Diabetes researcher receives early-career recognition

SPOKANE, Wash. – Anna Zamora-Kapoor has received an early/mid career grant of $50,000 for 12 months from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study risk factors for type 2 diabetes in American Indians and Alaska Natives.

The private health care philanthropy’s New Connections grants seek to introduce new scholars to the foundation and expand the diversity of perspectives that inform its programming.

“This award will connect me to a network of established experts in research and evaluation related to health and health care, while giving me an opportunity to inform future interventions that will benefit American Indian and Alaska Native health,” said Zamora-Kapoor, a Washington State University assistant research professor with the Initiative for Research and Education to Advance Community Health at WSU Spokane.

New Connections seeks early- to mid-career scholars from backgrounds that are historically disadvantaged or underrepresented in research disciplines – members of ethnic or racial minorities or low-income communities and/or the first in their family to receive a college degree.

“The program connects first-time grantees to the foundation, and the new perspectives they bring are essential to solving the critical, complex issues affecting our nation’s health,” said Catherine Malone, program officer at the foundation.

Learn more about New Connections at http://rwjf-newconnections.org.