Health Sciences graduate research projects earn enhancement awards

Six URI College of Health Sciences research projects will get a boost after nine College graduate students were awarded research enhancement grants, the Graduate School announced.

The six projects will each receive $1,000 to help the students continue their research into various impactful topics. The Graduate Research Enhancement Awards are sponsored by the URI Provost, the Vice President of Research and Economic Development, and the Dean of the Graduate School to provide “small grant awards to support research, creative or artistic projects. This program underscores the value placed on providing students with research opportunities and support for the scholarly work of graduate students.”

College of Health Sciences students receiving the awards, and the topics of their research, include:

  • Alyssa Abreu — The association between oyster consumption and iron, zinc, and cadmium levels in Ghanaian women.
  • Haley Parker — Presenting novel dissertation findings at a national conference.
  • Coral Schuster — Dyadic Experience of Emotion Regulation in Families with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
  • Christopher Vatral — Omega-3 fatty acid intake, vitamin D status, cortisol, and blood lead levels during pregnancy.
  • Hannah Whalen, Lauren Prente and Taylor Worthington — Analysis of Neurotrophic Factors as Markers of Neuroplasticity in People with Parkinson’s Disease.
  • Qisi Yao — The effect of grocery purchase interventions on overall dietary quality among generally healthy populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Awarded funds may be used to support travel (including registration fees for in-person or virtual conferences) to national or regional conferences, the purchase of items for specific projects, to defray publication costs, and specific needs that the committee deems essential for the student’s development.