The College of Public Health and Health Professions hosted its 30th annual Research Day on April 12, featuring 130 poster presentations by undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and associates.
The event included oral presentations by the top five graduate student poster awardees and welcoming remarks by David S. Guzick, M.D., Ph.D., UF senior vice president for health affairs and UF Health president. Sandra A. Brown, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research and a distinguished professor at University of California San Diego, presented the keynote address, “The Next Generation of Alcohol and Drug Research: Opportunities through Adolescent Studies.”
Brown’s pioneering studies of cognitive features of youth addiction and adolescent development have led to 26 federally funded grants, including the current National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence study and the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, the largest longitudinal study of youth brain development ever funded by the National Institutes of Health. In addition to publishing over 300 peer-reviewed articles and one book, she has served as president of the Society of Addiction Psychology and is on the board of directors of the American Psychological Association and the Research Society on Alcoholism.
“Research Day is an exciting day to showcase the efforts that are being conducted by PHHP students and their faculty mentors,” said Linda B. Cottler, Ph.D., M.P.H., PHHP’s associate dean for research and chair of the department of epidemiology. “Their work spans multiple disciplines, cultures, countries, populations, and topics. Thanks to all who helped to make this event a success, including Dr. Brown.”
Top abstracts
Leslie Gaynor, department of clinical and health psychology
“Translational Object Discrimination Task Identifies Preclinical Cognitive Decline Better than Traditional Neuropsychological Tests”
Mentor: Russell Bauer
Vivian Bauman, department of clinical and health psychology
“Effect of Dose of Behavioral Obesity Treatment on HbA1c in Adults with Prediabetes”
Mentor: Michael G. Perri
Alison Barnard, department of physical therapy
“A Novel MRI Study of Diaphragm and Chest Wall Dynamics in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy”
Mentor: Krista Vandenborne
Ivana Vaughn, department of health services research, management and policy
“Medicaid Versus Private Insurance and Medication Adherence in Adults with Fibromyalgia”
Mentor: Nicole Marlow
Molly Basch, department of clinical and health psychology
“Differences in the Sleep-Pain Relationship by Youth Age and Ethnicity”
Mentor: David Janicke