Our mission is to transform the discipline of nursing through research, practice and partnerships, and to contribute to the social advancement and health of Tennessee, the nation, and the world.

The Center for Research Development and Scholarship (CRDS) is directed by Dr. Mariann R. Piano, Senior Associate Dean for Research. Our mission is achieved through various programs of research and strong collaborations with the broader Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). The Center supports the engagement of nurse scientists in addressing the health of individuals, families and communities. We specialize in four signature areas of research: Acute and Chronic Illness, Data Science and Health Technologies, Palliative Care Science, and Pregnancy Outcomes, Mother and Infant Health, Family Health. Our eighteen full-time faculty and two postdoctoral researchers receive funding from a diversity of sources, such as the National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Health Resources & Services Administration, private industry and foundation partners. 

Our research and scholarly activities are supported by several mechanisms, including the extensive resources of Vanderbilt University and VUMC. Examples of these include the Clinical Research Center, the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and the Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development. There are many opportunities for School of Nursing faculty and students to collaborate with nurses, medical staff and faculty in our hospitals, clinics and collaborating institutions supported by agencies such as the Veterans Health Administration. Much of our research is multidisciplinary, involving researchers from the fields of medicine, business, engineering, anthropology, psychology, education and public policy.

Through the Center, VUSN faculty are supported by staff with expertise in pre-award and post-award grant management. In addition, staff provide a full range of administrative support and resources for faculty and postdoctoral fellows. 

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