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Funded Projects

Collaborative Grants

  • Laura Lander, MS (WVU) Richard Egleton, PhD (MU)- "Using exome sequencing approach to enhance the treatment of pregnant women with opioid use disorder and their neonates"
  • Michael Brumage, MD (CAMC) Brittany Canady, PhD (MU)- "Resilience Training for First Responders in the Opioid Epidemic"
  • Brittany Riley, PharmD (MU) Erin Winstanley, PhD (WVU) - "Technology-Assisted Prescription Opioid Safety Education (T-POSE)"
  • Tony Liu, PhD (MU) & Paul Lockman, PhD (WVU) - "Hypomethylating agents in treating brain metastasis breast cancer"
  • Nalini Santanam, PhD (MU) & Paul Chantler, PhD (WVU) - "The role of Cerebral Ischemia on Cardiovascular Risk: The modulating role of adipose tissue"
  • Maple Landvoigt, DO (WVSOM) & Christina Duncan, PhD (WVU) - "Community Childhood Asthma Detection and Barrier Identification"
  • Timothy Long, PhD (MU) & Werner Geldnhuys, PhD (WVU) - "MitoNEET ligands in the treatment of stroke"
  • Sasha Zill, PhD (MU) & Sergiy Yakovenko, PhD (WVU) - "Development of biomechanical tools for rehabilitation and assessment of lower-limb function"
  • Mary LeCloux, PhD (WVU) & Mary Ann Maurer, DO (CAMC) - "A Pilot Test of the ASQ Toolkit in Two WV Primary Care Practices"
  • Salik Hussain, PhD (WVU) Aaron Erdely, PhD (NIOSH) - "Occupational and Environmental Co-Exposures: prospects of novel lung pathologies and drivers of chronic lung disease susceptibility"
  • Holly Cyphert, PhD (MU) & Heath Damron, PhD (WVU) – “Understanding the contribution of different bile acids to overall metabolic health”

Small Grants

  • Cara Sedney, MD (WVU) - "Utilizing stakeholder-centered methodology to modify the TRE-MORE test"
  • Kalpana Miriyala, MD (MU) - "Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and Neurobehavioral Outcomes"
  • Melissa Blank, PhD (WVU) - "Electronic cigarettes and smokers' choice to quit"
  • Jung Kim, PhD (MU) - "The central regulation of Lrp1b in the development of obesity"
  • Bingyun Li, PhD (WVU) - "Feasibility study to identify intracellular bacteria in chronic infection patient" 
  • Ubolrat Piamjariyakul, BSN, PhD (WVU) - "Palliative care coaching for family caregivers & patients with rare advanced lung disease"
  • Zachary Zinn, MD (WVU) - "Effect of a nickel free diet and nickel sensitization on GRED patients"
  • Sara Anderson, PhD (WVU) - "West Virginia and the opioid epidemic: the role of schools"
  • Joanna Kolodney, MD (WVU) - "A feasibility study: comparison of Carvedilol with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in second line Glioblastoma Multiforme and response of peripheral Glioma circulating tumor cells"
  • Malcom Mattes, MD (WVU) - "Measurement of tumor oxygenation using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance"
  • Harold Roberts, MD (WVU) - "Impact of endocarditis on heart valve surgery outcomes: national and local analyses"
  • Robert Marsh, MD, PhD (WVU) - "Dissecting the vascular anatomy involved treatments for trigeminal neuralgia"
  • Holly Cyphert, PhD (MU) - "The use of bile acids as biomarkers for PCOS"
  • Justin Kupec, MD (WVU) - "Vitamin D supplementation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): do high normal Vitamin D levels reduce the frequency of IBD flares and improve symptoms"
  • Jocelyn Stokes, PhD (WVU-Eastern) - "Feasibility of the Competent Learner Model for parents of children with Autism"
  • Shinichi Asano, PhD (WVSOM) – “Metabolic syndrome gender differences in cardiovascular function”
  • James Bardes, MD (WVU) – “Functional Eye Health Screening in the Elderly Trauma Patient”
  • James Bardes, MD (WVU) – “Evaluation of Biopatch utilization on biofilm production”
  • Michele Carr, DDS, MD, PhD (WVU) – “Resident Decisions About Sleep After Being on Call”
  • Melanie Fisher, MD (WVU) – “Assessing WVU's Multidisciplinary Infusion Service through Patients' Perspectives”
  • Larry Grover, MD (MU) – “Mechanisms linking in utero opioid exposure to myelination deficit”
  • Madison Humerick, MD (WVU-Eastern) – “The Food Pantry Initiative (FPNI)”
  • Kathryn Kestner, PhD (WVU) – “Laboratory Model for Relapse to Sedentary Behavior: Toward a Physically Active WV”
  • Joanna Kolodney, MD (WVU) – “A feasibility study: comparison of Carvedilol with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in second line Glioblastoma Multiforme and response of peripheral Glioma circulating tumor cells”
  • Tuoen Liu, PhD (WVSOM) – “Comparison of keratin 18 gene DNA methylation in brain metastasis breast cancer models”
  • Kristina Martens, PhD (WVU) – “Gut microbiota contributions to cognitive dysfunction following traumatic brain injury”
  • Mark McLaughlin, PhD (WVU) – “Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging by opioid receptor antagonist”
  • Ranjita Misra, PhD (WVU) – “Evaluation of the Diabetes and Hypertension Self-Management Program”
  • Isha Patel, PhD (MU) – “Knowledge about novel opioids and naloxone use attitudes among PharmD students”
  • Omar Attarabeen, PhD (MU) – “West Virginia PharmD Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes, & Self-efficacy on Covid-19”
  • Melanie Clemmer, PhD, HCLD (WVU) – “Assessing the role of agouti-signaling protein in polycystic ovarian syndrome”
  • Treah Haggerty, MD (WVU) – “Evaluation of Group Obesity Therapy Implementation using Implementation Framework”
  • Kate Jochimsen, PhD, ATC (WVU) – “The relationship between fear and physical activity in individuals with chronic hip pain”
  • Robert Stansbury, MD (WVU) – “Focus groups to identify barriers to management of OSA from primary care providers serving high risk”
  • Ji Bihl, MD, PhD (MU) – “Level and phenotype of macrophage exosomes in hemorrhagic stroke patients”
  • Alexey Ivanov, PhD (WVU) – “Improvement of lentiviral vectors titers by viral nucleocapsid proteins”
  • Jinju Wang, PhD (MU) – “MiRNA profiling of exosomes derived from perivascular adipocyte tissue in type 2 diabetic condition”
  • Tuoen Liu, PhD, MD (WVSOM) – “Study of the role of HSPA9 gene in regulating human erythroid maturation”
  • Krestin Radonovich, PhD (WVU) – “Mental Health Service Use in Survivors of Brain Tumor”
  • Joel Palko, MD (WVU) – “Aqueous Outflow Characterization using AS-OCTA and HVI before and after MIGS”

Launch Pilot Grants 

  • Matthew Dietz, MD (WVU) - "Preclinical assessment of an active antibiotic spacer"
  • Han-Gan Yu, PhD (WVU) - "Specific activation of BK potassium channel triggers selective destruction of triple negative breast tumor in vivo"
  • Heath Damron, PhD (WVU) – “Development of monoclonal antibody therapies against Serratia marcescens”
  • Daniel Grabo, MD (WVU) – “Fresh Human cadaver perfusion system for surgical anatomy and procedural training”
  • Velvet Journigan, PhD (MU) – “Somatosensory-targeting probes for neuropathic pain”
  • Partho Sengupta, MD (WVU) – “Flow Phantom for In-Vitro Cardiac Intervention Evaluation using Patient Specific 3D Printed Models”
  • Nova Szoka, MD (WVU) – “Use of Near Infrared Imaging and Lighted Bougie to Improve Sleeve Gastrectomy Technique”
  • Brock Lindsey, MD (WVU) – “Systemic IL-12 Therapy within Nanocapsules Leading to Immune Modulation for Osteosarcoma”

Open Grants

  • Sophie Ren, MD (WVU) - "A blood sourced strategy treats acute stroke"
  • Michael McCawley, PhD (WVU) - "Comparison of an aerosol dispersion test with standard clinical measures"
  • Shari Steinman, PhD (WVU) - "Development and pilot test of internet-delivered postpartum anxiety prevention"
  • Collin John, MD (WVU) - "Gene Regulators And Cardiovascular health Evaluation in childhood/adolescent obesity study (The GRACE Study)"
  • Steven Kinsey, PhD (WVU) – “Preventing chronic pain and inflammation caused by opioid use”
  • Samantha Minc, MD (WVU) – “A mixed-methods approach to understanding diabetes and vascular disease-related amputations in a rural population”
  • Alejandro Nato, PhD (MU) – “Identification of associated alleles in extended pedigrees with familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL) using whole exome sequencing data”
  • Bernard Schreurs, PhD (WVU) – “Focused ultrasound opening of the blood brain barrier to treat Alzheimer’s disease – mechanistic studies in an animal model”
  • Jessica Allen, PhD (WVU) – “Altered sensorimotor control of walking balance underlying increased risk of falls in older adults”
  • Rahul Sangani, MD (WVU) – “Outcomes of Early Palliative Care Intervention for High-Risk Patients in the Intensive Care Unit- A Pilot Study”
  • Ruchi Bhandari, PhD (WVU) – “Development of a statewide integrated model for analysis of clinical and economic patterns of injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis”
  • Michael (Kyle) Ritchie, MD (WVU) – “Suboxone User Perioperative Early Referral and Enhanced Recover After Surgery (SUPER-ERAS) Orthopedic Trauma Protocol”
  • Malcom Mattes, MD (WVU) – “Development of a novel radioprotective therapeutic for the small intestines”
  • David Hinkle, MD (WVU) – “Machine Learning Algorithm to Analyze Histopathologic Sections of Temporal Artery Biopsy Specimens”
  • Madhavi Kadiyala, MD (WVU) & Roberta Renzelli-Cain, MD (WVU) – “CMR assessment of HRT Impact on Myocardial Blood Flow in Perimenopausal Women”
  • Randy Nelson, PhD (WVU) – “Use of Blue-Light Filters to Improve Recovery in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit”
  • Mary-Louise Risher, PhD (MU) – “The roles of socialization and stress in the onset of adolescent drinking in a rat model of voluntary drinking”
  • Cory Robinson, PhD (WVU) – “Profiling immunological responses in infants with in utero opioid exposure”
  • Ekaterina (Kate) Weil, PhD (WVU) – “Impact of post-TBI exercise on neurometabolic and functional recovery”
  • Sunil Sharma, MD (WVU) – “Early Screening of Sleep Disordered Breathing in Hospitalized Stroke Patients”
  • Elizabeth Bowdridge, PhD (WVU) – “The effects of electronic cigarette vaping during gestation on maternal and fetal health outcomes”
  • Claire St. Peter, PhD (WVU) – “Using Telehealth to Improve Outcomes for Children with a History of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome”
  • Nicole Stout, DPT (WVU) – “Needs Assessment for Improved Cancer Survivorship Care in West Virginia”
  • Swapna Gayam, MD (WVU) – “Identification of Biomarkers for Inflammatory Bowel Disease”
  • Kristin Lupinacci, DO (WVU) – “Pioglitazone Therapy Targeting Fatigue in Breast Cancer”
  • Timothy Eubank, PhD (WVU) – “Low dose Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor to overcome hypoxia-induced treatment resistance in breast cancer”
  • Slawomir Lukomski, PhD (WVU) – “Scl1-functionalized nanoparticles for cancer research”
  • Nicole Bryan, MD (WVU) & Rebecca Reece, MD (WVU) - “Exploring the Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Engagement in Care Among People Living with HIV.”
  • Allison Lastinger, MD (WVU) - “Treating the Whole Patient: Measuring Distress in Prosthetic Joint Infection Using a Standardized Metric.”
  • Garrett Cooper, MD (WVU) & James Lewis, PhD (WVU) – “Basal ganglia resting state functional connectivity in opioid use disorder”

Appalachian Translational Research Network Grants

  • Traci Jarrett, PhD (WVU) & Gia Mudd-Martin, BSN, PhD (UK) - "Journey of Hope in Appalachian Youth: Building Youth Resilience" 

Covid-19 Pop-up Grants

  • Ankit Sakhuja, MD (WVU) – “Coronavirus Induced Acute Kidney Injury: Prevention using Urine Alkalinization"
  • Larissa Casaburi, MD (WVU) – “The impact of smoking, vaping, coal-mining status, and chronic lung disease on the severity of COVID-19 pulmonary infection: a causal machine learning approach."
  • Sarah Hadique, MD (WVU) – “To assess the incidence of COVID-19 induced procoagulant state, mechanisms and possible treatment options”
  • Shipra Gupta, MD (WVU) – “SUSPECT study- Seropositivity in Unknown Subjects with Positive Exposure by COVID Testing”
  • Salik Hussain, PhD (WVU) – “An Association of NLRX1 expression and single nucleotide polymorphism with susceptibility and severity of COVID-19”
  • Brian Kellermeyer, MD (WVU) – “Evaluation of a human model for deposition of aerosolized material within the upper aerodigestive tract”
  • Carl Shrader, MD (WVU) – “Covid-19 Transmission, Life Cycle, and Outbreak Experiences: An Analysis of the Outbreak at Sundale Nursing Home”
  • Crystal Boudreaux, PhD (WVSOM) – “Elucidation of serine threonine kinase 11 interacting protein as a predictor for SARS-CoV-2 infection using a rotavirus model”
  • Ivan Martinez, PhD (WVU) – “Importance of Viral and Host MicroRNAs in the Pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2"
  • Bradley Price, PhD (WVU) – “Investigating Personal Protective Equipment Usage During Pandemics”
  • Wei Li, MD, PhD (MU) – “The mechanistic role of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in COVID-19-associated thrombosis”