Dr. Nicole Parker supports Lewis-Burke’s biomedical research portfolio in areas concerning federal research policy, biomedical research workforce policy, and health care policy, with a focus on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other grantmaking agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). She utilizes her prior experience as a biomedical researcher to connect with clients seeking to expand their biomedical research and health-funding portfolios. Nicole also uses her experience working as a federal contractor in various offices within NIH, to help her clients better understand the priorities and inner workings of the agency.
Nicole possesses an in-depth knowledge of, and a passion for, efforts to broaden participation in STEM fields and improve biomedical research workforce training. Throughout each stage of her career, Nicole has focused on efforts to support diversity and inclusion in STEM. In graduate school, she served as an inaugural student member of the Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Civility, which was charged with developing an initial plan for improving diversity and inclusion efforts within the department. As an NIH contractor, she worked closely with the Division of Biomedical Research and Workforce, in the Office of Extramural Research, on their extramural diversity efforts. In her spare time, Dr. Parker consistently engages with underserved communities through community service and attends events related to improving diversity and inclusion efforts in STEM. She manages key relationships with various stakeholders in the field to provide clients with the resources and tools needed to support their success.
Issue Expertise: Biomedical research, research and grants policy, graduate education, biomedical training and workforce, STEM education, and broadening participation in STEM.
Additional Experience: Nicole began her PH.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2011. Her thesis work focused on understanding the role of the growth factor, GDNF, in the replication and differentiation of stem cells in the testis. While obtaining her doctoral degree, she garnered an interest in science policy and completed a certificate in Risk Sciences and Public Policy, a certification specifically designed for research scientists interested in bridging science and policy. Nicole was awarded the Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship at The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine while in graduate school. During her fellowship she worked with the Board on Higher Education and Workforce and focused on efforts to improve graduate STEM training and the support of women in STEM. After obtaining her degree, she served as a Science Policy Analyst at Ripple Effect, a management consulting firm that provides professional consulting services for federal, private, and non-profit clients. While at Ripple Effect, Nicole worked on several projects within the Office of the Director (OD) at NIH, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS).
Vital Statistics: Nicole’s roots are in the wonderful state of North Carolina. She moved to Maryland to be a part of the esteemed Meyerhoff Scholarship Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). She graduated from UMBC in 2011, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, with a minor in sociology. Nicole remained in the Baltimore area and obtained her Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins in 2017. In her spare time, Nicole remains very active in her sorority Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and she also loves reading new books for her book club.