Research Programs

Nursing Research Programs

The College of Nursing and Health Innovation hosts some of UTA's most exciting scientific research programs. As part of the Department of Undergraduate Nursing and the Department of Graduate Nursing, researchers regularly and closely collaborate with Department of Kinesiology, and make important contributions to research at the University.

• Dr. Patricia Allard
  Focuses on exploring the role of resilience, anxiety, depression, and stress on the mental health of newly graduated nurses transitioning to practice.
  
• Dr. Marco Brotto, PhD
  Investigating Muscle Physiology and Musculoskeletal Disease.
• Dr. Daisha Cipher, PhD - NERI lab
  Specializes in conducting research aimed at determining the causes of successful outcomes in clinical, educational, and medical settings, using various statistical tools such as risk modeling and multivariate applications, as well as analyses of large national health datasets.
• Dr. Umber Darilek, PhD, RN, IBCLC
  Focuses on understanding and leveraging the capacity of the parent-infant relationship to buffer toxic stress in the NICU as a neuroprotective intervention.
• Dr. Ann Eckhardt, PhD, RN
  Focused on cardiovascular symptomatology & fatigue in patients with cardiovascular disease, Dr. Eckhardt's research includes public and emergency department nurses' conceptions and decision-making related to chest pain in acute coronary syndrome.
• Dr. Deanna Furr and Cheryl Anderson
  Focus of the study is evaluating the effectiveness of expressive writing in the reduction of PTSD and depression among mothers with long-stay infants in NICU.
• Dr. Kristin Gigli, PhD, APRN, CPNP-AC
  Conducts research, advocacy, and education to improve pediatric health outcomes by optimizing care delivery systems’ utilization of nurse practitioners and through evaluation of health policies.
• Dr. Florence Haseltine
  Research is centered around UTA's North Texas Genome Center, which is a service center for genomic sequences and has been the site of the UTA Athletic COVID-19 testing program.
• Dr. Lynda Jarrell
  Investigates the integration of telehealth/telemedicine training into Family Nurse Practitioner programs
• Dr. Leslie Jennings, PhD, RN, CNE
  Focus includes academic and non-academic factors, including the social determinants of learning that affect the success and persistence of students as they progress from pre-nursing through entry into practice.
• Dr. Sohyun Kim, PhD, RN
  My research focuses on improving psychosocial health among persons living with dementia and their family caregivers of underrepresented populations using technology. My current research includes improving socialization and relationship quality between family caregivers and persons living with dementia.
• Dr. Elizabeth Kreuze, PhD, RN, ATC
  Research activities include the study of suicide morbidity and mortality among healthcare workers.
• Dr. Zhaoli Liu, PhD, APRN
  My research focus is on promoting health and quality of life in vulnerable population, especially older adults living with chronic conditions (e.g., cancer, type II diabetes, and other comorbidities), through preventive strategies including lifestyles modification, screening, and early detection interventions.
• Dr. Renee CB Manworren, PhD, APRN, PCNS-BC, PMGT-BC, AP-PMN, FAAN
  Advances innovation in precision pediatric pain management through the genetic, pharmacogenomic, and epigenetic study of pain sensitivity & analgesic metabolism, develops computer vision & AI models to recognize pain in those who cannot self-report, including fetal, infants & young children, and individuals with intellectual disabilities, conducts multimodal clinical analgesia trials and translation research of commercial wearables and pupillometry to monitor pain, opioid-induced euphoria, and postoperative recovery.
• Dr. Elizabeth Merwin, PhD, RN, FAAN
  Focuses on improvements in health outcomes and reduction of health disparities in rural, minority, and vulnerable populations, using large, national health care datasets for population health studies.
• Adejoke (Felicia) Ogidan
  My research focus is investigating the best innovative educational approach that will prepare pre-licensure nursing students in delivering quality end-of-life care to the elderly population, especially those with chronic health conditions.
• Dr. Zui Pan, PhD
  Investigating Intracellular Calcium Signaling and its Pathophysiological Implications in Human Diseases
• Dr. Jaquetta "Jada" Reeves, PhD, APRN, NP-BC
  To develop creative and innovative strategies that will improve sexual health services, increase access to high-quality care and decrease the spread of STIs and risk of HIV among at-risk populations in underserved communities.
• Dr. Meagan Rogers, PhD, RN, NPD-BC
  Is investigating the use of telepresence robots to mitigate COVID-related clinical experience challenges.
• Jennifer Roye
  My research focus is healthcare simulation. My primary areas of interest are evaluation, innovation, and learning theory related to simulation education.
• Dr. Barbara St. Pierre Schneider, PhD, RN, FAAN
  My research focuses on the white blood cell response to skeletal muscle trauma alone or in combination with hemorrhagic shock. I have studied (a) factors influencing this response, including biological sex, ovarian hormones, and hypobaric hypoxia related to aeromedical evacuation and (b) the interaction between the spleen and muscle trauma. I am also interested in the relation between muscle trauma and the biology of aging. The long-term goal of this research is to identify treatments that can expedite or ensure a timely recovery after muscle trauma.
• Dr. Jessica Smith, PhD, RN, CNE
  Focuses on generating knowledge about how nursing resources could be modified to result in safer care for rural communities.
• Dr. Mari Tietze, PhD, RN-BC FHIMSS, FAAN
  Grounded in the translational research approach, I have focused on technology-based research aimed at enhancing the adoption of best practices in the community, for patients, as well as for providers. Primarily, this focus has been on technology-based patient safety and quality in urban and rural areas.
• Dr. Regina Urban, PhD, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, ACUE, MA-LPC
  Focuses on well-being in nursing students, newly graduated nurses, acute care nurses, nurse educators, and nurse leaders, social determinants of learning, physical and psychosocial health, self-compassion, academic persistence, incivility, work engagement and burnout.
• Dr. Venu Varanasi, PhD
  Rapid Healing Through New Biomaterials and 3D Printing/Nanofabrication
• Dr. Yan Xiao, PhD
  My Health Innovation Laboratory supports research in simulation, education and technology in individual and population health across the continuum of care, from patient homes to clinics to hospitals

Kinesiology Research Programs

The Department of Kinesiology is proud of its long tradition of scientific inquiry and research as embodied by our research laboratories. In these spaces science meets application and the results improve health for the people of North Texas, our nation, and the world.

• Applied Physiology and Advanced Imaging Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Michael D. Nelson
  This laboratory is focused on questions relating to human health and cardiovascular disease, specifically pertaining to: 1) cardiac physiology and ventricular function, and 2) vascular regulation and neurovascular coupling.
• Biomechanics Laboratory 
  PI: Dr. Mark Ricard
  The primary focus of the Biomechanics Laboratory is to investigate the effects of human joint mechanics and neuromuscular control upon health outcomes. We utilize high-speed three-dimensional video, forces plates and electromyography to quantify the effects of external forces and moments upon ankle, knee, hip and shoulder joint mechanics. Injury to the knee cartilage or the ACL ligament greatly increases the likelihood of developing knee joint osteoarthritis. We analyze neuromuscular control and joint mechanics in walking, running and landing activities to identify joint loading patterns that may contribute to early onset knee joint osteoarthritis in post-rehabilitated individuals. Other laboratory investigations include upper-body postural control during wheelchair braking, fall risk for elderly individuals, and finally low back injury risk in workplace lifting.
• Bone Vascular and Microcirculation Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Rhonda Prisby
  This lab examines the interaction between blood vessels and bone in states of health and disease.
• Cardiovascular Physiology Laboratory
  PI: Dr. David Keller
  My research focuses on dynamic blood pressure control with an emphasis on racial disparities.
• Developmental Motor Cognition Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Priscila Tamplain
  This lab investigates the development of motor behavior in children and adolescents.
• Disability Sports Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Judy Wilson
  The research in this laboratory focuses on the physiological responses of wheelchair athletes to exercise both maximal and submaximal intensities. Other research interests include the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a tool to improve clinical outcomes from strokes and other chronic conditions.
• Health Services Research Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Tiffany Kindratt
  This lab conducts epidemiologic research studies focused on evaluating predisposing (e.g. race and ethnicity, specifically Arab Americans) and enabling (e.g. patient-provider communication, patient experience) factors that influence individuals' morbidity, mortality and use of health services with big data methodologies. 
• Human Neural Cardiovascular Control Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Paul Fadel
  This lab investigates neural cardiovascular control in human health and disease.
• Hwang Lab
  PI: Dr. Chueh-Lung “Laura” Hwang
  My research is on cardiovascular response to exercise, diet, and alcohol use in humans. I am currently studying the effect of binge drinking on cardiovascular health and its interaction with exercise and aging. My ultimate research goal is to identify/develop preventative and therapeutic approaches for cardiovascular disease related to unhealthy lifestyle.
• Kao Lab
  PI: Dr. Yungfei Kao
  The Kao lab focus is on applied statistics, biostatistics and cognitive psychology. Her research interests in biostatistics and applied statistics relates to comparisons of traditional ANOVA general linear models to mixed-effects models utilizing maximum likelihood in repeated measures designs.
• Integrative Immunology Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Daniel Trott
  My research focuses on how the immune system interacts with other tissues to regulate cardiovascular and metabolic function.
• Integrative Vascular Physiology Laboratory
  PI: Dr. R. Matthew "Matt" Brothers
  My research investigates the mechanisms of impaired autonomic and vascular function in selected at-risk/diseased populations.
• Maternal and Child Health Equity Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Kyrah K. Brown
  My research examines the factors that shape the birth outcomes and health of Black women across the lifespan.
• Movement Physical Activity Epidemiology Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Xiangli Gu
  My research seeks to improve the health and well-being of children and adolescents.
• Neuromuscular Diseases Lab
  PI: Dr. Jingsong Zhou
  My research focuses on Ca signaling and mitochondrial function in striated muscle pathophysiology and neuromuscular diseases, particularly Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
• Nicotine and Tobacco Research Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Ziyad Ben Taleb
  My research focuses on emerging tobacco products like hookahs and e-cigarettes and their effects on health.
• North Texas Genome Center (University-wide center)
  Dr. Jon Weidanz
  For more than 20 years my laboratory has been interested in identifying tumor-specific peptides presented by the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system for use as potential targets for immunotherapy. As part of this focus, my laboratory developed methods to discover antibodies that recognize specific peptide/HLA complexes that we dubbed as T-cell receptor mimicking (TCRm) antibodies.
• Physical Activity Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Larry Nelson
  My research centers on measuring the physiological and psychological effects of physical education in youth development programs. This work has advanced service-learning and active-learning models in teacher education practices that improve the mental and physical health outcomes of students.
• Physical Activity and Wearable Sensors (PAWS) Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Yue Liao
  My research promotes active living using wearable sensors for chronic disease prevention.
• Social Determinants of Health Lab
  PI: Dr. Yeonwoo Kim
• Spatial Health Equity (SHE) Lab
  PI: Dr. Feinuo Sun
  We are dedicated to addressing spatial disparities in population health outcomes, with a particular focus on chronic pain and its associated consequences. 
• Therapeutic Interventions Research Laboratory
  PI: Dr. Cynthia Trowbridge
  My research investigates the clinical efficacy and therapeutic intervention in athletic injury.