University of Texas Medical Branch
School of Nursing
301 University Blvd.
Galveston, TX
USA 77555
Email: rojruiz@utmb.edu
Biographical Sketch: Dr. Ruiz received her BSN from the University of Texas at Austin, Texas; her MS at the Texas Women's University in Dallas, Texas and her PhD from the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Ruiz's broad area of research interest is the effect of chronic stress in women, particularly in pregnancy. The more specific focus of her research is prediction and prevention of premature birth. Interventions with multiple gestations have been tested with established outcomes. Dissertation and doctoral work has involved establishment of biological markers to more accurately identify women at risk for premature birth with pregnancies carrying one baby. Currently funded work will determine how stress affects premature birth and test interventions to decrease stress and promote healthier lifestyles as well as follow infants of mothers with activation of the physiological stress response. This program of research strongly examines ethnic disparities in relationship to birth outcomes.