Katherine Weatherford Darling, Ph.D.

Katherine (Kate) Weatherford Darling, PhD is a health science researcher working across the boundaries of medical sociology, science studies, public health and bioethics. She is Assistant Professor of Health Science in the School of Nursing and a Graduate Faculty member at the Graduate School at University of Maine, Orono. She is a Visiting Scientist at the Center for Interdisciplinary & Public Health Research (CIPHR) at MaineHealth Institute of Research and affiliated with UMaine Institute of Medicine and the Graduate School of Biomedical Science & Engineering.

Dr. Weatherford Darling’s research program stretches across two fields of interdisciplinary health science: 1) the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI’s) of genomics 2) social determinants of health (SDOH). Her interdisciplinary research teams use community-engaged and sociological methods to understand how social forces and biomedical practices shape patterns health inequities in order to support the design of effective policy solutions. She also regularly collaborates with molecular and genomic scientists to anticipate and address ethical issues and equity concerns within biomedical innovation.

In the classroom, Professor Weatherford Darling uses experiential and project-based learning to empower students to apply sociological and clinical knowledge to real-life contexts. She currently mentors graduate students in Nursing, Higher Education, Biomedical Sciences & the Interdisciplinary PhD program.

Awards

Maine Campus Compact Donald Harward Faculty Award for Service-Learning Excellence (2022)

Selected Publications:

Katherine Weatherford Darling, Michael Kohut, Susan Leeds, Eric C. Anderson & Paul K.J. Han 2022. “Doing Good” in U.S. Cancer Genomics? Valuation practices across the boundaries of research and care in rural community oncology, New Genetics and Society, 41:3, 254-283. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36589528/

Ackerman, Sara A, Katherine Weatherford Darling, Sandra Soo-Jin Lee, Robert A. Hiatt, Janet K. Shim. 2017. “The Ethics of Translational Science: Imagining Public Benefit in Gene-Environment Interaction Research”, Engaging Science and Technology Studies 3: 351-374. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34423150/

Weatherford Darling, Katherine, Sara L. Ackerman, Robert A. Hiatt, Sandra Soo-Jin Lee, and Janet K. Shim. 2016. “Enacting the Molecular Imperative: How Gene-Environment Interaction Research links Bodies and Environments in the Post-Genomic Age”, Social Science and Medicine 155:51-60. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26994357/

Recent Projects & Grants:

Rural Overdose Response Team Participant & Staff Experiences, Retention & Well-being

Co-PIs: Armstrong, Goodhines, Darling 2023-2024.

UMaine Institute of Medicine Seed Grant ($19,000)

Innovations in Health Systems for Rural Health Access and Sustainability

Co-PIs: Johnson, Kuntz, Darling, Teisl, Silka, Casimir

Community Partners: Downeast Community Hospital, Calais Community Hospital, Downeast Family Practice, The Schmidt Institute, Sunrise Economic Council 2022-2023. UMS Research Reinvestment Fund ($29,993)

Strengthening the Community Health Worker Workforce to Address Systemic Rural Health Inequalities

Co-PI’s: Darling, Rubinsky, Crittenden, Kuntz, Johnson, Casimir

Community Partners: Maine Community Health Workers Initiative, Maine Public Health Association, New Mainers Public Health Initiative, Partnership for Children’s Oral Health 2021-2022. Partnership for Children’s Oral Health ($4000) 2021-2022. UMS Research Reinvestment Fund ($30,000) 2022-2023. UMS Research Reinvestment Fund ($24,000)
2023. Maine Centers for Disease Control ($28,000)

Addressing Structural Barriers to Injury Prevention among Shellfish & Lobster Harvesters

Co-PI’s: Johnson, Darling, McGreavy, Kuntz, Silka, Kantor, Casimir

Partners: Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries (MCCF), Maine Shellfish Learning Network, the Community Caring Collaborative (CCC); Maine Mobile Health Program (MMHP) 2021-2022. Shellfish Restoration & Resilience Fund ($5000) 2020-2022. UMS Injury Prevention Program Seed Grant ($25,000)