Pilot Projects
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MCCTR Investigators
Evangeline Deer, PhD
Assistant Professor, Pharmacology & Toxicology
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
“Detecting of IL-17 associated with deficiencies in vitamin D and its receptor with T Cell activation in Response to Placental Ichemia and/or Pre-term Birth”
June 2025 to Present
Pubmed
Courtney Roper, PhD
Assistant Professor, Environmental Psychology
University of Mississippi - Oxford
Pilot Projects Program
“Building Community Air Quality Research Capacity in the Mississippi Delta”
June 2025 to Present
Pubmed
Peter Mittwede, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
“Immediate versus delayed weight bearing after fixation of pelvis and acetabulum fractures: a randomized controlled trial”
October 2024 to Present
Pubmed
Timothy Yen, MD
Assistant Professor, Nephrology
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"Optimizing Volume Management in Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis"
August 2023 to Present
Pubmed
Cooper Brookshire, MS, DVM
Assistant Clinical Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine
Mississippi State University
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"One Health Analysis of Antimicrobial Resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae"
October 2022 to Present
Pubmed
Carolann Risley, PhD, MSN, WHNP-C
Professor, School of Nursing
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"Risk of Premalignant dysplasia and Cancer of the Uterine Cervix in Women in Mississippi who are Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinated vs. HPV unvaccinated"
January 2022 to Present
Pubmed
Maria Clarissa Tio, MD
Assistant Professor, Nephrology
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"The Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Kidney Disease in HFpEF with Obesity"
January 2022 to Present
Pubmed
Yoshitsugu Obi, MD
Assistant Professor, Nephorology
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"Empagliflozen in ESRD: a Feasibility Study"
September 2021 to Present
Pubmed
Past Investigators
Joo Youn Park, MS, DVM, PhD
Research Assistant Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine
Mississippi State University
Pilot Projects Program
"Genome-wide analysis of Staphylococcus aureus Pathogenicity in Human Diabetic Foot Ulcers"
September 2024 to September 2025
Pubmed
Laura Coats, PhD
Assistant Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
"Effects of Maternal Obesity Class and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus on Fetal Overgrowth in Utero"
August 2024 to July 2025
Pubmed
Jonathon Stavres, PhD
Assistant Professor, Kinesiology, Nutrition and Health
Miami University
Pilot Projects Program
"Implications of Exaggerated Metaboreflex Responses in Metabolic Syndrome"
August 2024 to July 2025
Pubmed
J. Paula Warrington, PhD
Associate Professor, Neurology
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
“EEG Patterns in Pregnancy: Eclampsia vs. Epilepsy”
December 2023 to December 2024
Pubmed
Harish Chander, MS, PhD
Associate Dean of Research & Innovation
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
"Movement Disorders and Cognitive Impairments from SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Older Adults"
December 2023 to December 2024
Pubmed
Michelle Tucci, PhD
Professor, Orthopedic Surgery
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
"Novel NPY Antagonism for Treatment of Immunporosis"
December 2023 to June 2025
Pubmed
Matthew Jessee, PhD
Associate Professor, Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management
University of Mississippi - Oxford
Pilot Projects Program
"Vascular Adaptions to Single-Sprint Training"
June 2023 to January 2025
Pubmed
Carrie Henderson, MD
Professor, Pediatrics
LSU Health - New Orleans
Pilot Projects Program
"Structured Family Deliberation for Decisions about Home Ventilation"
April 2023 to April 2024
Pubmed
Hallie Smith, PhD, BCBA-D, LP
Assistant Professor, Applied Behavior Analysis
Mississippi State University
Pilot Projects Program
"Increasing Efficiency of Treatment Identification for Pediatric Feeding Problems through the Development of a Rapid Assessment Tool"
April 2023 to July 2024
Pubmed
Matthias Krenn, PhD
Associate Professor, Neurosurgery
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
"Electrical Neuromodulation for Modifying Spinal Network Involved Spasticity"
November 2022 to March 2024
Pubmed
Matthew Priddy, PhD
Associate Professor, Additive Manufacturing Technical Lead (CAVS)
Mississippi State University
Pilot Projects Program
"Residual Stresses and Bone Remodeling: A Two-Step Simulation Framework for Improved Finite Element Modeling of Dental Implants"
October 2022 to July 2024
Pubmed
Megan Renna, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
The Ohio State University
Pilot Projects Program
"Emotion Regulation Training to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk among Depressed Young Adults in Southern Mississippi: A Single-Session Design"
August 2022 to December 2023
Pubmed
Reuben Burch, PhD
Professor, Vice Provost for Research
Texas Christian University
Pilot Projects Program
"Incorporation of a Smart Sock with the Virtual Immersive Test for Postural Stability"
January 2022 to May 2023
Pubmed
William Davis, PhD
Assistant Professor, Agricultural Economics
Mississippi State University
Pilot Projects Program
"Understanding the Relationship between Broadband Access, Telehealth Utilization, and Population Health: Evidence from Mississippi"
January 2022 to May 2023
Pubmed
Ana Palei, PhD
Associate Professor, Surgery
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
"Platelet-mediated Mechanisms of Placental and Systemic Hypercoagulability in Pregnancies Complicated by Obesity and Preeclampsia"
January 2022 to March 2024
Pubmed
Kelsey Bonfils, PhD
Assistant Professor, Clinical Psychology
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"Sleep disturbance and inflammation as determinants of social cognition and behavior: An intensive longitudinal study of adults with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders"
January 2022 to December 2024
Pubmed
Marcus Zachariah, MD, PhD
Neurosurgeon
Neurosurgical Medical Clinic, San Diego, CA
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"Modeling Leptomeningeal Metastasis using Breast Circulating Tumor Cell Xenografts"
September 2021 to September 2022
Pubmed
Bernadette Grayson, MCR, PhD
Associate Dean, Population Health
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
"Glucagon-like Peptide 1-mediated Mechanisms of Metabolic Dysfunction after Spinal Cord Injury in Humans"
August 2021 to October 2022
Pubmed
Zerelda Esquer Garrigos, MD
Associate Professor, Medicine - Infectious Diseases
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
"Optimal Timing of Device Removal in Patients with Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Infections: A Multicenter Analysis"
August 2021 to January 2023
Pubmed
Parvesh Garg, MD
Associate Professor, Neonatology
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Pilot Projects Program
"Outcomes Prediction in Neonates with Surgical Necrotizing Enterocolitis Combining Clinical, Histopathological and Genomic Markers"
May 2021 to October 2022
Pubmed
Nuno Oliveira, PhD
Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Nutrition
University of Southern Mississippi
Pilot Projects Program
"Visual feedback monitoring during exercise in individuals with obesity"
December 2020 to November 2023
Pubmed
Richard Wells, MC, ChB
Assistant Professor, Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine
LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine
Pilot Projects Program
"Prospective Registry Study of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension in Mississippi"
November 2020 to June 2024
Erin Jackson, MD
Director, Pediatric Hematology
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
"Obesity in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease: A New Phenomenon"
November 2020 to June 2022
Pubmed
Lorena Amaral, PhD
Associate Professor, Pharmacology and Toxicology
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
"Progesterone and PIBF: New Insights for Treatment Options for Preeclampsia"
November 2020 to October 2022
Pubmed
Kurtis Showmaker, PhD
Systems Analyst
The Jackson Laboratory
Pilot Projects Program
"Development of the UMMC BioBase"
October 2020 to September 2021
Crystal Lim, PhD
Associate Professor, Health Psychology
University of Missouri
Pilot Projects Program
"Formative Research to Develop a Pediatric Obesity Primary Care Research Practice Network"
September 2020 to August 2022
Pubmed
Stephanie McCoy, PhD, MPH
Director, Kinesiology and Nutrition
University of Southern Mississippi
Pilot Projects Program
"Physical Activity and Cardiometabolic Health in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder"
October 2019 to October 2020
Pubmed
Vishnu Garla, MD
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
"Effect of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists (glp-1) on Trabecular Bone Mineral Density and Visceral Adiposity in Postmenopausal Patients"
September 2019 to July 2023
Pubmed
Caroline Compretta, PhD
Associate Professor, Preventive Medicine
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
"Mapping Informal and Formal Food Outlets to Address Obesity and Food Insecurity"
August 2019 to June 2020
Pubmed
Maria Gonzalez-Suarez, MD
Nephrologist, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension
Mayo Clinic
Pilot Projects Program
"AT1R Autoantibodies and the Risk of CVD and Mortality in ESKD"
June 2019 to November 2020
Pubmed
Pradeep Alur, MD
Adjunct Professor
Penn State College of Medicine
Pilot Projects Program
"Association between Weight for Length and Severity of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia"
April 2019 to October 2022
Pubmed
Michelle Williams, PhD
Associate Professor, Global and Community Health
George Mason University
Pilot Projects Program
"Survivor Heart: Improving Cardiovascular Outcomes in Breast Cancer Survivors"
April 2019 to July 2020
Pubmed
Donald "Trey" Clark, MD
Associate Professor, Medicine
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Pilot Projects Program
"Remote Hypertension Management Using Home Blood Pressure Telemonitoring and a Standardized Treatment Protocol"
August 2018 to March 2019
Pubmed
Hannah Copeland, MD
Associate Professor, Surgery
Indiana University School of Medicine
Pilot Projects Program
"Adipose Tissue Effects on Cardiac Surgery Outcomes (ATECO)"
August 2018 to May 2020
Pubmed
Meagen Rosenthal, PhD
Associate Professor, Pharmacy Administration
University of Mississippi (Oxford)
Pilot Projects Program
"Patient Perceptions of and Attitudes toward a Weight Management Program Offered by Community Pharmacies"
July 2018 to September 2019
Pubmed
Candace Howard-Claudio, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Radiology
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"Body Composition as a Biomarker of Obesity-Related Diseases in African-Americans"
January 2018 to April 2022
Pubmed
Brad Dufrene, PhD
Professor, Psychology
University of Southern Mississippi
Pilot Projects Program
"Mechanisms of change in parenting programs to prevent childhood obesity"
January 2018 to February 2020
Pubmed
Xiuquan Wang, PhD
Professor, Mathematics
Tougaloo College
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"Uncovering and Understanding Population Differences with Topological Methods"
January 2018 to July 2021
Pubmed
Matthew Kutcher, MD
Assistant Professor, Surgery
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"Obesity-Associated Hypercoagulability in Trauma Patients"
September 2017 to August 2018
Pubmed
Abigail Gamble, PhD
Assistant Professor, Preventive Medicine
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"Exploring exercise behavior in pregnant and postpartum adolescents in Mississippi"
August 2017 to July 2023
Pubmed
David Dolbow, DPT, PhD
Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy
William Carey University
Pilot Projects Program
“Electrically Induced Cycling and Nutritional Counseling for Counteracting Obesity after SCI”
May 2017 to January 2019
Pubmed
Sarah Sterling, MD
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"The Chronic State of Obesity and the Acute Response to Sepsis"
November 2016 to December 2020
Pubmed
Susan Mayfield-Johnson, PhD
Assistant Professor, Public Health
University of Southern Mississippi
Clinical/Translational Research Scholar
"Effectiveness of Community Health Workers in Reducing CVD in the Mississippi Delta"
November 2016 to July 2021
Pubmed