As the world slowly rebounds from an unprecedented year, this week, students from 13 universities across the U.S. and Ireland begin the eighth annual Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program. Twenty-two students are participating in the program (June 1-July 31), which features two tracks:
Public and Global Health Track: Each student in the Public and Global Health Track 2021 student cohort is matched with a mentor based on their interest in a particular public, global or pediatric health research project. Project topics include: COVID-19, marginalized communities, human trafficking, adolescent substance use and mental health, stomach cancer, rural dementia care networks, experimental medicines, nutritional deficiencies and diarrheal outcomes, clinical deterioration in oncology inpatients, maternal offspring microbiome, upward social mobility among African Americans, mammographic breast density, and abdominal surgery outcomes.
Aging and Neurological Diseases Track: Students in the 2021 Aging & Neurological Diseases Track will investigate different facets of aging as well as the most common neurological diseases prevalent among aging adults. Virtual workshops and seminar sessions focus on topics such as: Dementia diagnosis & management, diseases of the nervous system, The Alzheimer’s Project: The Memory Loss Tapes, palliative care, The BRAIN Initiative, stroke rehabilitation, home modifications and implications of falls in pre-clinical Alzheimer’s disease, and other topics.
Mentors for both tracks include: Patricia Cavazos-Rehg, PhD, Erin Foster, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, Chet Hammill, MD, Lauren Henke, MD, Patrick Hill, PhD, MA, Lori Holtz, MD, Darrell Hudson, PhD, Jean Hunleth, MPH, PhD, Celeste Karch, PhD, Michael Kinch, PhD, Matt Kuhlmann, MD, Patrick Lyons, MD, Jason Newland, MD MEd, Shanti Parikh, PhD, Rumi Price, PhD, Beth Prusaczyk, PhD, MSW, Susan Stark, PhD, Adetunji Toriola, MD, PhD, Angel Velarde, MD, Karla Washington, PhD, and Denise Wilfley, PhD
During the eight-week program, in addition to seminars and socials, some students may have socially distanced, in-person time in the lab and with their mentors. All participants will contribute to the Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program Blog and at the end of eight weeks, will virtually present a summary of their research project to an audience of peers, mentors and educators.