Project Summary
Lauren Shomaker, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist and clinical researcher with a strong track record of
NIH grantsmanship, scholarship, and commitment to mentoring in patient-oriented research (POR) at the
intersection of mental health and cardiometabolic health. Dr. Shomaker's POR program is embedded in
developmental and prevention science frameworks, with a particular focus on intervening at sensitive windows
such as adolescence that are ripe with opportunity for altering lifecourse trajectories of mental/behavioral health
and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. In particular, her work centers on developing more targeted approaches
than “one-size-fits-all” lifestyle approaches for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and CVD prevention, through intervening
with underlying, stress-related risk factors, especially in adolescents facing heightened social adversity. Dr.
Shomaker's current, key projects as PI (R01DK132557, U/R01AT011008, R01DK111604, USDA2022-
4152037651): (1) Span the behavioral trials spectrum, (2) Are single and multisite, (3) Occur in diverse settings,
(4) Address social/psychological/behavioral underpinnings of T2D/CVD risk, and (5) Have a common thread of
applying an interdisciplinary, team science approach to mental health and T2D/CVD prevention science. Dr.
Shomaker's long-term career goals are to lead a cutting-edge POR program in mental/behavioral health and
T2D/CVD prevention that has sustained funding and effective partnerships, and to support a legacy of scientists
who will optimize feasible, acceptable, effective, and sustainable interventions for mental/behavioral health and
T2D/CVD prevention, to reduce population-level health disparities. An NHLBI K24 Midcareer Investigator Award
in POR provides the ideal mechanism to alleviate her clinical, teaching, and service responsibilities, and allow
Dr. Shomaker to augment her POR capabilities by filling two gaps, dissemination and implementation (D&I)
science and computer/information technology (CIT) tools for interventions, both of which are pivotal for
advancing the impact and reach of her work. The K24 also would provide an opportunity to obtain new, formalized
training in mentoring, with a particular emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, to bolster inclusive excellence
in mentoring diverse, beginning clinical investigators. The K24 training aims, to gain formalized knowledge/skills
in (1) D&I science, (2) application of CIT tools to T2D/DVD preventative interventions, and (3) mentoring skills,
are supported by an exceptional midcareer mentorship and advisory team (D&I science: Mentor Bethany Kwan,
PhD, Co-mentors Russell Glasgow, PhD, Jesse Owen, PhD; CIT tools: Mentor Joshua Smyth, PhD; Mentorship:
Mentor Randi Streisand, PhD, Co-mentor Stanley Szefler, MD; Advisors: Matthew Hickey, PhD, Paul MacLean,
PhD). This K24 proposal leverages the institutional resources of Colorado State University, University of
Colorado Anschutz, and the CTSA-supported Colorado Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute. Specific aims
are to (1) Augment expertise in D&I science and CIT intervention supplements, and (2) Provide skillsful mentoring
to beginning clinical investigators in the conduct of POR in mental/behavioral health and T2D/CVD prevention.