New Cohort of DISCOVER Early Career Investigators Named

Posted in Special Stories

(December 5, 2025) — DISCOVER (Development of Investigators Supporting Community Outreach and Value of Engagement in Health Disparities Research) has announced the 2025-26 cohort of early career investigators who received its competitively selected pilot awards. DISCOVER is a P50-funded Center of Excellence in Investigator Development and Community Engagement from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities that was awarded to Georgetown University Medical Center in 2024.

This is the second round of DISCOVER pilot projects, which focus on community-engaged research that aims to improve health outcomes in cancer, stroke and maternal health in Washington, D.C. DISCOVER provides structured faculty development activities for awardees and other faculty interested in learning best practices for planning and implementing research that engages members of the community. The initiative involves investigators across the medical center and across disciplines.

To learn more about DISCOVER and receive future notifications and updates, email discover@georgetown.edu. Those interested in applying for the next round of pilot awards may view the upcoming Call For Proposals for pilot awards 2026-2027.

2025-26 Awardees

Heather Bradford, PhD, CNM, FACNM, Berkley School of Nursing: “Mitigating Harm and Improving Quality of Care by Examining Weight Bias in Perinatal Care in Washington, D.C.”

Charlotte Gamble, MD, MPH, Department of Oncology: “A Community Health Worker Program for Early Detection of Endometrial Cancer in Washington, D.C.”

Maisha R. Huq, PhD, Department of Oncology: “Promoting Cancer Genetic Testing Among South Asian Americans in Washington, D.C.: A Community-Based and Co-Design Approach”

Keri Kirk, PhD, Department of Family Medicine: “In Our Hue: Supporting Maternal Mental Health and Physical Activity Among Millennial Black Mothers In Washington, D.C.”

Amalia Londoño Tobón, MD, Department of Psychiatry: “Contextual Inquiry and Community Engagement to Support Perinatal Mental Health for Women with Substance Use Disorders in Obstetric Care Settings”

Christina X. Marea, PhD, MA, MSN, FACNM: Berkley School of Nursing, “Postpartum Well Being Among Hispanic and Latinx/e Birthing People in Washington, D.C.”

Danyel I. Smith, PhD, Department of Oncology: “The Role of Family Communication in Shared Behavioral and Metabolic Obesity-Related Cancer Risk Factors among Breast and Endometrial Cancer Survivors and At-Risk Relatives”