Dr. Rhee was awarded $361,030 NIH grant for his nationwide project titled “Epidemiology and Clinical Outcomes of Electroconvulsive Therapy Use in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia.”

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) can be an effective treatment modality for severe neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) (e.g., agitation and depression) in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). However, no nationwide epidemiologic study has previously conducted whether ECT is effective in reducing key clinical outcomes (e.g., hospitalizations and all-cause mortality rates) among older adults with ADRD in nursing home settings.

This study aims to examine the impact of ECT use on functional outcomes and mortality using nationally-representative data from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) linked with other publicly available data sources. This two-year, NIH-funded study will be carried out in collaboration with the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital. Students interested in learning more about the study can reach out to Dr. Rhee for more information.

For more information, contact: Dr. Greg Rhee at rhee@uchc.edu

Zita Lazzarini, J.D., M.P.H. Winner of UConn Health Board of Directors Faculty Recognition Award

The 2023 UConn Health Board of Directors Faculty Recognition Award recipient is Zita Lazzarini, J.D., M.P.H. She is recognized for her advancement of medical education at UConn and dedicated public service to the State of Connecticut.

Nutrients is a peer-reviewed, open access journal of human nutrition published semimonthly online by MDPI. Dr. Helen Swede is a guest editor for the special issue “Vitamins and Micronutrients in Cancer”.

Dr. Stacey Brown will be honored for her powerful impact on the community at The 100 Women of Color Gala & Awards. From the event coordinators:

From UConn Today: “On, Friday, June 24, 2022, June Archer & Eleven28 Entertainment will celebrate the power of family, friends and community, as we honor the past, the present and the future. The 100 Women of Color Gala & Awards will recognize the contributions that these women of color in business, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment, government, public service and the impact they have made on the lives of people throughout the State of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts communities.”

The event, organized by June Archer & Eleven28 Entertainment, will recognize the contributions of UConn’s honorees on the lives of people and other women in the State of Connecticut. Also, other women of color will be recognized from across the fields of business, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment, government, and public service.

The gala’s goal is to provide financial support for programs that support the advancement of young women of color. Event proceeds will support scholarships for young women who graduate from high school and plan on attending College, leadership and mentorship programs.

Dr. Reichow’s current research interests include the translation of research to practice, the use of systematic review methods and meta-analytic methods to identify evidence-based practices, and applied research involving young children with or at risk of developing disabilities and their families. 

Dr. Brian Reichow is an Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences and Associate Director of the University of Connecticut Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service. His current research interests include the translation of research to practice, the use of systematic review methods and meta-analytic methods to identify evidence-based practices, and applied research involving young children with or at risk of developing disabilities and their families. He has been a technical advisor for the World Health Organization for over a decade assisting WHO with the development of practice guidelines and training materials to increase the identification, management, and treatment of children with developmental disabilities in lower- and middle-income countries. This work recently led to the release of the World Health Organization Caregiver Skills Training for Families of Children with Developmental Delays or Disabilities (https://openwho.org/courses/caregiver-skills-training), an open-source program that is available freely through WHO. Dr. Reichow is currently Co-Editor in Chief of the Journal of Early Intervention, the leading journal in the field of early childhood special education and early intervention and is Co-Editor of the Disability Coordinating Group of the Campbell Collaboration and Campbell Systematic Reviews.

Dr. Dillon is an Assistant Professor in the Center on Aging with a faculty appointment in the Department of Public Health Services. She is a sociologist and health services researcher who works closely with the Center on Aging team focused on evaluation of innovations in Connecticut Department of Social Services policy and programs for older adults and people with disabilities. She uses mixed methods and qualitative research to evaluate how to improve serious illness care and experience for patients and families, especially in the areas of hospice and palliative care, psychosocial care, and shared decision making. Her research also commonly focuses on access to and delivery of mental health care and the psychosocial well-being of patients, families, clinicians and other healthcare workers.

 

Dr. Lu is a new professor with tenure who was recruited from the Department of Medicine of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School where he served as the director of biostatistics for the Section of Clinical Sciences, and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard. He also previously worked at Brown University. His research expertise is design and analysis of clinical trials and observational studies, epidemiology and outcomes research in chronic diseases including rheumatic diseases, osteoarthritis, and cardiovascular diseases. He brings with him two active NIH RO1 grants.

Dr. Lu is a Professor in Biostatistics and Epidemiology. He has a multidisciplinary background in biostatistics, epidemiology, and medicine, with specific teaching and research interests in longitudinal analysis, design and analysis of clinical trials, statistical methods in epidemiology, and outcomes research of chronic diseases. As the PI, Co-I and lead biostatistician, Dr. Lu has been involved in numerous established and innovative projects in a variety of areas including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, lupus, obesity, and women’s health. He has extensive experience in studies using large epidemiological data including the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI), Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).​

Dr. Lu is an elected fellow of the American College of Epidemiology. He has served as an Associate Editor for Contemporary Clinical Trials, an international journal of clinical trial methodology, and Associate Editor for Arthritis & Rheumatology, a prestigious journal of the American College of Rheumatology. Dr. Lu’s statistical interests include design and analysis of clinical trials & observational studies, statistical methods in epidemiology, longitudinal data analysis, and causal inference.