Cain Center for Nursing Research

Empowering Nursing Research from Idea to Impact

31


Active Research Grant

12


Training & Special Projects

36.4 M


Total Value of Current Grants

About the Cain Center

The Cain Center for Nursing Research supports School of Nursing faculty and graduate students throughout the research lifecycle—from proposal development and grant submission to project management, statistical consultation, and publication support. Located on the third floor of the Nursing Building, the Cain Center provides resources, expertise, and administrative support to strengthen research programs across the School of Nursing.

Research Support Services

The Cain Center offers comprehensive support for faculty and graduate student research initiatives.

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Grant Development & Proposal Support

  • Individual grant consultations
  • Grant-writing workshops and proposal development sessions
  • Mock study sections and proposal reviews
  • Assistance with external grant proposal preparation and submission
  • Support for graduate student research training grant applications
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Research & Publication Support

  • Manuscript and proposal editing
  • Research methods consultation
  • Statistical consultation through the Center for Applied Data Science (CADS)
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Funding & Post-Award Support

  • Funding opportunity identification and dissemination
  • Consultation on reviewer feedback and resubmission strategies
  • Post-award fiscal and project management support
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Research Compliance & Training

  • Assistance with Institutional Review Board (IRB) applications and approvals
  • Guidance on research compliance and human subjects protections
  • Workshops on research, grant development, and compliance topics

Cain Center Lab

The Cain Center Lab provides faculty, researchers, and students with technology, software, and research resources that support data analysis and scholarly productivity. The lab offers computing resources, statistical and qualitative analysis tools, and consultation support for quantitative and qualitative research.

How We Support Research

  • Access to statistical and qualitative analysis software
  • Research computing and data management resources
  • Printing and scanning services for research projects
  • Guidance from trained lab assistants
  • Connections to statistical consultation services through the Center for Applied Data Science (CADS)

School of Nursing Research Committe

The School of Nursing Research Committee supports faculty, researchers, and students by providing guidance throughout the development of research studies and quality improvement initiatives. The committee promotes research excellence through feedback on study design, human subjects research, and institutional review processes prior to formal submission.

How We Support Research

  • Feedback on research protocols before IRB submission
  • Consultation on human subjects research design
  • Guidance for quality improvement projects
  • Review of research-related policies and procedures
  • Information on institutional review and approval processes
  • Resources to support IRB compliance

Research Resources

IRB Resources

UT Research Management Suite

The UT Research Management Suite is the online platform used to manage Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes, including investigator submissions and protocol management.

Access the UT Research Management Suite

IRB Module Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about submitting and managing protocols in the UT Research Management Suite.

Explore the IRB Module FAQs

IRB Office Hours

The IRB office offers open office hours to assist investigators and research teams. Office hours vary throughout the year. 

Visit the IRB website for the most current schedule.

Grant Management Resources

Grant Balance Forecaster

The Grant Balance Forecaster is a web-based tool that helps principal investigators and grant managers project spending rates, monitor account balances, and identify potential over-spending or under-spending issues.

Access the Grant Balance Forecaster

Grand Balance Forecaster User Guide

The user guide provides step-by-step instruction for using the Grand Balance Forecaster tool.

Download the Grand Balance Forecaster User Guide (PDF)

UT Direct Access Instructions

Access to UT Direct account balances is required to use the Grant Balance Forecaster.

Review the UT Direct Access Instructions (PDF)

Meet the Cain Center Team

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Shelli Kesler, PhD

Director
Office: NUR 3.102H
Phone: 512-232-4710
Email: srkesler@austin.utexas.edu

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John Bellquist, PhD

Editor IV
Office: 3.102M
Phone: 512-232-1835
Email: jbellquist@mail.nur.utexas.edu

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Cindy Taylor, MSIS

Sr. Grants & Contracts Specialist
Office: 3.102K
Phone: 512-232-4710
Email: ctaylor@nursing.utexas.edu

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Rene Leonhardt

Post-award Grants Administrator 
Office: NUR 3.102P
Phone: 512-232-4704
Email: rene.leonhardt@nursing.utexas.edu

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Karen Michlik, BSocSc

Administrative Asst, Procurement & Purchasing Services  
Office: 3.102L 
Email: karen.michlik@nursing.utexas.edu