Accelerating research in health care

Nine researchers have joined Clemson University and Prisma Health’s National Institutes of Health (NIH) Accelerator Program this year. With the help of accomplished research mentors, selected faculty members will work to obtain federal funding for health-related projects ranging from cancer symptom management to targeted drug therapies.

The NIH Accelerator Program is a mentoring program for faculty investigators seeking NIH funding. Participants have access to mentors from the Prisma Health Education and Research Institute, which includes Furman University, Clemson University, University of South Carolina and Prisma Health, who provide mentorship and consistent feedback throughout the grant application process. Mentors were chosen based on their success with various NIH grants, and these partnerships serve as development activities to support the growth of health research and collaboration at the University.

“Health research has become a priority across Clemson’s campus and has brought researchers together from eight colleges,” said Windsor Westbrook Sherrill, associate vice president for health research and professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences. “The NIH Accelerator Program supports Clemson Elevate’s focus on health innovation and enables Clemson faculty to be more competitive for health-related research funding.”

Applicants are selected for the program for their strong health research questions and applications. Participants experience hands-on learning in the training program, as they develop a draft proposal over the course of the year. In turn, they receive feedback from experienced researchers who have been funded by NIH and other agencies.

This year’s participants are:

• Susana Cerqueira, Department of Bioengineering | College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences | Research Topic: Nanoparticle-based targeted drug delivery
• Lyndsey Deaton, School of Architecture | College of Architecture, Art and Construction | Research Topic: How accessibility to health centers contributes to the rise in pregnancy among black teens
• Joanna Fiddler, Department of Food, Nutrition and Packaging | College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences | Research Topic: Micronutrient interventions to maximize health in individuals
• Matthew Hudson, Cancer Care Delivery Research | Prisma Health | Research Topic: Pain experienced by non-Hispanic Black patients with cancer
• Ethan Kung, Department of Mechanical Engineering | College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences | Research Topic: Stroke risk in patients with carotid stenosis
• Kylie Rock, Department of Biological Sciences | College of Science | Research Topic: The role of preconception endocrine disruption on female fertility and fecundity
• Cedomir Stanojevic, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management | College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences | Research Topic: Interdisciplinary approaches to developing a digital artificial intelligence health system

• Janice Withycombe, School of Nursing | College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences | Research Topic: Physical activity in children with cancer as a symptom management intervention
• Heidi Zinzow, Department of Psychology | College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences | Research Topic: Evidence-based violence prevention interventions in substance use disorder treatments

This year’s mentors are:

• Thomas Britt, Department of Psychology | College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences
• Kaileigh Byrne, Department of Psychology | College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences
• Shelia Cotten, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice | College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences
• Amy Crockett, Maternal and Fetal Medicine | Prisma Health
• Sarah Floyd, Department of Public Health Sciences | College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences

• Sarah Griffin, Department of Public Health Sciences | College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences

• Moonseong Heo, Department of Public Health Sciences | College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences
• Xia Jing, Department of Public Health Sciences | College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences
• Alain Litwin, Department of Psychology | College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences
• Phyllis Raynor, College of Nursing | University of South Carolina
• Lior Rennert, Department of Public Health Sciences | College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences

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The Clemson University School of Health Research (CUSHR) is a multidisciplinary unit facilitating health research and scholarship. Since 2013, CUSHR has been a key entity for health-related scholarship and collaboration, with more than 160 Clemson faculty engaged in health research that impacts both the local community and broader nation.