Augusta University offers various competitive intramural grants to our researchers.
Gianluca De Leo, PhD
“Teaching Parents Communication Strategies Using an APP: Examining Parent-Child Outcomes”
GSU PI: MaryAnn Romski, PhD and Rose Sevcik, PhD
Deborah Jehu, PhD
“The Predictors of Falls Among Older Adults with Impaired Mobility”
GSU PI: Katherine Hsieh, PhD
Christy Ledford, PhD, FACH
“Does community engagement promote health equity by increasing recruitment and retention of racially and ethnically diverse samples?”
GSU PI: Claire Spears, PhD
Qihua Qiu, PhD
“Racial/ethnic disparities in changes in prescription medication expenditures on smoking cessation medication among U.S. adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic”
GSU PI: Jidong Huang, PhD
Kendall Buchanan, MD
“Using app-based digital healthcare intervention to encourage total skin self-examination by melanoma survivors”
University of Aberdeen PI: Peter Murchie, PhD,
Denise Kornegay, MSW
“How can hybrid healthcare education drive change in remote, rural, and island practice?”
University of Aberdeen PI: Anita Laidlaw
Travis McMaine, DMD
“Study of rural residents using urgent care and emergency departments for dental care: Examination of the relationship between visits to urgent care facilities and emergency departments due to non-traumatic dental conditions among residents of DHPSAs in the state of Georgia (GA) as well as Aberdeen and surrounding areas"
University of Aberdeen PI: Ekta Gupta, PhD
Preethi Reddi
“Maternal health- delayed antenatal care: Understanding barriers to care through the perspectives of new mothers who experienced delayed antenatal care in rural Georgia and rural Scotland”
Robert Gordon University PI: Joanna Shim
Manuela Bartoli, Ph.D.
Jian-Kang Chen
Yanbin Dong, MD, Ph.D.
"Are health benefits of school-based moderate to vigorous physical activity interventions in childhood carried forward into young adulthood?"
Sergei Kirov, Ph.D.
"Synaptic Circuitry in Stroke"
Lawrence Layman, MD
"Genetics Causes of Infertility"
Lin Gan, Ph.D.
"Genetics Causes of Infertility"
David Mysona, MD
"Use of Artificial Intelligence for Improved Surgical Outcomes and Education"
Namwon Choi, MFA
Christina Heckman, Ph.D.
Mohamed Ibrahem, Ph.D.
"SAFE-5G: Safeguarding 5G and Beyond Networks Against Cyber Threats and Data Privacy Leaks in the Era of AI-driven ORAN"
Eric Numfor, Ph.D.
"The Impact of Defective Viral Genomes on the Spread and Control of SARS-CoV-2: Multiscale Modeling"
Wendy Turner, Ph.D.
"Connections Between Violence and Mental Trauma in Medieval English Legal Records"
Angelia Winkler, Ph.D.
"Hydration and cardiovascular disease risk assessments in firefighters"
FY 2023
Stephen Hsu, PhD
"Pre-IND studies of novel EC16 nasal formulations to reduce Post-COVID neurologic symptoms"
GSU PI: Mukesh Kumar PhD, DVM, Biology Department
Stacie Pettit, PhD
"Factors Influencing the Successful Transition of Students in Foster Care to Higher Education: An Exploratory Pilot Study"
GSU PI: Ann DiGirolamo, PhD, MPH, Georgia Health Policy Center
Christy Ledford, PhD, FACH
"Novel instruments for assessing community perceptions of researchers and the research process"
GSU PI: Leslie Wolf, JD, MPH, College of Law
Rachel Elam, MD
Hong Shi, MD
Jennifer Bradford, PhD
Dinesh Hasija, PhD
John Hayes, PhD
E. Nicole Meyer, PhD
Siva Panda, PhD
Marcel Ramalho de Mello, DA
Ahmed El-Awady, PhD
"The Role of Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells in Dendritic Cell Dysfunction in Periodontitis"
MPIs: Drs. El-Awady and Korkaya
Hasan Korkaya, PhD
"The Role of Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells in Dendritic Cell Dysfunction in Periodontitis"
MPIs: Drs. El-Awady and Korkaya
Joshua Thomas, PhD
"COV, Mental Health, and Soul Study (CMAS STUDY)"
MPIs: Drs. Thomas and McCall
W. Vaughn McCall
"COV, Mental Health, and Soul Study (CMAS STUDY)"
MPIs: Drs. Thomas and McCall
Molly Kindred, PhD
Qihua Qiu, PhD
Nicholas Schoenmann, MD
"Severe hemorrhage resuscitation with dichloroacetate in a swine model"
MPIs: Drs. Schoenmann, Raju, and Lyon
Raghavan Raju, PhD
"Severe hemorrhage resuscitation with dichloroacetate in a swine model"
MPIs: Drs. Schoenmann, Raju, and Lyon
Matthew Lyon, MD
"Severe hemorrhage resuscitation with dichloroacetate in a swine model"
MPIs: Drs. Schoenmann, Raju, and Lyon
Shruti Sharma, PhD
"Interleukin-6 trans signaling and Inflammaging"
MPIs: Drs. Sharma and Hoffman
Jessica Hoffman, PhD
"Interleukin-6 trans signaling and Inflammaging"
MPIs: Drs. Sharma and Hoffman
Alexander Verin, PhD
"ESAM-mediated mechanisms of lung injury in HFpEF"
MPIs: Drs. Verin and Bagi
Zsolt Bagi, MD, PhD
"ESAM-mediated mechanisms of lung injury in HFpEF"
MPIs: Drs. Verin and Bagi
Wei Zhang, DPB
"Elucidation of the in vivo function of DDX21 in proliferative vasculopathy"
FY 2022
Yanbin Dong, PhD
"Geographical Disparities in Healthcare Access and Living Conditions on Mental and Cardiovascular Health: Longitudinal Analyses in the Central Savannah River Area"
GSU PI: Dajun Dai, PhD, Department of Geoscience
Jessica Filosa, PhD
"Inverse neurovascular coupling in the hypothalamus contributes to neurohumoral activation in heart failure"
GSU PI: Javier Stern, MD PhD, Neuroscience Institute
Joseph Miano, PhD
"Development and Characterization of a Novel Humanized Mouse Model for COVID-19"
GSU PI: Christopher Basler, Ph.D., Institute for Biomedical Sciences
Hong Shi, MD
Ryan Bloomquist, DMD, PhD
Daniel Linder, PhD
Marlo Vernon, PhD
Colleen Walters, DNP
“Remote Rural Nursing Practice International Collaboration (RNPIC) between Augusta
University’s College of Nursing (AU CON) and Robert Gordon University’s School of
Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedic Practice (RGU SNMP)”
Submitted by Drs. Colleen Walters and Carol Hunter of Augusta University and Dr. Heather
Bain, Debbie Wilson and Jane Mair from Robert Gordon University.
Carol Hunter, DNP
“Remote Rural Nursing Practice International Collaboration (RNPIC) between Augusta
University’s College of Nursing (AU CON) and Robert Gordon University’s School of
Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedic Practice (RGU SNMP)”
Submitted by Drs. Colleen Walters and Carol Hunter of Augusta University and Dr. Heather
Bain, Debbie Wilson and Jane Mair from Robert Gordon University.
Nancy Havas, MD, FAAFP
“Health Care Student Rural Experience Learning in Scotland and Georgia”
Submitted by Dr. Nancy Havas, associate dean for Learner Affairs at the Medical College
of Georgia; Laura Chalmers, head of the Centre for Collaborative and Interprofessional
Practice at Robert Gordon University; Denise Kornegay, associate dean for Georgia
Statewide AHEC; and Dr. Kathryn Martin, associate dean for Regional Campus Coordination
at MCG.
Kathryn Martin, MPH, PhD
“Health Care Student Rural Experience Learning in Scotland and Georgia”
Submitted by Dr. Nancy Havas, associate dean for Learner Affairs at the Medical College
of Georgia; Laura Chalmers, head of the Centre for Collaborative and Interprofessional
Practice at Robert Gordon University; Denise Kornegay, associate dean for Georgia
Statewide AHEC; and Dr. Kathryn Martin, associate dean for Regional Campus Coordination
at MCG.
Elena Prendergast, DNP
“Impact of an international interprofessional education experience designed to equip
future health care professionals with skills to care for rural and marginalized populations”
Submitted by Dr. Elena Prendergast, assistant professor of nursing at Augusta University;
Dr. Devin Lavender, clinical assistant professor of the College of Pharmacy at the
University of Georgia; and Laura Chalmers, head of the Center of Employability and
Community Engagement at Robert Gordon University.
Preethi Reddi
“A comparative study of associations between time to first antenatal appointment and
preterm births in rural Georgia and rural Scotland”
Submitted by Preethi Reddi, a student at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta
University and Joanna Shim, a research fellow at Robert Gordon University.
Jennifer Sullivan, PhD
"Mechanisms of adverse pregnancy outcomes in a rat model of pregnancy following acute kidney injury"
MPIs: Drs. Sullivan and Faulkner
Jessica Faulkner, PhD
"Mechanisms of adverse pregnancy outcomes in a rat model of pregnancy following acute kidney injury"
MPIs: Drs. Sullivan and Faulkner
Yunchao Su, PhD
"Calpain/talin/MLCP axis in pulmonary endothelial barrier regulation"
MPIs: Drs. Su and Verin
Alexander Verin, PhD
"Calpain/talin/MLCP axis in pulmonary endothelial barrier regulation"
MPIs: Drs. Su and Verin
Jaclyn Murray, PhD
"How Prospective Elementary Teachers Plan Inquiry and Design Lessons with Model-Based Inquiry"
Darren Browning, PhD
Li Chen, PhD
Yanbin Dong, MD, PhD
Deborah Jehu, PhD
"The effects of exercise on executive function in older adults living with dementia"
MPIs: Drs. Jehu and Hamrick
Mark Hamrick, PhD
"The effects of exercise on executive function in older adults living with dementia"
MPIs: Drs. Jehu and Hamrick
Laszlo Kovacs, PhD
Brain Stansfield, MD
"Generation and characterization of a novel exosome reporter mouse model"
MPIs: Drs. Stansfield, Csanyi, and Tang
Gabor Csanyi, PhD
"Generation and characterization of a novel exosome reporter mouse model"
MPIs: Drs. Stansfield, Csanyi, and Tang
Yao-Liang Tang, MD, PhD
"Generation and characterization of a novel exosome reporter mouse model"
MPIs: Drs. Stansfield, Csanyi, and Tang
Wenbo Zhi, PhD
Monique Bethel, MD
Tohru Fukai, Ph.D, MD
"Endothelial Metabolism and Redox Imbalance in Vascular Disease"
MPIs Drs. Fukai and Ushio-Fukai
Masuko Ushio-Fukai, PhD
"Endothelial Metabolism and Redox Imbalance in Vascular Disease"
MPIs Drs. Fukai and Ushio-Fukai
Stuart Thompson, PhD
Shaoyong Su, PhD
Ahmed Elmarakby, PhD
Jennifer Bradford, PhD
Rudolph Lucas, PhD
"ENaC-α mediates lung fluid clearance and capillary barrier function in pneumonia"
MPIs: Drs. Lucas, Csanyi, and Lambert
Gabor Csanyi, PhD
"ENaC-α mediates lung fluid clearance and capillary barrier function in pneumonia"
MPIs: Drs. Lucas, Csanyi, and Lambert
Nevin Lambert, PhD
"ENaC-α mediates lung fluid clearance and capillary barrier function in pneumonia"
MPIs: Drs. Lucas, Csanyi, and Lambert
Clément Aubert, PhD
"Concurrency on Reversible Computations (CIRCO)"
Dustin Avent-Holt, PhD
"What is Productivity?: Defining & Redefining in Economic Discourse"
Kim S. Barker, PhD
"Community Assets in Support of Teaching and Learning: Celebrating Golden Blocks through Multigenre Texts"
Maria Sabbatini, PhD
"Participation of Twist1 and NADPH Oxidose1 – Evoked matrix Metalloproteinase9 Secretion in Activated pancreatic Stellate Cells"
Mary-Kate Lizotte, PhD
"Gender and American Democracy: Differences in Support for Democratic Values & Principles"
Sangsun Choi, MFA
"International Documentary Production Proposal: North Korean Defectors in South Korea"
Shogo Mori, PhD
"Characterization of the Enzymatic Homologation Pathway for discovery of Drugs with Resistance to Biodegration"
Avirup Guha, MBBS, MPH
Haidong Zhu, PhD
FY 2021
Adam Berman, MD
"Determinants, Impacts, and Spillover Effects of Telestroke Therapy in Georgia"
GSU PIs: Aaron Baird, PhD, Institute for Health Administration; Yisen Xia, PhD, Institute for Insight; Yichen Cheng, PhD, Institute for Insight
Martha Tingen, PhD
"Pilot Evaluation of a Mobile Health Intervention for Smoking Cessation In Rural and Urban Georgia"
GSU PI: Claire Adams Spears, PhD, Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences
Ashwani Tiwari, PhD
"Understanding the Feasibility of a Mobile Health Augmentation for Evidence-Based Child Maltreatment Interventions: An Applicable Approach During Times of COVID-19 & Beyond"
GSU PI: Sharon Self-Brown, PhD, Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences
Jose Vazquez, MD
"Virus Genetics Variation and anti- SARS-CoV-2 Antibody in COVID-19 Patients in Georgia"
GSU PI: Christopher Basler, PhD, Institute for Biomedical Sciences
Ryan Bloomquist, DMD, PhD
Daniel Linder, PhD
Marlo Vernon, PhD
Justin Moore, PhD
Justine Abais-Battad, PhD
Ryan Bloomquist, DMD, PhD
Wendy Bollag, PhD
Gabor Csanyi, PhD
"Intercellular communication via macropinocytosis in abdominal aortic aneurysm"
MPIs: Drs. Csanyi and Stansfield
Brian Stansfield, MD
"Intercellular communication via macropinocytosis in abdominal aortic aneurysm"
MPIs: Drs. Csanyi and Stansfield
Jaclyn Murray, PhD
Mong-Heng Wang, PhD
Ali Arbab, MD, PhD
Soumia Brakta, MD
Rudolph Lucas, PhD
Barbara Mysona, PhD
Maria Eugenia Sabbatini, PhD
Menaka Thounaojam, PhD
John Vender, MD
Eric Belin de Chantemele, DSc
"Sex Differences in the Activation of the Leptin-Aldosterone-MR Axis: Study in Human Samples"
MPIs: Drs. Belin de Chantemele and Saeed
Muhammad Saeed, MBBS
"Sex Differences in the Activation of the Leptin-Aldosterone-MR Axis: Study in Human Samples"
MPIs: Drs. Belin de Chantemele and Saeed
Jessica Filosa, PhD
"The Impact of Blood Pressure Variability on Neurovascular Function"
Brian Miller, MD
"Clozapine, Insomnia, Hyperarousal and Suicide in Schizophrenia"
Muthusamy Thangaraju, PhD
"Role of DNMT1 in Regulation of Genome-Wide Methylation in ADPKD Cystogenesis"
Alexander Verin, PhD
"HDAC9 Nuclear/Cytoplasmic Shuttling in Pulmonary Vascular Endothelial Barrier Regulation"
Dinesh Hasija, PhD
Trent Michael Kays, PhD
Paul Langridge, PhD
"Developing a Platform for Engineering Customizable Cell-Cell Signaling in vivo"
Darla Linville, PhD
"What Youth Want: Queer Adult Allies for Queer and Trans Youth"
E. Nicole Meyer, PhD
"Questioning Family Fractures in Nathalie Sarraute's Life Writing: Investigating the Archive"
Marianna Williams, MFA
"ECC Venice Art Biennial Installation"
FY 2020
Ali Arbab, MD, PhD
James Kenneth Byrd, MD
Laura Carbone, MD
"Amino Acids and Osteoporosis in Aging"
MPIs: Drs. Carbone and Isales
Carlos Isales, MD
"Amino Acids and Osteoporosis in Aging"
MPIs: Drs. Carbone and Isales
Christopher W. Cutler, DDS, PhD
Hanfei Ding, PhD
Nahid Mivechi, PhD
"Role of Heat Shock Transcription Factor Hsf1 in Tumorigenesis"
MPIs: Drs. Mivechi and Moskofidis
Dimitrios Moskofidis, PhD
"Role of Heat Shock Transcription Factor Hsf1 in Tumorigenesis"
MPIs: Drs. Mivechi and Moskofidis
Nagendra Singh, PhD
Alexander Verin, PhD
"Endothelial Barrier Protection and Repair in Acute Lung Injury"
MPIs: Drs. Vernin, Fulton, Su, and Lucas
David Fulton, PhD
"Endothelial Barrier Protection and Repair in Acute Lung Injury"
MPIs: Drs. Vernin, Fulton, Su, and Lucas
Yunchao Su, PhD
"Endothelial Barrier Protection and Repair in Acute Lung Injury"
MPIs: Drs. Vernin, Fulton, Su, and Lucas
Rudolf Lucas, PhD
"Endothelial Barrier Protection and Repair in Acute Lung Injury"
MPIs: Drs. Vernin, Fulton, Su, and Lucas
Yisang Yoon, PhD
"A Novel Regulatory Mechanism of Mitochondrial Permeability Transition"
Pachiappan Arjunan, PhD
Eric Belin de Chantemele, DSc
"Contribution of the integrase inhibitor Dolutegravir to Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease in Persons Living with HIV and Mouse Models of HIV"
MPIs: Dr. Belin de Chantemele and Harris
Ryan Harris, PhD
"Contribution of the integrase inhibitor Dolutegravir to Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease in Persons Living with HIV and Mouse Models of HIV"
MPIs: Dr. Belin de Chantemele and Harris
Haroldo Flores-Toque, PhD
Babak Baban, PhD
Scott Barman, PhD
Yanbin Dong, MD, PhD
Graydon Gonsalvez, PhD
Haidong Zhu, MD, PhD
Elizabeth Culatta, PhD
Maria Sabbatini, PhD
Seretha Williams, PhD
Spencer Wise, PhD
Weiming Xiang, PhD
Paul York, PhD
FY 2019
Clare Bergson, PhD
Wendy Bollag, PhD
Darren Browning, PhD
Angelia Holland, PhD
Terri Marin, PhD
Vincent Robinson, MD
Maria Eugenia Sabbatini, PhD
Mohamed Al-Shabrawey, PhD
Scott Barman, PhD
Honglin Li, PhD
Jie Li, PhD
Santhakumar Manicassamy, PhD
Pamela Martin, PhD
Brian Miller, MD
Paul O'Connor, PhD
David Stepp, PhD
Muthusamy Thangaraju, PhD
Gang Zhou, PhD
John Cowell, PhD, DSc
KM Monirul Islam, PhD
Nahid Mivechi, PhD
Huabo Su, PhD
Jennifer Sullivan, PhD
"The Role of Aldosterone in High Fat Diet-Induced Hypertension in Males and Females"
MPIs: Drs. Sullivan, Belin de Chantemele, Bollag
Eric Belin de Chantemele, DSc
"The Role of Aldosterone in High Fat Diet-Induced Hypertension in Males and Females"
MPIs: Drs. Sullivan, Belin de Chantemele, Bollag
Wendy Bollag, PhD
"The Role of Aldosterone in High Fat Diet-Induced Hypertension in Males and Females"
MPIs: Drs. Sullivan, Belin de Chantemele, Bollag
Lufei Young, PhD
"Investigator-Initiated Pilot Study to Evaluate Preclinical Effects of Nicotinamide Riboside in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm"
MPIs: Drs. Young and Weintraub
Neal Weintraub, MD
"Investigator-Initiated Pilot Study to Evaluate Preclinical Effects of Nicotinamide Riboside in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm"
MPIs: Drs. Young and Weintraub
Dustin Avent-Holt, PhD
"Political Violence, Status Salience, and Workplace Inequality in Israel, 1005 - 2015"
Megan Buning, PhD
Christina Heckman, PhD
Angelia Maleah Holland, PhD
Laurence Miller, PhD
Wendy Turner, PhD
