CHDR Center Director
Dr. Gaston-Johansson is Director of the Center for Health Disparities Research. She is also Director of International Programs, the Elsie M. Lawler Endowed Research Chair, and Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.
Her specific research expertise and interest include symptom management with a special focus on pain, coping strategies for pain, management of other symptoms at end of life and quality of life. Her work has included patients undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation and their primary care givers, breast cancer, and other cancer diagnoses. Her works also includes the development, evaluation and testing of the Painometer in a variety of patient populations. The Painometer is a pain assessment tool especially designed for use in clinical practice.
In addition to being the Principal Investigator for The Center on Health Disparities Research (NIH/NINR), She is also the Principal investigator for the Global Health Promotion Research Program (NIH/Fogarty) an international, interdisciplinary research/educational program for Nursing, Medical, Public Health and Arts & Sciences students; and is the Co-Principal Investigator for a Training program in Breast Cancer Research to Decrease the Disparity of Morbidity and Mortality in Undeserved/Minority Women (Department of Defense) A post-doctoral program in collaboration with Winston-Salem State University.
Dr. Gaston-Johansson served as an elected Board of Directors member for Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society. She is also the recipient of the Links INC International Trends and Service Award, National Black Nurses Association's Trailblazer Award, and has received a citation from the US Congress for her international and research endeavors.
