Transforming Nursing and Healthcare Through Impactful Research
The Duke University School of Nursing’s Center for Nursing Research provides faculty, students, and Duke University Health System nurses with the resources to transform nursing and healthcare through impactful research. By advancing interdisciplinary science and fostering innovation, the CNR strengthens research in nursing and health across diverse communities.
Duke University School of Nursing Collaborative Research Clusters to Advance Nurse-Led Models of Care for Health Equity:
- Resilient Ecosystem: Family and Social Network, Healthcare, Communities and Systems
- Brain Health: Adult Cognition, Mental Health, Caregiver Health, Pediatric Brain Injury
- Stigma: HIV, Substance Abuse Disorder, Mental Health
- Systemic Inequities: Latinx Health Equity, Black Health Equity, Sexual and Gender Minoritized Populations, Global South
- Biological Embedding of Social Determinants of Health: DUSON-MURDOCK community-based biorepository
- Health Equity Research Methods: mHealth, Innovation, AI, NLP, Community Engaged Research; Multi-level interventions
- Clinical & Social Care Integration in Care Delivery: Community Health, Maternal Child, Chronic Care, Palliative Care
- Rural Health: Climate & Health, Food Security, Housing Security
These research areas provide a robust foundation for advancing nursing research and practice, fostering collaboration, and building research profiles within a vibrant scientific community. From studying populations across the age continuum to exploring health challenges in diverse communities, School of Nursing faculty and researchers leverage Center for Nursing Research resources to deepen their expertise and push the boundaries of nursing science.
These research areas also support the overall synergy of research initiatives at Duke University School of Nursing. They are broad in scope to allow faculty to evolve their research focus while guiding the recruitment of innovative researchers. Faculty members are encouraged to engage in all six areas as their research evolves.
Research Cores
Science Core
The Science Core facilitates essential nursing research and practice through collaboration, mentorship, and resources that promote innovation and excellence in research. From grant preparation to workshops, the Science Core helps faculty navigate the complexities of research.
Pre-Award Liaison Services Core
The Pre-Award Liaison Services Core reduces administrative burdens and expedites grant development by providing expert assistance with proposal preparation, budget creation, and compliance with agency requirements. This core ensures researchers focus on the science of their projects.
Health Statistics and Data Science Core
The Health Statistics and Data Science Core provides comprehensive support in research in nursing and health, offering expertise in research design, data analytics, advanced statistical methods, and machine learning. This core ensures strong, evidence-based practices that bolster grant proposals and research findings.
Research Oversight and Compliance Core
The Research Oversight and Compliance Core ensures adherence to research protocols and data security while providing guidance for Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes, compliance education, and study implementation.
If you are a current researcher looking for documents, visit the CNR HUB: Research Tools, Biomarker Lab & Resources.
Scientific Culture and Accountability Plan
Duke University School of Nursing is committed to fostering a research environment that upholds the highest standards of scientific integrity. Our Scientific Culture and Accountability Plan (SCAP) sets expectations for essential nursing research and provides recommendations for how the School of Nursing leadership, the Center for Nursing Research Clinical Research Unit, and individual investigators can ensure responsible management and critical review of scientific data.
Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
The Duke University School of Nursing Postdoctoral Fellowship Program provides advanced training for nurse and healthcare scientists. The program focuses on areas such as chronic illness trajectories, health promotion in vulnerable populations, genomics integration, and clinical innovation models. Fellows gain:
- Conceptual and methodological expertise
- Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration
- Support for research dissemination and funding acquisition
Participants are paired with experienced mentors who guide their training and foster excellence in essential nursing research.
Duke University School of Nursing Research
Julia Walker, PhD
Science Core
Helene Fuld Health Trust Distinguished Professor of Nursing
juliakl.walker@duke.edu
(919) 668-1978
Sharron Docherty, PhD, PNP, FAAN
Science Core
Vice Dean for Research
sharron.docherty@duke.edu
(919) 668-3836
Jill Borland
Pre-Award Liaison Services Core
Assistant Dean of Research Administration
jill.borland@duke.edu
(919) 684-3101
Wei Pan, PhD
Health Statistics and Data Science Core
Director of Health Statistics and Data Science Core
wei.pan@duke.edu
(919) 684-9324
Susan Silva, PhD
Health Statistics and Data Science Core
Associate Professor
susan.silva@duke.edu
(919) 681-3004
Qing Yang, PhD
Health Statistics and Data Science Core
Associate Professor
qing.yang@duke.edu
(919) 613-9768
Daniel Hatch, PhD
Health Statistics and Data Science Core
Biostatistician III
daniel.hatch@duke.edu
(919) 681-0819
Kais Gadhoumi, PhD
Health Statistics and Data Science Core
Assistant Professor
kais.gadhoumi@duke.edu
(919) 660-1204
Anushka Palipana, PhD
Health Statistics and Data Science Core
Biostatistician III
Anushka.palipana@duke.edu
(919) 613-5630
Angel Barnes, RN, BSN
Research Oversight and Compliance Core
Assistant Research Practice Manager, CNR
angel.barnes@duke.edu
(919) 684-4179
Caroline McEachern
Research Oversight and Compliance Core
Research Practice Manager, CNR
caroline.bishop@duke.edu
(919) 668-3256
Camilla Sanders
Research Oversight and Compliance Core
Sr. Clinical Research Coordinator
camilla.sanders@duke.edu
(919) 613-9772
Frequently Asked Questions
Duke University School of Nursing Researchers (faculty, staff, students, and postdocs) and Duke University Health Systems DUHS Nurses.
Nurses in the Hospital System are required to contact Judy Prewitt first.
The Health Statistics and Data Science Core provides statistical collaboration and consultation support.
Collaboration implies that statisticians and clients work together to make decisions regarding the design of studies, the collection and analysis of data and the presentation and dissemination of research findings. The collaboration should be mutually beneficial, such as authorship on manuscripts.
Consultation implies that statisticians provide methodological and statistical advice and guidance to clients interested in making decisions regarding the design of studies, the collection and analysis of data and the presentation and dissemination of research findings.
Submit an online statistical collaboration request form (accessed through Research Tools on the CNR website), and then a statistician will contact you for an initial meeting.
We encourage researchers to request collaboration at least four months before an R-level grant submission deadline; otherwise, before they start collecting data or at least four weeks before important deadlines.
After you submit the statistical collaboration request form, you will hear from us for the initial meeting within two weeks.
Walk-in statistical consulting is offered in the Health Statistics and Data Science Core located in Pearson 3143 on Mondays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.