University of Utah Awarded NIH Funding for Post-Doctoral Program
The University of Utah is proud to announce the NIH T90/R90 funding award for the University of Utah Program to Provide Pain Research Knowledge (UP3RK). This innovative program, led by Principal Investigators Julie M. Fritz, PhD, PT, ATC, from the College of Health and Adam J. Gordon, MD, MPH, FACP, DFASAM, from the School of Medicine, aims to address the national need for advanced clinical pain research.
The UP3RK program is designed to equip post-graduate scholars with the scientific knowledge, skills, and interdisciplinary competencies to advance clinical pain research. UP3RK seeks to prepare the next generation of pain researchers to tackle the complexities of pain management and treatment in healthcare settings through a robust curriculum that spans multiple disciplines. U-P3RK pain research training focuses on 1) non-pharmacologic pain treatment; 2) interventions for pain and co-morbidities, particularly substance use disorders; implementation science; and research with traditionally medically underserved populations. Scholars will receive further career development, programmatic skills, and interdisciplinary research skills and be involved in national training through the NIH HEAL Initiative PURPOSE: The Pain Research Network. This initiative aligns with the pressing national need to address chronic pain, a condition affecting millions of Americans.
Dr. Adam Gordon, a Professor in the Division of Epidemiology at the University of Utah, brings his addiction medicine and epidemiology expertise to the program. Dr. Gordon’s professional mission focuses on improving access and quality of care for patients with vulnerabilities, including those struggling with addiction disorders. He holds the prestigious Elbert F. and Marie Christensen Endowed Research Professorship and serves as Section Chief of Addiction Medicine at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. He holds dual certification in internal medicine and addiction medicine and is an internationally known investigator in clinical trials, health services, and implementation science domains.
The mission of the UP3RK program is to address the growing need for clinical pain research by fostering an interdisciplinary approach to pain management. The training program will provide scholars with the tools to conduct high-quality research and translate findings into practice, ensuring that patients benefit from cutting-edge discoveries. Mentor of U-P3RK scholars have opportunity to receive efforts for their mentoring.
Candidates (and potential mentors) should reach out to Drs. Fritz and Gordon. Further details can be found here.