Email this pageCTSI KL2 Scholars
David Adler MD, MPHProject: " Post-Vaccination HPV Genotype Distribution Among HIV-infected and HIV-unifected Young Women in South Africa"
Dr. Adler is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and of Community and Preventive Medicine. His area of research interest is control and prevention of infectious disease in the developing world. He is currently working with colleagues in South Africa to study the viral ecology of human papillomaviruses in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women. |
Robert Block MD, MPH, FACPProject: “The Role of Fatty Acids and their Metabolites in the Pathophysiology of Sudden Cardiac Death”
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Jennifer Carroll MD, MPHProject: "The Effect of a Primary Care Clinician Communication Intervention linked to a Community Based Exercise Program"
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Wendi Cross PhDProject: "Building Knowledge and Skills in Prevention Implementers"
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E. Ray Dorsey MD, MBAProject: “Identify Means to Improve the Productivity of Biomedical Research”
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Mireya Gonzalez-Begné Felhazy DDS, MS, PhDProject: “Identification of salivary and salivary gland-cell-surface biomarkers in patients with early-stage primary Sjögren’s syndrome”.
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Barbara Gracious MDProject:" Bone Mineral Density in Young Bipolar Women Randomized to Valproate Vs. Lithium"
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Susan Groth PhD, RNC, NPProject: "Clarification of the Gene Environment Interaction of the GNB3 Gene and Establishing a foundation for Genetic –Based Behavioral Intervention Research"
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Supriya Gupta-Mohile MD, MSProject: “Vulnerable Elders with Cancer: Patterns of Care and Comprehensive Outcomes”
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Chad Heatwole MDProject: “The Development and Use of a Disease-Specific Instrument for Myotonic Dystrophy” Dr. Heatwole is a Senior Instructor in the Department of Neurology. Dr. Heatwole is a 2005 Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship graduate from the University of Rochester and he is currently a fellow in the Experimental Therapeutics Program. Dr. Heatwole has authored numerous publications in well known Neurology journals such as Muscle Nerve, Archives of Neurology, and Neurology Today. |
Holly Hindman MDProject: " Wound Healing Responses and Myofiloblast Activity Following Endothelial Keratoplasty when modified by using Anti TFG-B Therapies"
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Julie Ryan PhDProject: "Curcumin Intervention and Biological Analysis of Radiation Dermatitis"
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Marc Swogger PhDProject: "The Impact of Psychopathic Traits on a Cocaine Use Intervention for Offenders"
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Melanie Wellington MD, PhDProject: Phagocyte Receptors in the Host Response to Candida
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Dr. Block is an Assistant Professor in the Epidemiology Division of the Department of Community and Preventive Medicine. Given his years of clinical practice, Dr. Block’s research interests are quite broad. His research, however, focuses on the investigation of how nutrition affects the risk of cardiovascular disease. This interest is most intense regarding the role of fatty acids and their metabolites on heart disease risk, particularly in those with coronary artery disease. He has completed a recent study of the relationship of blood levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and the risk of recurrent coronary artery events. He is interested in understanding the role of biomarkers, such as fatty acids, for clinical use as well as in helping to understand heart disease pathophysiology. He has published regarding the clinical use of measuring lipoprotein(a) in predicting risk of cardiovascular disease in different populations and regarding the need for an integrated approach to cardiovascular disease modification. He has an interest in the specific integrated approach termed the “Chronic Care Model” for clinical practice reform and how its proactive approach may be superior to current practice patterns. 
Jennifer Carroll, MD, MPH, research assistant professor in the department of Family Medicine, has research interests that include refugee health and diet and exercise counseling in primary care. Dr. Carroll completed a research study exploring expressions of psychological distress and mental illness among refugees from Somalia and also worked as a medical consultant at the Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights. She has written and taught extensively on the topic of refugee health, care of asylum-seekers and torture survivors. Dr. Carroll is a member of Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, Physicians for Human Rights, American Public Health Association, and the American Academy of Family Physicians. 
Wendi Cross, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, was awarded a K12 but happily will return the award because NIMH just awarded her K23. Wendi's work focuses specifically on developing and testing models and methods for training individuals charged with carrying forth a variety of evidence-based interventions into community settings. Procedures are developed specifically to allow efficacy trials to translate into effectiveness research, and effectiveness research to translate into community-based practice, where many interventions can be delivered by nonprofessionals in schools, neighborhood clinics, and other nontraditional settings. The NIMH award affirms our CTSA judgment; and we are pleased that Wendy's only request is that she continues to participate in the CTSA educational curriculum. 
E. Ray Dorsey, M.D., is a senior instructor in neurology at the University of Rochester Medical Center and a Fellow in Experimental Therapeutics and Movement Disorders. Some of his research interests include cost-effectiveness analysis related to neurodegenerative conditions, Parkinson's Disease, and financial and economic issues in medicine and neurology. His research focuses on issues at the intersection of medicine, business, and society and has been featured on National Public Radio and in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. 
Dr. Gonzalez-Begné is a Research Assistant Professor of Dentistry in the Center for Oral Biology. Her research training in sialochemistry and basic research in dentistry at the
State University of New York at Buffalo, and the National Autonomous University of Mexico has led her to study different biochemical and biophysical aspects of several salivary proteins in diverse oral settings. Using saliva as a diagnostic tool, monitoring of different analytes has been possible in health and disease processes. Currently, at the University of Rochester, she has been using proteomics technology on human ductal saliva to map the spectrum of proteins which are responsible for maintaining oral homeostasis. Her main research interest is using proteomics analysis on whole saliva and salivary labial gland cells for identification of potential biomarkers to be used as candidates for early diagnosis of primary Sjögren’s syndrome, as current treatment options have not been successful in reversing or preventing disease progression. Significant contributions are expected, such as the design of a microfluidics-based chip for detecting these salivary biomarkers in different clinical settings and the development of gene therapy strategies to target faulty plasma membrane proteins involved in salivary gland dysfunction caused by this disease. Side effects such as severe dental caries and periodontal disease, oral fungal infections, ulcers, persistent dry cough, constipation, difficulty in swallowing, speech, etc. will be ameliorated, thus improving the quality of life for those affected by this disease. 
Barbara Gracious, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry with secondary appointments in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics. She has been studying how systemic effects of bipolar disorder and its pharmacologic treatment affect physical health, particularly in adolescent females. Her CTSI K12 award proposes to examine the clinical significance of valproate-induced changes on bone metabolism during the period of peak bone growth, a period crucial to establishing a healthy skeletal system. Direct goals of this work will be to establish screening protocols to assist in determining the prevalence, and risk for, development of osteopenia during treatment with psychotropic medications. She is working collaboratively with Edward Puzas, PhD, Professor of Orthopedics, and Donna Giles, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology in linking together potential hormonal and cellular mechanisms for these changes. This interest ties in with broader work she has done examining effects of flax oil on childhood bipolar illness, as well as the risk for metabolic syndrome in bipolar adolescents, that will lead to simple strategies to prevent adverse metabolic changes in this population. Dr. Gracious has received support for her research to date from the National Research Science Award T-32 program established by Dr. Eric Caine, Chair, Department of Psychiatry, the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders, and the Stanley Medical Research Institute.
Dr Groth is an Assistant Professor in the University of Rochester School of Nursing. Dr Groth’s research program focuses on obesity in women with a dual emphasis: (a) genetic effects on pregnancy weight gain and (b) physical activity to prevent or limit excessive gestational weight gain. This project will contribute to development of genetic-based behavioral intervention research, which will include development, testing, and implementation of physical activity intervention in high risk African-American women during pregnancy. Dr Groth received the Katharine Donohoe Scholarly Practitioner Award in 2004, the Outstanding Scholarly Practitioner Award in 2002, and was awarded an Intramural Research Traineeship at the Summer Genetics Institute at National Institutes of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health in 2006. She practices as a certified Women’s Health NP in the community and teaches across programs in the School of Nursing. She is a member of Eastern Nurses Research Society, Sigma Theta Tau, National League for Nursing, and serves on the board of directors for the Genesee Valley Nurses Association.
Dr. Gupta-Mohile is an Assistant Professor in the Hematology / Oncology Division of the Department of Medicine at the University of Rochester's Medical Center. She is a board-certified geriatrician and oncologist with clinical expertise in treating patients with genitourinary and gastrointestinal cancers. Mohile’s research interests include the evaluation of patterns of care, health outcomes, and quality of life related to treatment for systemic cancer in older patients. She has previously received an American Society of Clinical Oncology Young Investigator Award and Merit Awards. She is a member of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary oncology teams providing care for stomach, pancreatic,colorectal cancers and prostate, bladder, and kidney cancers.
Holly Hindman MD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology. She is a Rochester, NY native who returned to the area after training at Stanford University, Harvard Medical School, and The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Hindman has expertise in the medical treatment of cornea and ocular surface disease and in the latest surgical techniques including: penetrating, lamellar (DALK) and endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK), keratoprosthesis, and 
Julie Ryan, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology and the Department of Dermatology. She received her PhD in Pathology from UNC Chapel Hill in 2005 and a Master's in Public Health from the University of Rochester in 2007. Dr. Ryan's project utilizes both her radiation oncology an dermatology experience and will test a promising non-therapeutic agent and identify biological mediators of radiation dermatitis, which could aid in the treatment of other types of radiation toxicity and skin disorders. Dr. Ryan is a member of numerous associations including the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer, Society of Investigative Dermatology, American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Society of Behavioral Medicine. Dr. Ryan was the recipient of an ASIP travel award and an UNC International Transportation Grant Award.
Marc Swogger, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Swogger's research focuses primarily on psychopathy and violence among criminal offenders; particularly on factors that moderate the relationships between psychopathic traits and key public health outcomes, including general interpersonal violence, intimate partner violence, suicidal behavior, and criminal recidivism. He has recently begun investigating how personality heterogeneity among offenders impacts the efficacy of substance use interventions. Dr. Swogger is a psychologist who is active in the Psychology Doctoral Internship training program. 
Melanie Wellington, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Pediatrics and Infectious Disease, is developing a research program focused on understanding how immune defense mechanisms protect against the human fungal pathogen, Candida albicans. Healthy individuals are exposed to C. albicans but do not develop disease because their phagocytes recognize and respond to the pathogen. By studying these recognition systems, Dr. Wellington hopes to identify therapies to prevent or treat C. albicans disease in immunocompromised patients. This project has grown out of the work she did at UR as a Pediatric Infectious Disease fellow and as a graduate student with Dr. Gus Haidaris, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Dr. Frank Gigliotti, Professor of Pediatrics and Infectious Disease. Dr. Wellington looks forward to establishing a research laboratory that will investigate this potentially life threatening disease by using basic molecular techniques, animal and in vitro models of human disease, and eventually, clinical studies.
