Q2 grants and awards surpass $18.6 million

Published on Monday, March 11, 2024

By: Andrea Wright Dilworth, awdilworth@umc.edu

Faculty and staff at the University of Mississippi Medical Center garnered 76 new, continuing, transferred and revised grants and awards from October through December 2023, totaling $18,623,457.75.

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

Dr. Jonathan Wilson, chief administrative officer, received the largest award, $2 million, from the Health Resources and Services Administration for the project, “Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending – Construction.” He also received a $755,000 award from the U.S. Department of Justice for the project, “FY23 COPS Technology and Equipment Program” and $617,896 from the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services for the project, “FY24 SMAT PHEP/HPP.”

Dr. Daniela Rueedi-Bettschen, assistant professor of psychiatry, received a $1.5 million award from the National Institutes of Health for the project, “Fentanyl Use during Pregnancy: Impact on Dam, Placenta and Offspring Development.”

Dr. Dustin Sarver, associate professor of psychiatry, received a $1.4 million award from DHHS for the project, “Implementation of a Perinatal to Preschool (P2P) Behavioral Health Continuum.”

Dr. Joshua Mann, chair of preventive medicine, received an $896,906 award from HRSA for the project, “Promoting Resilience and Mental Health among Health Professional Workforce.”

Dr. Deirdre Rogers, director of the Mississippi Cancer Registry, received a $785,000 award from DHHS for the project, “Implementing, Enhancing and Sustaining the Mississippi Cancer Registry.”

Dr. Nicholas McAfee, assistant professor of psychiatry, received a $750,000 award from DHHS for the project, “Telemental Health Expansion for Mississippi University Students.”

Dr. Sharon McElwain, associate professor of nursing, received a $750,000 award from Accelerate MS and the U.S. Department of Treasury for the project, “UMMC SON BSN Oxford Site Project (ARPA).”

Dr. Susan Buttross, medical director of the Center for Advancement of Youth, received a $750,000 award from the Mississippi Department of Education for the project, “ESSER Behavioral Telehealth in Schools Grant.”

Sara Withrow, nurse practitioner supervisor for CAY, received for the “ESSER Behavioral Telehealth in Schools Grant” project an additional $750,000 award from MDE. Buttross was the original principal investigator.

Dr. Courtney Walker, assistant professor of psychiatry, received a $749,998 award from HRSA for the project, “Screening and Treatment for Maternal Depression and Related Behavioral Disorders Program.”

Dr. Thomas Mosley, Robbie and Dudley Hughes Distinguished MIND Center Chair, received a $666,139 award from NIH for the project, “The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study Field Center - Task Area B.” He also received a $67,994 award from Johns Hopkins University and NIH for the project, “Glucose Instability and Neurocognitive Outcomes in Older Adults.”

Dr. James Brock, associate professor of medicine, received a $525,000 award from HRSA for the project, “Ryan White Part C Outpatient EIS Program” and $155,677 from Brown University and NIH for the project, “A Multisite Randomized Trial of Battle Viro: A Mobile Gaming App to Improve ART Adherence for Youth.”

Dr. Michael Griswold, Dea Dea Adams Baker MIND Center professor of biostatistics and data science, received a $499,999 award from NIH for the project, “Data Support - Boston Longitudinal Study for Aging.”

Dr. Gene Bidwell, associate vice chancellor for research, received a $499,268 award from NIH for the project, “A Novel Protein Delivery System for Therapy of Preeclampsia.”

Dr. Pradeep Vaitla, medical director of kidney and pancreas transplantation, received a $490,386 award from Duke University and NIH for the project, “Health System Outreach to Eliminate Disparities in Living Kidney Transplants.”

Dr. Michael Garrett, professor of pharmacology, received two awards, for $227,061 and $204,049, from University of Southern Mississippi and NIH for the project, “Mississippi INBRE.”

Dr. Jorge Vidal, associate professor of cell and molecular biology, received a $375,437 award from NIH for the project, “The Oxidation of Heme-carrying Proteins in the Pathophysiology of Pneumococcal Disease.”

Dr. Ji Li, professor of physiology and biophysics, received a $373,750 award from NIH for the project, “MIF and Cardiovascular Inflammation.”

Dr. April Carson, director of the Jackson Heart Study, received a $214,196 award from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and NIH for the project, “Blood Pressure and ADRD in African Americans: the Jackson Heart Study.” She also received a $71,588 award from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and NIH for “Qualifying Cardiac Structure and Function to Define the Progression to Heart Failure in African Americans.”

Dr. Abigail Gamble, associate professor of preventive medicine, received a $263,034 award from Tulane University and NIH for the project, “Southern Center for Maternal Health Equity.”

Dr. Amy Kohtz, assistant professor of psychiatry, received a $249,000 award from NIH for the project, “Sex Differences in Addiction.”

Dr. Yuan-I Min, associate professor of medicine, received a $206,286 award from Drexel University and NIH for the project, “Cardiometabolic Risk Development and Management in Changing Neighborhoods: the Jackson Heart Study.” He also received a $20,291 award from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and NIH for the project, “Myocardial Randiomics and Mechanics in the Pathology and Prognosis of Cardiovascular Disease.”

Dr. Bhagyashri Navalkele, medical director in the Division of Infectious Diseases, received a $164,889 award from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and NIH for the project, “Prevention of SARS-CoV2-mediated COVID-19 in Adults Aged 18 Years and Older.”