The Research Center for Transforming Health, which is based in the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia, recently announced the 2021 Transformative Research Seed Grant awardees.

The seed grant initiative was created to help support collaborative projects between UofSC and Prisma Health that are exploring new and innovative ways to improve health. Each project includes an investigative partnership between faculty at UofSC and a clinical collaborator from Prisma Health. Funding for these seed grants is supported by the UofSC Office of the Vice President for Research, the UofSC School of Medicine Columbia, the UofSC College of Pharmacy, the UofSC College of Nursing and the UofSC College of Engineering and Computing. 

The 2021 seed grant recipients are:

• Mohamad Azhar, Ph.D, associate professor, Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, UofSC School of Medicine Columbia
  “Development and Characterization of a Mouse Model of Peripheral Arterial Disease Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease and Atherosclerosis” 
  Collaborators: Daniel G. Clair, M.D. and Roy Mathew, M.D.
  
  
• Chao Cai, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor, Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, UofSC College of Pharmacy
  “Enhancing Prediction of Cardiac Events for Patients Prescribed with QTc-prolongation Medication in Critical Care using Cure Models"
  Collaborators: Michael Scalese, PharmD, Minou Khazan, PharmD, Ph.D., and Jenna Cox, PharmD 
  
  
• Ciaran Fairman, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Exercise Science, UofSC Arnold School of Public Health
  “Evaluating the Implementation of an Exercise Program for Individuals with Cancer in a Private Healthcare System” 
  Collaborators: Julian Kim, M.D., Shana Harrington, Ph.D., and Mary Kennedy, Ph.D.
  
  
• Shamia Hoque, Ph.D., associate professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UofSC College of Engineering & Computing
  “Creating safe hospital environments: reducing infection transmission through understanding the interplay of air flow pattern, aerosol sources, and fomite characteristics” 
  Collaborators: Phillip Moschella, M.D. Ph.D., Qian Wang, Ph.D., and Charles Bennett, M.D., Ph.D. 
  
  
• Abbi Lane-Cordova, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Exercise Science, UofSC Arnold School of Public Health
  “An mHealth Intervention to Reduce Sedentary Behavior in Pregnancy” 
  Collaborators: James Cook, M.D., and Christine Pellegrini, Ph.D.
  
  
• Matthew J Lenhard, M.D., clinical assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, UofSC School of Medicine Columbia and Prisma Health OB/GYN
  “Use of Vaginal Iodine Preparation in High-risk Pregnant Population to Reduce Risk of Post-Cesarean Endometritis” 
  Collaborator: Katelyn Fisher, M.D.
  
  
• Karen McDonnell, Ph.D., RN, associate professor, UofSC College of Nursing
  “Enabling Remote Access to Breathe Easier: A Novel Approach to Improve Symptom Self-Management and Wellness for Survivors of Lung Cancer and their Family Members” 
  Collaborators: Brandi R. Newsome, M.D., Otis L. Owens, Ph.D., and Matt McGrievey, M.S. 
  
  
• Michael Shtutman, Ph.D., associate professor, Drug Discovery & Biomedical Sciences, UofSC College of Pharmacy
  “The microbiome profiling of HIV-infected patients. Correlation with the Ethnicity, and the HAART treatment” 
  Collaborators: Helmut Albrecht, M.D., Michael Wyatt, Ph.D., Traci Testerman, Ph.D., and Anastasia Litvintseva, Ph.D.