Lead PI: Ashish Joshi

Sponsor: Shelby County Health Department

Brief: Strengthening Public Health Infrastructure will build and revitalize existing infrastructure and help to recruit, retain, and train the current and future public health workforce. A partnership between the Shelby County Health Department and the University of Memphis School of Public Health, led by Drs. Michelle Taylor (Director, Shelby County Health Department, Shelby County Government) and Ashish Joshi (Dean, School of Public Health, the University of Memphis) ... Read more.

Lead PI: Marian Levy

Sponsor: Tennessee Department of Health (TDoH)

Brief: Faculty from the UM School of Public Health will create 17 courses for the Tennessee Department of Health’s TRAIN Learning Management System to support public health staff training. The 17 courses will include a high-level overview of content pertaining to a Master of Public Health (MPH) program, as well as several courses related to epidemiology, data management, evaluation, and population health informatics.

Lead PI: Marian Levy

Sponsor: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Brief: Transforming Academia for Equity. This initiative is designed to unpack, understand, and shape the contextual and intervening conditions necessary for underrepresented scholars to thrive professionally and personally- and in turn be better able to contribute to and expand health equity-related research. We are one of seven schools of public health in the nation to receive this award.

Lead PI: Ashish Joshi

Sponsor: Research Foundation of CUNY

Brief: Coming soon ...

Lead PI: Xinhua Yu

Sponsor: University of Memphis Foundation (UMF)

Brief: In partnership with West Cancer Center, Dr. Yu will lead the creation of a clinical database linking patient-reported outcomes with clinical information extracted from the medical charts.

Lead PI: Xinhua Yu

Sponsor: University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC)/US Department of Defense (DoD)

Brief: Dr. Yu’s research team will utilize a combination approach of database mining combined with a prospective study to ascertain if there is elevated risk for the Veteran population for these neurological conditions accounting for co-morbid medical conditions (including documented concussion sustained during Active Duty military service), as well as gender, race, and baseline cognitive performance.  The finding that there is increased risk for developing these chronic neurological disorders following mTBI/concussion would have clinical, research and socio-economic implications for these Veterans, military service members, and may be applicable to the general population.

Lead PI: Fawaz Mzayek

Sponsor: University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC)

Brief: The project involves establishing a state-wide network of promary healthcare providers and implement quality improvement (QI) interventions to improve the quality of care delivered to their patients. The QI interventions focus on heart health care. Additionally, a detailed, multidimensional evaluation plan of the effectiveness of the QI interventions, on both practice and patient outcomes, is embedded in the project design.  

Lead PI: Matthew Smeltzer

Sponsor: Baptist Cancer Center/National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Brief: Drs. Smeltzer and Ray are evaluating multliple aspects of lung cancer surgery quality and outcomes. In collaboration with Baptist Cancer Center, they  have constructed a prospective, population-based observational cohort of all surgical resections for lung cancer in the region (housed at UofM).

Lead PI: Matthew Smeltzer

Sponsor: University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC)/ National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Brief: This is a Multi-institutional clinical trial evaluating kidney disease in adults with sickle cell disease, followed by development of machine learning tools. Dr. Smeltzer serves as the primary biostatistician for this project, overseeing the trial database and conducting statistical analyses.

Lead PI: Matthew Smeltzer

Sponsor: Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Brief: The Sickle Cell Data Collection (SCDC) program is a multi-state project to build state-level surveillance programs for sickle cell disease. Dr. Smeltzer’s research team is combining newborn screening data, claims data, and electronic health records to identify and study individuals with sickle cell disease in TN. The SCDC states are collaborating on multiple projects using this data.

Lead PI: Abu Mohammed Naser Titu

Sponsor: The Campbell Foundation

Brief: To evaluate the frequency of incidental findings on MRIs of the lumbar spine and characterize the findings. There is a significant amount of literature on incidental findings in the adult population but not in the pediatric population or on the significant of incidental findings. The purpose of this study is to determine the overall incidence of incidental findings on lumbar MRIs in different pediatric age groups and further characterize these findings as benign vs significant.

Lead PI: Meredith Ray

Sponsor: (New) Research Foundation of CUNY/National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Brief: This grant is a collaboration between Drs. Grov (CUNY) and Carrico (University of Miami) which focuses on methamphetamine (meth) use in sexual minority men (SMM) that we have shown to be a primary driver of HIV incidence. The overarching goals are two-fold: 1) identify multi-level and bio-behavioral determinants of amplified HIV seroconversion risk in meth-using SMM; and 2) test the effectiveness and scalability of telehealth motivational enhancement interventions for promoting entry or re-entry of SMM who use meth into the PrEP care continuum. Dr. Ray serves as biostatistician, working on analyses upon data collection.

Lead PI: Yu Jiang

Sponsor: University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC)

Brief: Collaboration with UTHSC on data management, cleaning, and analyses for VA data.

Lead PI: Debra Bartelli

Sponsor: Hope House Day Care Center Inc./ US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Brief: Hope House will provide tenant-based rental assistance and wrap-around, intensive case management services to HIV+ individuals to improve health outcomes and increase viral suppression. Dr. Bartelli provides data analysis and program evaluation.

Lead PI: Chunrong Jia

Sponsor: Shelby County Health Department/ US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Brief: The overall goal is to validate low-cost, miniature thermal desorption (TD) samplers for sampling and analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), two major organic pollutants, in the ambient air and demonstrate their applicability for community-scale air toxics ambient monitoring (CSATAM) programs.

Lead PI: Chunrong Jia

Sponsor: Harvard University (HU)/The JPB Foundation

Brief: This project aimed to investigating changes in VOC composition of indoor air in new housing as it becomes occupied.

Lead PI: Debra Bartelli

Sponsor: Memphis Child Advocacy Center (MCAC)

Brief: The Memphis Child Advocacy Center (CAC) is contracting with The University of Memphis to conduct an analysis of the CAC's counseling center data, including both process (number and type of services, participant demographics) and outcome (NCATrak, parent knowledge, parent satisfaction) data. The analysis will be compiled into a report in two formats: written narrative (PDF) and presentation (PowerPoint).

Lead PI: Abu Mohammed Naser Titu

Sponsor: NIH

Brief: Several epidemiological studies have identified links between high ambient heat and chronic kidney disease (CKD) globally, particularly in Central America, South and Southeast Asia. Epidemiological studies have also explored the association between ambient heat and CKD or acute kidney injury-related emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and mortality in the US. Nevertheless, these studies provide limited understanding of 1) whether the ER visit or hospitalization is due to new-onset CKD or deterioration of existing CKD, 2) if other meteorological variables such as humidity and precipitation modify the relationship between ambient temperature and CKD development, and 3) mechanistic pathways of how ambient heat influences CKD.

Lead PI: Courtnee Melton-Fant

Sponsor: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Brief: Preemption of worker’s rights policies is a racial and health equity issue, particularly in the American South where workers’ rights preemption is more prominent. This project utilizes mixed methods to examine the effects of workers’ rights preemption on community organizations, state and local policymakers, and citizens.

Lead PI: Courtnee Melton-Fant

Sponsor: William T. Grant Foundation

Brief: As scholarship on the use of research evidence grows, the use of critical lenses has largely been absent.1 Although we live in a racialized society, the previous literature insinuates that the development, translation, and use of research evidence is colorblind. This colorblind approach limits our ability to understand URE in the larger social, political, and cultural context that it takes place and may reinforce existing racial hierarchies.2 Guided by critical race theory and the theory of racialized organizations, the study will use observation and critical discourse analysis to examine deliberations on two pieces of legislation by the Tennessee state legislature - the TANF Opportunity Act and the Tennessee Education Savings Account Pilot Program.

Lead PI: Courtnee Melton-Fant

Sponsor: The Commonwealth Fund

Brief: The South has a unique political, cultural, and historical context that shapes its contemporary patterns in health. This project uses mixed methods to examine structural and political impediments to improving health equity and health systems in the US South with a particular focus on state fiscal capacity and state health planning.

Lead PI: Satish Kedia

Sponsor: Buffalo Valley Incorporated (BVI)/ Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Brief: This project provides access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and psychosocial services for 340 rural, homeless, and veteren clients in Tennessee. Clients receive comprehensive care at a Buffalo Valley facility, including medication, counseling, recovery support, case management,  and transitional housing. We collect critial intake and 6-months outcomes evaluation data using mixed-methods approach. 

Lead PI: Satish Kedia

Sponsor: Mending Hearts, Inc./ Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Brief: This project serves 500 ex-offender and homeless women in need of treatment for for opioid use disorder. Mending Hearts, Inc. will provide medication, behavioral therapy, counseling, and recovery support across a full continuum of care. We collect intake and 6-months outcomes evaluation data using mixed-methods approach. 

Lead PI: Satish Kedia

Sponsor: Buffalo Valley Incorporated (BVI)/ Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Brief: This project addresses the fentanyl overdose crisis in middle TN and will treat 240 rural clients at high risk for overdose. Buffalo Valley, Inc. will provide assessment and treatment for SUD/COD, including psychosocial therapies, harm reduction, and transitional housing. We collect intake and 6-months outcomes evaluation data using mixed-methods approach.

Lead PI: Satish Kedia

Sponsor: Mending Hearts, Inc./ Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Brief: This project addresses a gap in access to SUD/COD treatment and housing in the project catchment area. The project serves 350 homeless women over five years. Project clients will receive comprehensive SUD/COD treatment, integrated psychosocial services and case management, transitional housing, and resources to obtain permanent housing. We collect intake and 6-months outcomes evaluation data using mixed-methods approach.

Lead PI: Marian Levy

Sponsor: Shelby County Health Department

Brief: The School of Public Health research team is partnering with the Shelby County Health Department, Leadership Memphis, and LeMoyne- Owen College as part of the CDC’s National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities. Researchers will measure the short-term impact of strategies to improve vaccine uptake among vulnerable populations in nine (9) zip codes of highest transmission and lowest vaccine uptake compared to other Memphis MSA zip codes. A mixed methods approach incorporates community leader interviews and interviewer-administered surveys to assess the impact of a culturally-tailored, multi-channel messaging campaign addressing vaccine hesitancy.

Lead PI: Latrice Pichon

Sponsor: Center For Disease Control (CDC)

Brief: In collaboration with local faith leaders, local community and academic mentors, and the TN Department of Health (TDH), the objective of this proposal is to develop and evaluate the implementation of a faith-based intervention to increase testing (“diagnose”) and reduce HIV transmission (“prevent”) among racial/ethnic communities disproportionately affected by HIV in the Memphis area.

Lead PI: Latrice Pichon

Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Brief: Using community-based participatory research and personal accounts of internalized HIV stigma and how depictions of church hurt shape the perspectives of faith leaders and their call to action to address stigma through conducted planning meetings and hosted faith summit to address HIV stigma.

Lead PI: Latrice Pichon

Core Component

Sponsor: Vanderbilt University Medical Center/Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Brief: Rapid ART intervention
The aims of this study are: 1) To construct a comprehensive process map of the steps between a positive HIV screening test and antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation for individuals newly diagnosed with HIV in Shelby County; 2) To refine the implementation of a rapid linkage to HIV care and ART initiation model and; 3) To iteratively measure implementation outcomes during the pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation periods.

Additional Component

Sponsor: Meharry Medical College (MMC)/Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Brief: Rapid PrEP and linkage to care at SSPs

This project is in collaboration with Dr. Cooper (Meharry) and the overarching goal of this project is to integrate HIV prevention (testing and PrEP; pre-exposure prophylaxis) in the continuum for care for people who inject drugs (PWID) attending syringe services programs (SSPs) that overcomes identified multi-level barriers.