Ansley Stanfill first set foot on the UTHSC campus 10 years ago when she pursued and completed her PhD in nursing science through the College of Graduate Health Sciences.
After finishing her postgraduate training in genomics, she joined the faculty of the College of Nursing in 2016 as an assistant professor, with a joint appointment in the College of Medicine’s Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics. She was promoted to the rank of associate professor in 2019.
Most recently, College of Nursing Dean Wendy Likes named her the associate dean of Research.
“It is a point of pride to help send nurses and nurse-scientists out into the world well-prepared for their chosen careers,” Dr. Stanfill said. “I am very excited to be shaping the strategic plan for the research mission of the College of Nursing, representing our college as a member of the executive leadership team, and growing research and scholarship for our faculty members.”
As associate dean of Research, Dr. Stanfill will guide the development of short- and long-range strategic plans to promote research within the college. She will also work to develop opportunities to collaborate with other colleges, departments, and institutions.
She will serve as an adviser to the dean and other leaders on topics related to research, including providing guidance on developing research programs, finding funding opportunities, and disseminating research results through publications and presentations, all to assist in meeting the research and scholarship goals of the college. Dr. Stanfill will also represent the college within the research community at the university and beyond.
In addition to working with faculty and leadership of the college, Dr. Stanfill will work with students in the BSN and PhD programs.
“I love working with our students for so many reasons, but I especially enjoy seeing students find their area of research interest,” Dr. Stanfill said. “I am very passionate about my own program of research, and so it is fun to see that spark ignite in the same way for budding scientists.”
Dr. Stanfill’s research is focused on the influence of genetic and epigenetic factors on neurological injury and chronic disease. She is the recipient of grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, the International Society of Nurses in Genetics, Sigma Theta Tau, and the Southern Nursing Research Society.
She received her undergraduate degree in 2003 from Vanderbilt University and her BSN in 2007 from Saint Louis University. Her postgraduate training in genomics was completed at the University of Pittsburgh.
This story is from the most recent issue of Nursing Magazine