2019 Awarded Grants

Jennie Hill, PhD & Kate Heelan, PhD

Title:  Translating Effacious Pediatric Weight Management Interventions into Rural and Micropolitan Communities

Funding Agency: DHHS/CDC

Our first aim is to collaboratively refine and develop an intervention package for the TLD that includes all of the materials necessary for others to implement the intervention in new micropolitan and rural locations. Our second aim is to perform a rigorous, mixed-methods pilot implementation research study using an innovative community application process to identify 4 to 8 new communities to pilot test the utility of the packaged PWMI and training materials when coupled with a learning collaborative facilitation strategy and sustainability action planning process in supporting PWMI adoption, implementation, and sustainability when compared to receiving access to the packaged program and training materials alone. Additional outcomes will include start-up and ongoing costs while tracking intervention reach, representativeness, and effectiveness in reducing and maintaining child weight status relative to a matched cohort. Our third aim is to use the pilot evaluation data and results of the sustainability action plan to refine program and training materials and develop a dissemination plan to move the program to other communities.

For more information, contact Dr. Jennie Hill or Dr. Kate Heelan.

Wael ElRayes, PhD

Title: Establish a Biosecurity National Regulatory Authority Responsible for Providing Biorisk Management Oversight and Enforcement in Egypt

Funding Agency: US Department of State

To establish an intergovernmental agency that has the legislative authority, executive oversight for biosafety and biosecurity in Egypt. To that end, we are working with 5 ministries in Egypt, the private section, (the US) CDC, and UNMC.

For more information, contact Dr. Wael ElRayes.

Jesse Bell, PhD

Title:  sing Extreme Weather Event Attribution to Determine the Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health

Funding Agency: Society of Actuaries

To identify the relationships between extreme events and human health outcomes. To identify the influence of climate change on present-day extreme events. To determine the excess health impacts, both cost and utilization that resulted from climate change. To report these results to actuaries to help them understand that climate change currently impacts their evaluation of potential risk in a population of interest. By determining these links between climate change and human health, actuaries, health insurance companies, health practitioners, and decision-makers can determine if their plans and analysis are accurately accounting for the current and potential changes in extreme events that are occurring in their region.

For more information, contact Dr. Jesse Bell.

Eric Carnes, PhD

Title: Product Formulation

Funding Agency: National Strategic Research Institute

To formulate liquid decontamination and therapeutic agents as shelf-stable dry powders. To assess stability and performance of dry powder materials. To optimize formulations to maximize stability and activity of dry powders under customer-defined use conditions.

For more information, contact Dr. Eric Carnes.

Catherine Pratt

Title: Enhanced PGS Support forDemocratic Republic of the Congo Ebola Outbreak

Funding Agency: Gates Foundation

The project aims to support Ebola virus sequencing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more accurate and timely laboratory characterization of the virus to support the public health response to the ongoing EVD outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

For more information, contact Catherine Pratt.