Q3 grants and awards surpass $20.8 million

Published on Tuesday, May 30, 2023

By: Andrea Wright Dilworth, awdilworth@umc.edu

Researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center garnered 57 new, continuing, transferred and revised grants and awards from January through March 2023, totaling $20,866,309.

The following faculty and staff received the largest competitive funding awards during the quarter.

Dr. Dustin Sarver, associate professor of psychiatry, received from the Department of Health and Human Services a $3.6 million award for the project, “AWARE in Mississippi (AIM)” and a $500,000 award for the project, “Mississippi Behavioral Health in Infants and Preschoolers (MS-Be HIP).” He also received a $354,000 award from the Health Resources and Services Administration for the project, “Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Expansion.”

Dr. Saurabh Chandra, chief telehealth officer, received a $3.75 million award from the HRSA for the project, “Telehealth Center of Excellence.”

Dr. April Carson, director of the Jackson Heart Study, received from the NIH a $1.22 million award for the project, “Jackson Heart Study Field Center - Task Area B.2” and a $1.02 million award for “Jackson Heart Study Coordinating Center - Task Area B.2.” She also received a $375,827 award from the NIH and University of Alabama for the project, “Determining True vs Apparent Treatment-resistant Hypertension among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study.”

Dr. Michael Garrett, professor of pharmacology, received a $2.28 million award from the National Institutes of Health for the project, “Molecular Center of Health and Disease.”

Dr. Lei Zhang, professor of nursing, received a $1.38 million award from the NIH for the project, “A Proposal to Establish the Mississippi Violence Injury Prevention (VIP) Program.”

Dr. Kedra Wallace, associate professor of pharmacology, received a $1.15 million award from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation for the project, “Evaluating Neuro Vascular Function and Hypertension Across a Lifespan (SDL)”

Dr. Thomas Mosley, professor and director of the MIND Center, received a $1 million award from the Mayo Clinic for the project, “Mind Center - Mayo Clinic Study of Aging” and $67,955 from the NIH and John Hopkins University for the project, “Glucose Instability and Neurocognitive Outcomes in Older Adults.”

Dr. Gailen Marshall, the R. Faser Triplett Sr. MD Chair in Allergy and Immunology, received a $656,268 award from the NIH and University of Mississippi for the project, “Spirulina Oral Supplement for Enhancing Host Resilience to Virus Infection.”

Dr. Alexandre da Silva, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics, received a $585,604 award from the NIH for the project, “Cardiac Protective Mechanisms of Melanocortin System Activation.”

Dr. David Stec, professor of physiology and biophysics, received a $497,217 award from the NIH for the project, “Integrative Role of Bilirubin on Obesity.”

Dr. Adrienne Tin, associate professor of the MIND Center, received a $296,409 award from the NIH for the project, “Identifying Novel Biological Pathways for Gout using DNA Methylation and Genetics.”

Dr. Erin Taylor, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics, received a $249,000 award from the NIH for the project, “Immune System Dysfunction and Gut Dysbiosis in the Pathogenesis of Vascular Dysfunction in Autoimmunity.”

Alice Chaney Herndon, director of Nursing Adult Services, received a $213,891 award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Mississippi State Department of Health for the project, “Women and Infants Certification Program.”

Dr. Joey Granger, associate vice chancellor for research and dean of the School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences, received a $166,005 award from the NIH and the University of Chicago for the project, “The Prevention of Post Partum Cardiac Dysfunction.”

Dr. Nancy Min, associate professor of medicine, received a $160,054 award from the NIH and University of North Carolina for the project, “Arterial Stiffness and Brain Health in African Americans.”

Dr. Bolaji Famuyide, chief of pediatric neonatology, received a $140,639 award from the U.S. Department of Education and Mississippi State Department of Health for the project, “Infant and Toddlers Early Intervention Services.”

Dr. David Josey, associate professor of pediatrics, received a $126,732 award from the NIH and University of Arkansas for the project, “BREATHE Study: Bronchiolitis Recovery and the Use of High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filters.”

Denise Lafferty, chief strategy and operations officer for the MIND Center, received an $84,828 award from DHHS and MSDH for the project, “UMMC Mind Center BOLD - Mississippi Alzheimer's Disease and Related Program (Core Capacity).”

Dr. Naznin Dixit, division chief of pediatric endocrinology, received an $84,447 award from HRSA and MSDH for the project, “Pediatrics Diabetes Case Management.”

Dr. Xiaochen He, postdoctoral fellow and instructor of physiology and biophysics, received a $76,846 award from the American Heart Association for the project, “Effect of Cell Specific PD-1 Inhibition on Cardiac Toxicity.”

Dr. Xuan Li, postdoctoral fellow and instructor of physiology and biophysics, received a $75,630 award from the American Heart Association for the project, “Role of Sestrin2 in Endoplasmic Reticulum Homeostasis and Cardiac Protection During Ischemia Reperfusion Injury.”

Dr. Jorge Vidal, associate professor of cell and molecular biology, received a $75,035 award from the NIH and University of Georgia for the project, “Epitope and Mechanistic Correlates of Broadly Protective Human Antibodies for Pneumococcal Infection.”

Dr. Olofunto Badmus, postdoctoral fellow and instructor of physiology and biophysics, received a $70,077 award from the AHA for the project, “Mechanism of Hypertension in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.”

Dr. Colette Parker, division chief of pediatric neurology, received a $52,606 award from HRSA and MSDH for the project, “UMMC Pediatric Neurology Case Management Services.”