The All-stars of research
Each year, the UF Research Foundation selects tenured faculty who have demonstrated a distinguished record of research for a prestigious (and competitive) three-year professorship. The honor recognizes these researchers’ recent contributions and encourages future innovations with a $5,000 salary supplement and $3,000 research grant. Ten of this year’s 33 UFRF professors are from the Health Science Center.
Mavis Agbandje-McKenna, Ph.D., a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the College of Medicine and director of the Center for Structural Biology, seeks to examine events during viral infection. Her multidisciplinary approach employs X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy to clarify the roles of three-dimensional structures in viral life cycles. Agbandje-McKenna aims to apply such understanding to the treatment of viral and other diseases.
Rick Alleman, D.V.M., Ph.D., a professor of clinical pathology in the College of Veterinary Medicine, concentrates his research on developing molecular methods of diagnosis and the persistence of infection from tick-borne pathogens, specifically Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. This work has resulted in the recognition of different antigens used in the serological diagnosis of infections with these pathogens, which commonly affect livestock in parts of the world but are also known to affect people and other animals, such as dogs.
Chris Baylis, Ph.D., a professor of physiology and functional genomics in the College of Medicine and director of the UF Hypertension Center, is committed to researching how nitric oxide deficiencies contribute to the progression of chronic renal disease. She has also made great gains in understanding pregnancy-induced changes in kidney function as well as the interaction between pregnancy and underlying conditions such as high blood pressure and chronic renal failure.
Jeffrey Harman, Ph.D., an associate professor in the College of Public Health and Health Professions department of health services research, management and policy, is a health services researcher with expertise in health economics and econometric models to study observational data. A recipient of a career development award from the National Institute of Mental Health, he has conducted research using secondary data such as Medicare and Medicaid claims and data from national surveys to examine utilization and costs of health services and disparities in care.
Ann Horgas, Ph.D., R.N., an associate professor and associate dean for research of adult and elderly nursing in the College of Nursing, focuses her research on aging and pain management in older patients. She is one of the leading nurse researchers in the country and is currently funded by the National Institute on Aging to investigate cognitive interventions for the elderly.
Richard Lamont, Ph.D., a professor of oral biology in the College of Dentistry, studies the molecular dialogue between oral bacteria and host cells, leading to a new understanding of the bacterial lifestyle within humans. Lamont’s study of the bacterium P. gingivalis’ interaction with oral cells advanced appreciation for the role of bacteria in maintaining oral health and contributing to oral diseases.
Herwig-Ulf Meier-Kriesche, Ph.D., a professor of nephrology in the College of Medicine, has devoted his research to studying how to best balance the risks and benefits of immunosuppressive regimes for kidney transplant patients. Recognized internationally, his work has proven invaluable in evaluating new immunosuppressive medications.
Gregory Schultz, Ph.D., a professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the College of Medicine, studies the molecular and cellular regulation of healing. His research focuses on the roles of growth factors, cytokines and proteases in normal and chronic wound healing in skin and the eye. Schultz founded the Institute for Wound Research, where he seeks to develop new therapies for wound healing. He also serves as a consultant to biotechnology companies.
Alexander Wagenaar, Ph.D., a professor of epidemiology and health policy research in the College of Medicine, is a widely respected expert on how tweaks to public policy can affect the health of a population. He has studied everything from the effects of mandatory seatbelt use to changing the drinking age from 18 to 21. Currently, Wagenaar is leading the Public Health Law Research Program and continues to study the effects of alcohol tax policies. The Institute for Scientific Information has named him a Highly Cited Researcher, an honor bestowed on less than 1 percent of published scientists worldwide.
Almut Winterstein, Ph.D., an associate professor in pharmaceutical outcomes and policy, is an expert on pharmacoepidemiology and patient safety. In addition to her UFRF honor, Winterstein recently received a two-year $482,000 award from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to evaluate the risks associated with antidepressant or antipsychotic drugs used to treat ADHD. She will also compare the effectiveness of stimulants on driving-related outcomes such as traffic citations and crashes.