We are thrilled to announce the BU BIRCWH K12 Scholars for the 2025 application cycle! After a highly competitive review process, these early career faculty were selected from across the BU & BMC community to participate in the 2-year internal K career development program, dedicated to advancing women’s health research.

Cristina Gago, PhD

Assistant Professor of Community Health Sciences, BU SPH

Leveraging Implementation Science to Assess and Address Drivers Underlying Suboptimal Intake of Medically Tailored Groceries in Pregnancy

Food insecurity disproportionately affects pregnant people due to structural inequities in economic opportunity, caregiving burdens, and heightened nutritional and financial demands during pregnancy, leading to poor maternal and infant health outcomes. Although medically tailored groceries are an evidence-based intervention to address food insecurity, a fraction of those referred access such resources due to persistent implementation barriers. This K12 project uses participatory implementation mapping to design and pilot strategies for improved uptake among pregnant patients at BMC.

Rebecca Rudel, DrPH, MPH, RD

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases,

BU Chobanian & Avedisian SOM

Nutrition Risk and Food Program Engagement Among Older Women:

Insights from Patients, Caregivers, and Primary Care Providers 

This project aims to improve the early identification of malnutrition risk among U.S. older adults by constructing and validating a prediction model that incorporates sex-based heterogeneity. Additionally, it will qualitatively investigate how primary care providers assess the risk of geriatric malnutrition

Destiny Tolliver, MD

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics,

BU Chobanian & Avedisian SOM

A Strengths-Based Approach to Improve Outcomes for Formally Incarcerated Mothers

Dr. Tolliver aims to use longitudinal methods to identify financial factors associated with formerly incarcerated mothers' self-report of depression and then use qualitative interviews to identify barriers and assets to participating in programs linked to improved mental health. With the results of this study, she plans to develop and pilot a future intervention connecting mothers to programs or supports associated with positive mental health.



Want to learn more about

the BU BIRCWH K12 Program?