Office of Nursing Research

Penn Nursing is the first school of nursing in the nation with an Office of Nursing Research dedicated to supporting scientific discoveries and translating nursing knowledge into new strategies for advancing healthcare.

Supporting Scientific Discovery

Informing & Shaping Policy

Research produced here at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is nationally and internationally recognized. Our research, which helps inform and shape policy, is consistently published in a wide range of high-impact, interdisciplinary journals. Penn Nursing’s world-renowned investigators collectively rank near the top of all schools of nursing receiving federal funding.

Providing Comprehensive Services

The Office of Nursing Research (ONR) offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to support faculty and students throughout the life-cycle of a grant. The ONR provides statistical support, conducts mock reviews that result in a high grant award success rate, offers guidance with regulatory compliance, and hosts a state-of-the-art laboratory designed to promote collaboration between faculty and students of all levels and encourage translational research.

The Office of Nursing Research Values

Core Values: Trust, Respect, Integrity, & Purpose

Our goal is for these values to drive our interactions with each other and our constituents. These values govern our approach to provide assistance, share knowledge, and support innovation within an inclusive environment. 

Building Robust Funding Sources

Penn Nursing’s robust research portfolio boasts a wide range of funding mechanisms from NIH, AHRQ, CDC, and numerous foundations. Research at the School of Nursing is conducted through school-supported and grant-funded research centers. Faculty and student research efforts are vigorously supported through the ONR and the pilot grant program, major research awards, and the University’s significant resources.

Fostering Collaboration

Dedicated to continually expanding and strengthening Penn Nursing’s community knowledge base, the ONR offers colloquia spotlighting research topics of interest to better inform investigators across all levels of expertise. Additionally, the ONR connects Penn Nursing investigators with a broad network of multidisciplinary research colleagues so they can capitalize on overlapping areas of exploration with partners throughout the Penn community. The ONR also acts as a central liaison to the Perelman School of Medicine’s Biomedical Postdoctoral Program for Penn Nursing’s post-doctoral fellows.

    Research News

  •  
    Marion Leary presenting with a microphone

    NEW! Faculty Innovation Rounds

    Have a research idea or course concept? Let’s innovate it!

  •  
    Penn Nursing Summer Innovation Institute

    Recap: Penn Nursing Summer Innovation Institute 2025

    From June 23–27, 2025, the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing welcomed innovators, educators, and healthcare leaders to Tangen Hall for the annual Summer Innovation Institute a week-long intensive focused on collaborative design and co-creation for health equity.

  •  

    In Case You Missed It: 2025 Penn Nursing Innovation Accelerator Pitch Event!

    Couldn’t join us live? Watch what you missed during this year’s Penn Nursing Innovation Accelerator Pitch Event! 

  •  
    Fellows of the JJNIF Summer Innovation Institute

    Developing The Vanguard

    What do you get when you put twenty nurse leaders together for a year-long team-based fellowship meant to super-charge nurse-led innovation and leadership within health systems? The answer: health care magic.

  •  
    a colorful illustration of small images related to health care and pediatrics

    Small Patients, Big Discoveries

    Pediatric nurses spark healthy futures. Faculty and researchers revolutionize pediatric care at the intersection of science and practice.