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Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing announces inaugural cohort of PREHS-SEED scholars
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Lauren Powers
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SEED Scholars

(L to R): Carmen Dickinson-Copeland and Liliana Aguayo, PhD, MPH

The Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, in partnership with Emory School of Medicine and Morehouse School of Medicine, recently announced the inaugural cohort of Pediatric and Reproductive Environmental Health Scholars-Southeastern Environmental Exposures and Disparities (PREHS-SEED) scholars. The PREHS-SEED program is a mentored K12 career development program that provides junior clinical faculty with comprehensive training in pediatric and environmental health research.

Liliana Aguayo, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health, and Carmen Dickinson-Copeland, assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Immunology at Morehouse School of Medicine, were selected as the program’s first scholars. With this program, Aguayo and Dickinson-Copeland will collaborate with local community partners by leveraging the resources and expertise within the Southeast Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (SE PEHSU). Scholars will conduct research to assess environmental health exposures and disparities to improve health equity and safeguard the health of at-risk women and children in the Southeastern US.

Aguayo’s research is focused on investigating the origins of disparities in cardiovascular disease (CV) to understand the underlying mechanisms through which protective and resilience-promoting factors can limit the negative influence of the social determinants of health.

Dickinson-Copeland’s research centers around identifying and formalizing the risks of low-level lead exposure metro in Atlanta children.

“Our inaugural PREHS-SEED scholars were selected for their dedication to environmental health research that positively impacts at-risk women and children in our metro Atlanta community,” said Lisa Thompson, PREHS-SEED program director. “We look forward to seeing how their work addresses barriers in environmental health research.”

Both research programs aim to build dynamic and innovative academic and community partnerships to reduce the burden of environmental health disparities, particularly among Black, Latin X, and immigrant/refugee women and children.

The application for the next cycle of PREHS-SEED scholars will open this Fall. Application information can be found here.

About the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing 

Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing produces nurse leaders who are transforming healthcare through science, education, practice, and policy. Graduates go on to become national and international leaders in patient care, public health, government, research, and education. Others become qualified to seek certification as nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives. The doctor of nurse practice (DNP) program trains nurse anesthetist and/or advanced leaders in healthcare administration. The school also maintains a PhD program in partnership with Emory's Laney Graduate School. For more information, visit https://www.nursing.emory.edu/ 

About Morehouse School of Medicine

Founded in 1975, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is among the nation's leading educators of primary care physicians, biomedical scientists, and public health professionals. An independent and private historically Black medical school, MSM was recognized by the Annals of Internal Medicine as the nation's number one medical school in fulfilling the creation and advancement of health equity. MSM faculty and alums are known for excellence in teaching, research, public policy, and exceptional patient care. The Commission accredits MSM on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral and master's degrees. To learn more about programs and donate today, please visit www.msm.edu or call 404-752-1500.


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