Dr. Friese Becomes First Nurse Scientist to Win Pathway to Independence Award

Dr. Christopher Friese, an assistant professor at the U-M School of Nursing, was the first nurse scientist to receive a Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The objective this award program is to "increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented NIH-supported independent investigators. The program is designed to facilitate a timely transition from a mentored postdoctoral research position to a stable independent research position" (NIH). This five-year, $930,000 grant has allowed him to develop his research, at first with guidance from an experienced investigator-mentor and then later independently. Having successfully transitioned into the independent phase of the award, Dr. Friese is working to identify opportunities for improving the organization of nursing care for patients with cancer.