STAR T32
Postdoctoral Research Training Program in Childhood Stress, Trauma, & Resilience (STAR)
About the T32
The Research Training in Childhood Stress, Trauma, & Resilience (STAR) T32 training program is an intensive research fellowship designed to train and accelerate the careers of PhD and MD postdoctoral fellows to conduct transformative, translational, developmentally-informed research focused on the mechanisms and health consequences of childhood stress, trauma and resilience across the lifespan. The STAR T32 is currently in Year 5 of its first cycle of funding, and is currently under review for the second 5-year cycle. Our program seeks to advance the health of individuals with trauma and other toxic stress exposures including racism and other social drivers of health by training promising researchers in gold-standard and innovative approaches to clinical and translational research methods in a variety of domains. Innovations for the second cycle of the STAR T32 include an increased focus on meaningful partnerships with community members and agencies and on social justice and health equity.
We enroll 2-3 fellows per year for two-year terms. Fellows will have a PhD or an MD/residency, including PhDs in behavioral health-related fields (e.g., developmental, clinical, biological, health psychology, neuropsychology, public health/epidemiology, neuroscience) and MDs in related specialties (e.g., psychiatry, pediatrics, emergency medicine). Our program embraces a dual mentorship and apprenticeship model where fellows work closely with one of a broad base of exceptional faculty mentors conducting innovative, NIH-funded, translational research in STAR-related areas often involving diverse, underserved and disadvantaged populations.
Training fellows emerge as innovative and productive independent investigators
Support for T32 Fellows
Our program will allow fellows to emerge as innovative and productive independent investigators through (i) intensive mentorship in an apprentice model by expert faculty mentors (ii) cutting-edge and foundational didactics, and (iii) formulation of an independent STAR research project and grant proposal.
In this program fellows have the opportunity to work with a diverse group of mentors including PhDs and MDs with a breadth of research interests and transdisciplinary expertise from psychology and psychiatry to public health, pediatrics and emergency medicine. Fellows receive focused didactic training covering four critical STAR domains: (a) exposures and trauma, (b) pathways and mechanisms, (c) health behaviors and outcomes, and (d) interventions and community partnerships to promote resilience, with cross-cutting themes of social justice, anti-racism, and community engagement.
Training & Mentoring
STAR T32 fellows receive rigorous foundational training in research design and statistics, grant-writing, responsible conduct of research, professional development, and cutting- edge methodological approaches. The program benefits from a unique and long-standing training infrastructure and culture of collaboration within The Miriam Hospital and the Brown Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, allowing for a large base of trainee colleagues, faculty experts, didactics and support.
To support the development of specific expertise while also encouraging exploration of new and/or complementary research areas, the STAR T32 employs a dual mentorship structure. Fellows are matched with a primary mentor who specializes in the field of stress, trauma, and resilience and have the opportunity to work with a secondary mentor, offering diverse perspectives and enriching training experiences.
Leadership (Also Serve As Mentors)
STAR T32 comprises faculty from multiple DPHB-affiliated hospitals and laboratories who collectively oversee nearly $30 million per year in active research funding in the PI role across 80 grants. Our research projects span a wide range of topics, including prenatal and postnatal stress, domestic violence, childhood maltreatment, racism and other forms of discrimination, and poverty. STAR T32 research also covers lifespan development from the perinatal period through infancy, childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood, and aging, and methods, including ecological approaches, novel molecular and biobehavioral mechanisms and community- engaged evaluation of preventative interventions. STAR T32 mentors are committed to training and accelerating the career development of the next generation of researchers to advance the health of individuals exposed to stress and trauma utilizing gold-standard and innovative approaches. We focus on four key areas: exposures/traumas, mechanisms and pathways, health behaviors and outcomes, and interventions and partnerships, with cross-cutting themes of social justice and community engagement.
STAR Mentors
Michael F. Armey, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (Research)
Cynthia Battle, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Beth C. Bock, Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Leslie Ann D Brick, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Larry K. Brown, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Margaret Bublitz, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Associate Professor of Medicine
Linda L. Carpenter, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Mary A. Carskadon, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Yovanska M. Duarte-Velez, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Kate M Guthrie, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Christopher D. Houck, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Professor of Pediatrics
Elissa Jelalian, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Professor of Pediatrics
Ernestine G. Jennings, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Karen Jennings-Mathis, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Daphne Koinis-Mitchell, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Pediatrics (Research)
John E. McGeary, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Nicole McLaughlin, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Elizabeth McQuaid, Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Lindsay M Orchowski, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Jessica R. Peters, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Noah S. Philip, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Anthony Spirito, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Chrystal Vergara-Lopez, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Rena R. Wing, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Jennifer C. Wolff, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Clinician Educator
Current STAR T32 Postdoctoral Fellows
The STAR T32 program is designed to provide valuable training opportunities for future scientists in stress, trauma, and resilience, focusing on biological, psychosocial, and technological aspects. As part of the program, psychology and psychiatry residents and post-doctoral fellows engage in academic grand rounds, STAR COBRE annual symposium events, journal clubs, research seminars, grant writing seminars and workshops, affinity and interest groups, and visiting professor luncheons. Fellows also have the opportunity to receive mentoring from faculty members outside their primary mentors, enriching their training experience and broadening their perspectives.
STAR T32 Alumni
FAQs
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We’d appreciate it if you could submit your formal application through the Brown DPHB portal. Thank you!
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To maximize the opportunity to develop specific expertise, yet encourage exploration of new or complementary research areas, the STAR T32 employs a dual mentorship structure. This model matches fellows with a primary mentor in the stress, trauma, and resilience field. In addition, fellows match with a secondary mentor to provide additional perspective and training experiences. Applicants can list more than one potential primary mentor. A secondary mentor can be included with your application, or you can choose a secondary mentor after entering the program.
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We invite you to apply for any positions that align with your interests. As noted on the training program website, our faculty provide mentorship through a number of mechanisms.
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We encourage all trainees to discuss growth opportunities with their mentors. Those funded through various mechanisms frequently take part in events and training programs provided by STAR T32 and STAR COBRE.
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Go ahead and apply! Feel free to identify multiple potential primary mentors who you believe would be a good fit for your application. It's perfectly fine to list more than one option.
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To maintain fairness for all applicants, we will refrain from any formal conversations until after applications are submitted and interviews have been scheduled. In the meantime, you’re welcome to follow us on social media or visit our website for updates!
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We invite applications from candidates in various disciplines, as diverse areas of study provide valuable context for understanding stress, trauma, and resilience.
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Great news! NIH guidelines allow for up to 3 years of funding through the T32/F32 mechanisms. So, as long as you haven't reached that 3-year mark yet, we encourage you to apply!
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We’d love to hear from you! While we follow the APA guidelines for reviewing and notifying applicants, if you have another offer, let us know—there's a chance we can adjust our timeline to accommodate you!
Have further questions or need more information?
Reach out to Pam Borek, our STAR T32 coordinator
pborek@brownhealth.org