Funding and Seed Grants

Support for the Center

Funding support will come from various sources including the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Olson Center for Women’s Health, College of Medicine Dean’s Office, Vice Chancellor for Research Office, and the Chancellor’s Office at UNMC. The current commitment for the Center funding is for five years. To maintain sustainability, we will be developing the National Institutes of Health Program Project and P50 Center Grants, with the funded investigators to be recruited by the Center. 

The Center is expected to initially recruit two faculty members with expertise in the area of women’s health research. Recruits should have a record of procuring extramural funding and should be able to collaborate but also complement existing expertise within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Our first recruit, Lynda Harris, PhD, joined the Center in the fall of 2022 and she has experience in placental or uterine function with an emphasis on epigenetics which complements the molecular expertise within the department. It is expected that the recruits will collaborate with existing faculty and clinician scientists to conduct translational research in areas such as preterm birth, uterine fibroids, uterine cancers, and aging. 

An annual seed grant program will enhance and grow collaborative research opportunities.  A request for applications system will be announced through this website and through campus-wide communications.  These funding opportunities would highlight potential topic needs that will facilitate interactions across departments and promote basic-clinical science projects with the goal to increase future grant acquisitions. 

In 2025, the NCWHR awarded grants to support projects focused on women’s health research. The grants sponsor innovative, high-impact studies, facilitating the collection of pilot data needed to secure external funding.  

The successful recipients are: 

Dr. So-Youn Kim (PI) and co-investiagtors Dr. Erika Boesen and Dr. Karen Gould. Their project is titled: “An Investigation of the Impact of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus on Ovarian Dysfunction in Mice” and will study the changes in ovarian structure and function caused by the auto-immune disease lupus, to better understand the fertility challenges  of women who have this condition. 

Dr. Robin Lally (PI) and co-investigators Dr. Windy Alonso and Dr. Linda Smith. Their project is titled: "Reducing cancer health disparities in Nebraska” and will assess the quality of, and community satisfaction with the cancer education resources accessible to women in North Omaha. This work will guide the creation of an educational curriculum for Community Health Workers, who are well placed to address gaps in cancer education and deliver improved support for minoritized women in Nebraska.