Whole Health Consortium Awarded National Funding to Lead Rural Health Research at May 19 Symposium
Whole Health Consortium Awarded National Funding to Lead Rural Health Research at May 19 Symposium
Virginia Tech joins 17 other U.S. symposia in reenvisioning how research translates into better prevention and care.
The Whole Health Consortium at Virginia Tech has received support from the Collective to Strengthen Pathways for Health Research—led by the Doris Duke Foundation and nine partner philanthropies—to host “Whole Health, Whole Community: Dialogues to Reduce Rural Health Disparities,” a one day symposium set for May 19, 2025, at the Hotel Roanoke Conference Center. Virginia Tech is one of just 18 institutions nationwide chosen to convene regional forums whose findings will inform a national blueprint aimed at accelerating research in disease prevention, early intervention, and care delivery.
Designed for more than 250 participants, the symposium will:
- Showcase community‑engaged research and care models on mental health, trauma‑informed care, and social determinants affecting rural well‑being.
- Feature keynote talks by Whole Health research pioneers Dr. Tracy Gaudet and Dr. Alex Krist.
- Host interactive World Café and Data Walk sessions where researchers and community partners co‑analyze data to shape new study questions and implementation strategies .
- Launch a Flash Funding competition that will award rapid‑cycle mini-grants for collaborative research projects emerging from the day’s dialogues.
“Bringing researchers to the same table with clinicians, policymakers, and rural community leaders is essential for studies that make a real‑world impact,” said Dr. J. Tina Savla, director of the Whole Health Consortium. “Our dialogue in Roanoke will help shape a national action plan for research that keeps people healthier and makes every clinical encounter count.”
About the Whole Health Consortium
Founded in 2023 at Virginia Tech’s Institute for Society, Culture and Environment, the Whole Health Consortium advances transdisciplinary, communityengaged research that promotes holistic health and wellbeing across Virginia and beyond. Its 180+ members span public health, engineering, social sciences, and clinical disciplines. Learn more at wholehealth.isce.vt.edu.
About Strengthening Pathways
Strengthening Pathways is a national conversation focused on identifying opportunities to better translate innovations from prevention and care research to maximize societal benefits, comprised of 18 symposia occurring across the country in the spring and summer of 2025. Supported by a collective of leading funders of health research in the U.S., these symposia will illuminate strategies to connect societal health priorities with research ideas, funding models, policies and commercial incentives to improve health outcomes. The aim is to create a blueprint for action that can shape new funding models, policy changes and industry investments to promote health innovations that prevent disease and improve outcomes of clinical care.
About the Collective to Strengthen Pathways for Health Research
The Doris Duke Foundation, together with American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Dana Foundation, Donaghue Foundation, Prebys Foundation, Robertson Foundation, Susan G. Komen, and additional philanthropic partners are the Collective to Strengthen Pathways for Health Research. The Collective is seeking to bring greater attention and resources for breakthrough health research to improve how we prevent and address disease. Our current activities are focused on elevating voices and ideas to help define an actionable blueprint for progress.
Media contact:
Becca Halm
Communications Specialist, Institute for Society, Culture and Environment
Email: beccah@vt.edu