Neighborhood Factors in Corneal Disease and Glaucoma

Patrice Hicks, Ph.D., M.P.H., has received an Institutional Research and Career Development Award (IRACDA) through the NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The IRACDA program provides training, mentorship and assistance to students from groups underrepresented in biomedical science, combining traditional postdoctoral research and academic teaching opportunities.

Currently a post-doctoral research fellow mentored by Maria Woodward, M.D., M.S., and Paula Anne Newman-Casey, M.D., M.S., Dr. Hicks studies the role of neighborhood-level factors associated with outcomes for microbial keratitis and glaucoma. Going beyond traditional socioeconomic factors like age, income and education, her multi-factorial analyses also consider the impact of neighborhood-specific barriers to opportunity and resources, such as safety, food insecurity and housing discrimination.

In recognition of her significant achievements in scholarship, leadership, character, service and advocacy, Dr. Hicks has also been inducted into the University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School’s chapter of the Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society. Named for the first African American doctoral recipient in the U.S., the Society promotes excellence and diversity in doctoral education.

“Kellogg has opened unlimited doors for me to pursue my interests in research, teaching and advocacy,” she says. “My goal is a career that combines all three.”