Mentored Research in Adolescent Mental, Behavioral, and Cardiometabolic Health - 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.
