Prof. Dr. Nora Franceschini is a nephrology-trained physician, a cardiovascular disease epidemiologist, and a Professor at the Department of Epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Her research focuses on environmental and genetic determinants of hypertension, and kidney and cardiovascular diseases in diverse and underrepresented U.S. minority populations who carry a high burden of chronic health conditions. This work includes gene discovery in American Indians, African Americans, and Hispanics/Latinos, trans-ethnic genetic studies, and studies to characterize the social/environmental context in which genetic variants contribute to health conditions. She also leads research into chronic kidney disease of unknown causes in Central America. Dr. Franceschini has received numerous honors and awards for her work, including the CHARGE Tiger Leadership Award, the Trudy Bush Fellowship for Cardiovascular Disease Research in Women’s Health, and the UNC Postdoctoral Award for Research Excellence.