Student Research

For many students, the reason to come to Penn Nursing is singular: our research program. Students here work alongside some of the very best in nursing science and research, studying under mentors who help them create, test, and implement the ideas that shape our profession.

Funding and support

Students—from first-year undergraduates to doctoral candidates—receive financial and logistical support though our renowned research centers and the Office of Nursing Research (ONR). They have access to Penn’s extensive research services, funding sources, and networks. And many—in partnership with faculty and as individuals—are recipients of major national research grants.

Facilities

We are one of the few nursing schools in the US to have a dedicated nursing research lab, a place for students conduct lab procedures and collect quality data.

The lab was designed to promote collaboration among faculty and students of all levels, and includes dedicated space for cell culture, biomarker analysis, molecular biology, microscopy, and human physiology. Here, we conduct assays, catalogue samples, and develop protocols, while providing access for faculty to conduct their work under the direction of an experienced lab manager.

Cross-disciplinary collaborations

Penn Nursing investigators work with an impressive network of colleagues from other Penn schools including Wharton, Penn Medicine, Penn Dental, Penn Engineering, the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, and Veterinary Medicine. In addition, the ONR acts as a liaison between our post-doctoral students and the Perelman School of Medicine’s Biomedical Postdoctoral Program.

See what our students are working on

Improving Quality of Life and Sleep in People with Memory Problems Without Using Drugs

A groundbreaking study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing), recently published in Innovation in Aging, has shown promising results in improving the quality of life (QOL) and sleep quality in individuals living with memory problems. The research delves into the efficacy of a nonpharmacological approach in a trial known as the Healthy Patterns Sleep Program.