The highly competitive award provides two years of support, including salary and research funding, along with access to a multidisciplinary community of physician-scientists across UNC. The program is designed to help early-stage faculty advance toward independent research careers while continuing their clinical and teaching missions.
With this support, Dr. Hoekstra will explore the use of artificial intelligence algorithms paired with digital stethoscope technology to develop novel diagnostic approaches for identifying aspiration risk in infants. This work has the potential to improve early detection of feeding and respiratory complications and may eventually be applied in both high- and low-resource clinical settings.
About the Award
As part of the UNC School of Medicine’s Accelerate Forward Together Strategic Plan, the Physician Scientist Training Program supports a select group of clinicians committed to translating research discoveries into improved patient care. The program serves as a pipeline to recruit, train, and retain promising physician-scientists by providing structured mentorship, protected research time, and dedicated funding.
The PSTP supports trainees at both the resident or fellowship level and the early-stage faculty level. The 2026 award cycle represents the sixth cohort of participants in this growing program. The PSTP Faculty Award specifically focuses on early-career faculty, offering the resources and community needed to strengthen research programs and accelerate translational and clinical investigation across disciplines.
About Dr. Nadia Hoekstra
Dr. Hoekstra joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Instructor in July 2025 and will be transitioning to an Assistant Professor position in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonology. She earned her undergraduate degree from Boston College and her medical degree from the UNC School of Medicine. She completed her pediatric training at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and Children’s Hospital Colorado/Denver Health Medical Center, followed by fellowship training in pediatric pulmonology at UNC.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Hoekstra on this recognition and her continued contributions to advancing pediatric research and care at UNC Children’s.