Here is this week’s news of grants and gifts that may be of particular interest to women in higher education.
The University of Kansas has received a $11.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish an interdisciplinary biomedical research center dedicated to advancing women’s health. The grant will support three new faculty positions in chemistry, psychology, and sociology, who will focus on data analysis and biomedical research centered around improving women’s healthcare.
The Alcohol Research Center at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine has received a $7.3 million grant to study fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). As many women of reproductive age drink alcohol, and many do not know they are pregnant until a month into their pregnancy, a developing fetus can be exposed to alcohol before a woman has a chance to change her consumption habits. The grant will support research into unique biomarkers that can identify the condition and evaluate potential therapeutic interventions for children born with FASD.
Bay Path University, a Massachusetts-based university offering an all-women’s undergraduate program, has received a donation from The Jenzabar Foundation, the charitable division of the higher education software company, Jenzabar. The grant will be used to establish the Wildcat Pantry, which will provide students with free healthy food choices, feminine hygiene products, and a professional clothing closet for students going to job interviews.