Patricia A. Kinser, Ph.D., RN, WHNP-BC, FAAN
Dean
Judith B. Collins and Joseph M. Teefey Distinguished Professor
Office of the Dean
Education
- Ph.D. (Nursing), University of Virginia
- M.S. (Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner), Virginia Commonwealth University
- B.S.N. (Nursing), Virginia Commonwealth University
- B.S. (Biology, Neural and Behavioral Science), Haverford College
Affiliations
- Affiliate Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, VCU School of Medicine
Research/Scholarship Interests
Kinser's program of research is focused on the overall vision of helping mothers, families and children thrive, with specific foci on biobehavioral mechanisms (including epigenetics) of perinatal depression and on the effects of psychobehavioral interventions and complementary health approaches for depression and related symptoms.
Kinser is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the following: as PI of the Mamma Mia Study (R01HD100395; PI: Kinser), a mobile/ internet-based approach to prevent perinatal depression in a large population of women across the United States; as PI of the Mindful Moms Study (R01NR020220; MPIs: Kinser, Bodnar-Deren), a yoga-based approach to intervene with perinatal depression in underserved populations; as site Co-PI of the RECOVER Study (OT2HL161847-01; PI: Katz), which explores the long-term effects of COVID-19 in children and young adults; as Co-PI of the NEXUS Study (R21DA058407; MPIs: Salisbury, Svikis, Kinser) to evaluate an intervention for women at risk of substance use during pregnancy; and, as co-PI of the VCU AWARE Center: Autonomic Wellness Research, Education, and Care Autonomic Wellness (VCU CCTR Funds; MPIs: Chelimsky, Burch, Kinser).
Kinser provides consultations to teams regarding her expertise in intervention research with biobehavioral outcomes/ mechanisms, mixed-methodologies, women's health and symptom self-management. Her research is positioned at the intersection of research and clinical care regarding the promotion of positive health behaviors and interventions for mental and physical wellness. For more information, see her research lab's website.
Area of Current Clinical Practice
Kinser maintains an active clinical practice as a board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner (WHNP-BC), volunteering at a clinic for underserved populations in Richmond (Health Brigade).
Select Publications
- Kinser, P., Bodnar-Deren, S., Amstadter, A., Lapato, D., Thacker, L., Johnson, J., Aubry, C., Johnson, A., Gault, C., Hill-Thomas, A., Russell, S., Lanni, S., Freeman, A. (2023). Study protocol for the Mindful Moms study: A randomized controlled trial evaluating a mindful movement intervention for marginalized pregnant people experiencing depression. Contemporary Clinical Trials. Jul 25;132:107302. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2023.107302.
- Moyer, S., Ameringer, S., Elswick, R.K., Nunziato, J., Kinser, P. (2024) Exploration of the psychometric properties of the EPDS-US, a validation study. Journal of Affective Disorders. 352: 193-198. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.02.025
- Kinser, P., Jallo, N., Huberty, J., Jones, E., Thacker, L., Moyer, S., Rider, A., Laird, B., Lanni, S., Drozd, F., Haga, S. (2021). Study protocol for a multisite randomized controlled trial of an internet and mobile-based intervention for preventing and reducing perinatal depressive symptoms. Research in Nursing and Health. Feb, 44(1):13-23. doi: 10.1002/nur.22092.
- Kinser, P., Robins, J., & Masho, S. (2016). Self-administered mind-body practices for reducing health disparities: An interprofessional opinion and call to action. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016(2016). doi: 10.1155/2016/2156969.
- Braun, S. & Kinser, P. (Eds) (2022). Delivering compassionate healthcare: A mindfulness curriculum for interdisciplinary healthcare professionals. Switzerland: Springer Publishing Company.
Current Funded Grants
| Name of Grant | Role | Funding Agency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community-based fetal ultrasound and care navigation: An approach to engaging pregnant women with substance use disorder in prenatal care and substance use treatment | MPI | National Institute on Drug Abuse | 9/30/22 - 8/30/24 |
| A Multi-Center Observational Study: The RECOVER Post Acute Sequelae of SARS-COV-2 (PASC) Pediatric Cohort Study | Co-PI | NIH/National Heart Lung and Blood Institute | 11/1/21 - 10/31/25 |
| Biobehavioral perspectives on social connectedness and the “Mindful Moms” intervention for marginalized pregnant women with depression | PI | NIH | 5/6/21 - 2/28/26 |
| A multisite randomized controlled trial of an internet-based program for preventing and reducing perinatal depressive symptoms | PI | NIH | 4/6/2020 - 3/31/2025 |
Professional Service
Kinser is is co-chair of the Perinatal Mental Health Research Group at VCU’s Institute for Women’s Health. She maintains an active clinical practice as a board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner (WHNP-BC). She contributes policy expertise as a governor-appointed member of the Board of Health for the Commonwealth of Virginia (currently serving a second four-year term). She serves as a grant reviewer at the national level for various federal study sections (e.g., NIH, Veterans Administration). She is an active member of the International Marce Society for Perinatal Mental Health, the Society of Behavioral Medicine, the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners, the Southern Nursing Research Society and the American Academy of Nursing.
Links
- Patricia Kinser is named VCU School of Nursing dean, VCU School of Nursing news, 5/1/2025
- Virginia father with Long COVID pleads for research funding, WTVR-6 CBS, 1/24/24
- FDA approves first pill to treat postpartum depression, PBS Newshour, 8/5/23
- Having a hand in science: Families join VCU project to study long COVID in children, VCU News, 8/9/23
- VCU researchers create guide ‘designed to put mom at the center', WWBT-12 NBC, 6/15/23
- Thrive Guide: Personalized emotional wellbeing planning for soon-to-be mothers, VCU News, 5/18/23