Though COVID-19 led to the postponement of the 2020 Leading the Way Awards Luncheon, the USF Women’s Health Collaborative still awarded seed grants to four faculty teams, made possible by the generosity of the 2019 event sponsors and attendees.

Each year, faculty teams compete for seed grants that support interdisciplinary research to advance women’s health. In the last seven years, the USF Women’s Health Collaborative has funded 38 research projects and 120 researchers across the USF Health colleges and partners inside and outside of the USF System.

“As Tampa Bay’s only academic medical center, USF Health cares for the health of women across all stages of their lives,” said Dr. Catherine Lynch, associate vice president for women’s health and faculty development at USF Health. “We understand the power of uniting education, research and clinical innovation to make life better for patients.”

Four research awards to USF Health faculty:

• $15,000 grant sponsored by PNC Bank for “COVID-19, peritraumatic distress, mental health and educational attainment in a sample of African American teen mothers in Hillsborough County’s alternative education programs” by Abraham A. Salinas-Miranda, MD, PhD, College of Public Health; Heather Agazzi, PhD, Morsani College of Medicine; Manisha Joshi, PhD, College of Behavioral & Community Sciences; Guitele Rahill, PhD, College of Behavioral & Community Sciences; Linda Callejas, PhD, College of Behavioral & Community Sciences; Cheryl Vamos, PhD, College of Public Health
  This study will investigate associations among pre- and current-COVID-19 disparities, social distancing mandates, peritraumatic distress, social support, and childhood experiences, in relation to educational achievement/attainment in a sample of African American teen mothers.
• $15,000 grant for “Preterm Vitamin A intake:  from  maternal diet to gut microbiome and postnatal growth” by Tina Ho, DO, Morsani College of Medicine; Maureen Groer, PhD, College of Nursing; Heewon Gray, PhD, College of Public Health; Johanan Vargas, MD, Morsani College of Medicine
  This study will evaluate the health benefits of vitamin A intake in very low birth weight infants and the potential modification with maternal diet.
  
• $10,000 grant sponsored by Betty Castor for “Validation of a screening tool to predict women at high risk for surgical failure following pelvic organ prolapse repair” by Allison Wyman, MD, Morsani College of Medicine; Russell Kirby, PhD, College of Public Health; Susana Lai-Yuen, PhD, College of Engineering; Renee Bassaly, DO, Morsani College of Medicine; Jean Tanner, PhD, College of Public Health; Jason L. Salemi, PhD, College of Public Health; Kristie Greene, MD, Morsani College of Medicine
  Pelvic floor disorders affect millions of women across the United States. This study will examine an MRI-based measure of pelvic muscles to develop a model for predicting the risk of failure in surgical repairs.
• $7,500 grant sponsored by Tampa General Hospital for “Validating nerve fiber recovery, patient-reported and functional outcomes of an exercise intervention for Taxane-induced  CIPN” by Patricia Teran Wodzinski, PhD, School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences; Constance Visovsky, PhD, College of Nursing; Ming Ji, PhD, College of Nursing; Douglas Haladay, DPT, PhD, School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences; Tuan Vu, MD, Morsani College of Medicine
  Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) affects up to 80-90% of women breast cancer survivors. This pilot study will evaluate whether participating in a 16-week exercise program will reduce the impact of this nerve damage for patients. 

The recipients will be honored along with the 2020 “Remarkabull” award honoree USF President Emerita Judy Genshaft at the Leading the Way Awards Luncheon when it is rescheduled for spring 2021. To support women’s health research through the USF Women’s Health Collaborative, visit usf.to/whc.