholar on creating educational goals, and guide the Scholar in achieving their research aims during the program.) – 2 pages each
- If the BIRCWH scholar has Co-Primary Mentors, the Co-Primary mentors may write a joint letter of support ≤3 pages. They do NOT need a secondary mentor.
- Department Chair letter confirming Scholar can devote 9-person months (75% effort) or 6-person months (50% effort) for surgical specialties – 2 pages
- Budget and justification (See template above)
- Human Subjects IRB approval letter if applicable (Required to be submitted before funds can be released)
- Additional letters of support should focus on feasibility of the project. Letters of recommendation are not required. (Ex: additional mentors, collaborators, advisors) – 2 pages
- If one needs access to the XXX clinic or YYY clinical group, or ZZZ equipment one can add a LOS.
- If one needs to interview departmental faculty, staff, or patients, obtaining a LOS from the Department chair.
- If one needs to access a major dataset, a LOS from the person/group hosting the dataset.
- If one needs major equipment to run experiments, and the equipment is not a core facility a LOS agreeing to providing access.
Formatting: All sections of the application should be single spaced with a 1/2-inch margin. The font size should be 11 points or larger and the typeface should be Arial, Helvetica or Georgia.
Submission instructions: Please submit requested LOI materials using the “Apply” link above. After the LOI has been submitted on October 6th, applicants will be able to upload the remaining materials (Specific Aims, Letters of Support, etc.) in the Supporting Documents section of their WebCAMP application. Applications will be reviewed by an internal panel and scored per NIH K review criteria.
BU BIRCWH Senior Mentor List
*You do not have to select one of these co-mentors in advance. The individuals listed below have indicated they have expertise in women’s health research and potential interest in serving as BIRCWH primary or secondary mentors.
| Mentor | Department / School |
|---|---|
| Deborah Anderson, PhD | Department of Medicine / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Hugo Aparicio, MD | Department of Neurology / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Abigail Batchelder, PhD | Department of Psychiatry / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Emelia Benjamin, MD, ScM | Department of Medicine / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Kimberly Bertrand, ScD | Department of Medicine / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Sheree Boulet, PhD | Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Cynthia Bradham, PhD | Department of Biology / BU College of Arts and Sciences |
| Christopher Chen, MD, PhD | Department of Biomedical Engineering / BU College of Engineering |
| Ji-Xin Cheng, PhD | Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering / BU College of Engineering |
| Lindsay Farrer, PhD | Department of Medicine and Genetics / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Michael Fischer, MD, MS | Department of Medicine / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Maria Glymour, SD | Department of Epidemiology / BU School of Public Health |
| Jaimie Gradus, DMSc, DSc | Department of Epidemiology / BU School of Public Health |
| Naomi Hamburg, MD, MSc | Department of Medicine / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Michelle Henshaw, DDS | Department of Health Policy / BU School of Dental Medicine |
| Guneet Jasuja, PhD, MPH, MA | Department of Medicine / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Swathi Kiran, PhD | Department of Speech and Hearing / BU Sargent College |
| Kimberly McCall, PhD | Department of Biology / BU College of Arts and Sciences |
| Elise Morgan, PhD | Department of Mechanical Engineering / BU College of Engineering |
| Natalia Morone, MD, MS | Department of Medicine / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Joanne M. Murabito, MD | Department of Medicine / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Tuhina Neogi, MD, PhD | Department of Medicine / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Yael Nillni, PhD | Department of Psychiatry / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Ioannis Paschalidis, PhD | Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering / BU College of Engineering |
| Katya Ravid, DSc | Department of Medicine / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Cara Stepp, PhD | Department of Speech and Hearing / BU Sargent College |
| LaDora Thompson, PhD | Department of Physical Therapy / BU Sargent College |
| Elisha Wachman, MD | Department of Pediatrics / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Katherine White, MD | Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Renda Wiener, MD, MPH | Veteran Affairs, Department of Medicine / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Lauren Wise, ScD | Department of Epidemiology / BU School of Public Health |
| Joyce Y. Wong, PhD | Department of Biomedical Engineering / BU College of Engineering |
| Huiping Zhang, PhD | Department of Psychiatry / BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
| Katherine Zhang, PhD | Department of Mechanical Engineering / BU College of Engineering |
BU Women’s Health Research ARC
The BU Women’s Health Research ARC is led by Dr. Emelia Benjamin, a CAMed/BUSPH population/translational scientist; Dr. Elisha Wachman, a BMC/CAMed clinical translational scientist with community engagement expertise; and Dr. Joyce Wong, a College of Engineering basic & translational engineer and scientist. The ARC’s vision is to promote convergent interdisciplinary women’s health research across the life course by bringing together basic, clinical, population scientists and engineers to address unmet, long neglected needs in women’s health research with novel tools and frameworks to accelerate innovation and clinical translation.
To learn more about the Women’s Health Research Accelerator please click here.
Former BIRCWH Scholars (2003-2014)
| Scholar | Mentor | Research Topic | Start Date – End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tracy Battaglia, MD, MPH | Karen M. Freund, MD, MPH | Effect of risk perception on breast and colorectal screening in a multi-ethnic population | 1/1/2003 – 12/31/2005 |
| Julie Keysor, PhD | Alan Jette, PhD | Gender differences regarding relationships among environment, attitudes and disability | 1/1/2003 – 12/31/2005 |
| Michele David, MD, MPH, MBA, FACP | Karen M. Freund, MD, MPH | Social and cultural factors in managing chronic disease in Caribbean immigrants and other underserved populations | 7/1/2003 – 6/30/2005 |
| Irene Tien, MD | Lisa Fredman, MD | Welfare issues for mothers of children referred to the Child protection team | 7/1/2003 – 6/30/2005 |
| Lynette Craft, PhD | Larry Culpepper, MD | Implementing exercise as adjunct treatment for clinically depressed women | 7/1/2004 – 6/30/2006 |
| Eve Davison, PhD | Patricia Resick, PhD | Late onset stress symptomatology in older female survivors of sexual trauma | 1/1/2005 – 12/31/2007 |
| Angela Jefferson, PhD | Robert Green, MD, MPH | Inflammatory markers as a risk factor for Alzheimer disease in women | 7/1/2005 – 6/30/2007 |
| Rebecca Perkins, MD, MSc | Carol Simon, MD, MPH | Improving on the PAP smear in Honduras | 7/1/2005 – 6/30/2008 |
| Andrea Coviello, MD, MSc | Vasan Ramachandran, MD | Androgen mediated metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular disease in women | 1/1/2006 – 12/31/2008 |
| Andrea Kronman, MD, MSc | Karen M. Freund,MD, MPH / Arlene Ash, PhD | Gender Disparities in Primary Care and the Use of Health Services by Elderly Medicare Beneficiaries at the End-Of-Life | 7/1/2006 – 6/30/2008 |
| Erica Bernstein, MD, PhD | Rebecca Silliman, MD, PhD | Adiposity Related Mediators of Aging-Associated Diastolic Dysfunction in Male and Female Centenarians | 1/1/2008 – 6/30/2009 |
| Natalie Pierre-Joseph, MD, MPH | Howard Bauchner, MD | What parental factors influence the acceptance of the HPV vaccine | 3/1/2008 – 6/30/2010 |
| Renee Boynton-Jarrett, MD, ScD | Howard Bauchner, MD | The Social Ecology of Obesity in Adolescent Girls | 4/1/2008 – 6/1/2010 |
| Amy Baranoski, MD | Elizabeth Stier, MD | Risk factors for non-adherence with cervical pap testing in HIV positive women | 7/1/2009 – 6/30/2011 |
| Theresa Ellis, PhD, PT, NCS | Lisa Fredman, MD / Alan Jette, PhD | Unveiling the Natural History of Quality of Life and Mobility Changes In Persons with Parkinson’s Disease | 7/1/2009 – 6/30/2011 |
| Angela Leung, MD, MSc | Lewis Braverman, MD / Elizabeth Pearce, MD | The effects of breast milk Iodine, Perchlorate, and Thiocyanate concentrations on infant thyroid function | 9/1/2010 – 4/1/2011 |
| Natasha Hochberg, MD, MPH | Rebecca Silliman, MD, PhD / Jerrold Ellner, MD | Infectious Disease | 7/1/2011 – 7/31/2014 |
| Shruthi Mahalingaiah, MD | Ann Aschengrau, ScD / Stacey Missmer, ScD | Environmental exposures and gynecological disease | 7/1/2011 – 7/31/2014 |
Questions
For questions or additional information about this RFA, please contact bircwh@bu.edu
FAQs (Last updated 10.31.25)
Heads up: This FAQ will be updated as we receive applicant questions and as NIH guidance is clarified.
Relevant websites
1) My faculty appointment at BU begins after the BIRCWH Scholar application date but by the Scholar appointment start date. Am I eligible?
For BU BIRCWH we will only review candidates who are current BU faculty at the time of application.
2) Eligibility criteria: “Have no more than eight years of research or research training experience beyond their last doctoral degree.”
Is a postdoctoral fellowship considered a terminal degree?
Our colleagues at other BIRCWH sites indicate that applicants who have had post-doctoral training, the 8-year clock starts at the completion of training.
Are the eight years counted down to the month?
The eight years are counted to the month.
Clinical faculty: does the 8 years start at terminal degree or after residency/fellowship?
Our colleagues at other BIRCWH sites indicate that applicants who have had clinical training or fellowship, the 8-year clock starts at the completion of training.
What if the faculty member has had medical or family leave and is >8 years post-terminal degree?
Family/medical leave will pause the 8-year clock, consistent with NIH policies.
- Generally, the period of extension is equivalent to the time away.
- See policy notice NOT-OD-19-125 and the NIH website for details.
- Before applying, we recommend requesting an ESI extension in eRA Commons (Personal Profile → Education → ESI Extension). If approved, the new ESI end date will appear there.
Medical/family leave during the 2-year award — eligibility and timing
- The BU BIRCWH MPIs will check with the NIH BIRCWH PO.
- We anticipate that family/medical leave will be added to the 2 years, consistent with NIH policies, and that carryover will be awarded.
- Generally, the period of extension is equivalent to the time away.
- See NOT-OD-19-125 and NIH ESI extension guidance.
3) What if the Chair’s LOS does not cover the salary gap (salary vs. salary cap), reducing protected time?
To be eligible and competitive, the Chair’s LOS must indicate the required protected time to comply with NIH rules.
4) If a proceduralist (e.g., surgeon or electrophysiologist) receives 50% effort, do they get the full $100K?
Yes.
5) Does the $100k in salary support per year include fringe benefits?
Scholars will receive $100K in addition to 29.5% fringe in salary support annually while in the program.
6) If I am in a specialty that is procedural (ex: obstetrics & gynecology), but I do not perform procedures, do I require 50% or 75% protected effort?
We are checking with the NIH PO.
7) Does the 75% protected time need to be applied consistency across the calendar year?
No, provided that it is cumulatively 75% across the calendar year. For instance, an increased percentage can be applied in the summer versus fall months depending on teaching faculty class schedules.
8) Does not having completed a formal postdoc affect my eligibility?
No.
9) Applying for an external NIH career development award (CDA) while applying to BIRCWH
- One may also submit a CDA to NIH (e.g., K01, K08, K23, K99/R00).
- If you receive an external K award, you must relinquish your K12.
- The K12 scope must fit 2 years of funding; do not propose the full scope of a 5-year K.
- If you have a NOA for a K or R award, please do not apply.
- The topic must advance women’s health research.
10) If I receive an NIH K01, K08, K23, K99/R00, how many years of funding may I accept on the subsequent K?
- https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/contacts/parent-K23-CT-required.html
- The number of years depends on the Institute (e.g., NIDA requires contact; NEI/NICHD/NIDDK/NIEHS often allow 6 years cumulative; NHLBI may allow up to 8 years).
- Please consult the specific Institute’s website for rules.
11) Can my K12 gap be covered by other grants in order to meet the 75% (or 50% proceduralist) protected time?
- Candidates must dedicate 75% (or 50% proceduralist) protected time towards their research & educational projects related to the BIRCWH program. Related non-federal grants with salary support for the candidate may be applied to the K12 gap provided this is allowable by the grant.
- Please note that BIRCWH proceduralist Scholars requesting to reduce to 50% protected time from NIH will require approval from NIH.
12) May I apply if I have not had a specific women’s health focus in my research portfolio?
- Candidates are more competitive with a longitudinal commitment to women’s health research.
13) Citizenship requirements — I am not a U.S. citizen and hold H1B status. Do I qualify?
- Only individuals eligible for regular NIH K01/K08/K23 are eligible.
- “Scholars must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of appointment.”
- See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for details.
14) Are research or clinical (assistant) professors eligible?
Yes.
15) Are postdoctoral associates / fellows eligible?
No. Scholars must have a faculty appointment at the time they apply.
16) Am I eligible if I am faculty at the VA?
VA faculty whose primary academic appointment is through BU are eligible to apply.
17) Are R44 (SBIR) grants considered equivalent to R01s for this program?
https://report.nih.gov/nihdatabook/category/3.
R01-equivalent activity codes include DP1, DP2, DP5, R01, R37, R56, RF1, RL1, U01, and select R35 programs. Not all are used every year.
R01-equivalent activity codes include DP1, DP2, DP5, R01, R37, R56, RF1, RL1, U01, and select R35 programs. Not all are used every year.
- We will clarify with PO if SBIRs are considered R level grants.
- R03, R21 do not disqualify one from applying for a K12
18) I recently applied for an R01 but it wasn’t discussed. Does that make me “too competitive”?
We will evaluate each application. The candidate must have robust training outlined in their application.
19) What type of research areas and methods are appropriate for a BIRCWH research project?
The BIRCWH K12 is inclusive of all types of scientific approaches, from T0 to T4, from basic/experimental to quantitative to qualitative.
20) Does my mentoring team need to be multi-disciplinary?
Having an existing mentoring team, both inside and outside one’s department is an advantage. One can propose new team members, as long as they have a clear commitment to your success.
21) Do mentors need to fund the BIRCWH Scholars proposed science?
No.
22) Do both primary and secondary mentors need to be from BU or BMC?
We strongly prefer that both the primary and secondary mentors be from BU or BMC, however external mentors can be listed as advisors. With strong rationale, we could consider one of the mentors to not be from BU or BMC.
23) Can the scope of my research include global health work?
The BU BIRCWH application needs to comply with current NIH policies regarding international collaborations and foreign awards. All Scholar projects will require approval by the NIH.
NOT-OD-25-104: Updated NIH Policy on Foreign Subawards
NOT-OD-25-155: New Application Structure for NIH-Funded International Collaborations
NOT-OD-25-104: Updated NIH Policy on Foreign Subawards
NOT-OD-25-155: New Application Structure for NIH-Funded International Collaborations
24) Can the scope of my research include research on gender?
The BU BIRCWH application needs to comply with current NIH policies. All Scholar projects will require approval by the NIH.
NOT-OD-25-131: Revision: NIH Policy and Guidelines on the Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research
NOT-OD-25-131: Revision: NIH Policy and Guidelines on the Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research
25) Is it preferred that we follow the sections listed in the application template for Research Strategy or follow the NIH format? The template includes “background & rationale” — while NIH has removed that section & instead separated “significance” and “innovation”?
Either is acceptable. You may rename the first section to “significance and innovation” if you would like.
26) Can there be no salary support for the primary or secondary mentor, including embedding them in the less than or equal to $50,000 per year for research costs?
- Mentoring is a requirement for academic promotion at Boston University.
- The $50K funds need to be fully directed to your training, career/research advancement, and securing your next grant.
- The primary and secondary mentor cannot receive funding on your K12.