Research!Louisville: Dr. Ida Johnson-Spruill presenting for the SON Symposium

Research!Louisville

School of Nursing Symposium

Are we there yet?

Personal Reflection on Community-Based

Participatory/Translational Research

Presented by

Ida Johnson-Spruill, PhD, RN, LISW, FAAN

Associate Professor, College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina

Kosair Clinical and Translational Research Building

Dr. Spruill was the recipient of a 2013 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Her research interests include management of chronic diseases, genetic literacy, and reducing health disparities among vulnerable populations. Her program of research involves the impact of culture and genetics on the management of chronic diseases among underserved populations. She has a 3-year R01 from the National Institute of Nursing Research, NIH, which focuses on ethno-cultural barriers to health literacy and management of chronic diseases. From 1995-2004, Dr. Spruill was the nurse manager for a community-based genetic research project at MUSC known as Project SuGar. The scientific aims of the project were to isolate and identify genes responsible for the expression of Type 2 Diabetes and obesity among the Sea Islanders (Gullahs) of South Carolina. The project was successful in creating a database and DNA Repository of 650 Gullah families. Dr. Spruill was responsible for creating strategies and designed a recruitment model, Community, Plan, Reward (CPR), to enhance participation of isolated groups in genetic research that can be replicated nationally across disciplines.