2nd Annual Clinical & Translational Sciences Research Retreat

College of Nursing and Health Sciences faculty Sheryl LaCoursiere, PhD, FNP-BC, APRN, Jean Wiecha, PhD, and Laura L. Hayman, PhD, RN, FAAN presented results of their research and scholarly activities at the 2nd Annual Clinical and Translational Sciences Research Retreat held at the Hoagland Pincus Conference Center in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts on May 20th.

Consistent with the theme of this 2nd annual event, “Creating Science Collaborations across the Commonwealth: Translating the Life Science Moment ", Dr. Hayman co- chaired a symposium with Dr. Stephenie Lemon, Director of the Worcester Prevention Research Center and Associate Professor, Division of Preventive & Behavioral Medicine, UMass Medical School, entitled “The Challenge of Obesity: A Translational Research Perspective.” The panelists and their respective papers included Olga Hardy, MD, UMass Medical School: “Activated Innate Immunity in Childhood: A Novel Treatment Target”; Tiffany A. Moore Simas, MD, MPH, UMass Medical School: “PPODS: Pregnancy and Postpartum Observational Dietary Study”; Sherry Pagoto, PhD, UMass Medical School: “I’m Stressed, Therefore I Eat”; Lori Pbert, PhD, UMass Medical School: “The Social Context as a Determinant of Weight-Related Behaviors: Focus on Social Norms”; and Jean Wiecha, PhD, UMass Boston and GoKids Boston: “Translational Research with Policy Implications: New Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Standards for Afterschool Programs”.

UMass Boston College of Nursing and Health Sciences Assistant Professor, Dr. Cheryl LaCoursiere, presented a poster entitled, “TELECARES-NI: Telehealth Enhancement of Cardiac Education and Support by Nursing Intervention.” Other poster presentations that featured collaborative UMass Boston and UMass Medical School research funded by the Life Sciences Moment Fund included “Effects of a Wellness Intervention on Dyslipidemia and Exercise in an Overweight Adolescent Population” presented by Dr. Olga Hardy. Co-authors included Dr. Jean Wiecha, Albert Kim, Carlos Salas, Rayna Briceno, Kwesi Moody, Dr. Joan Becker, Dr. Greer Glazer, Dr. Ling Shi, Carol Ciccarelli and Dr. Laura Hayman.

Dr. Olga Hardy was the recipient of the best poster award for her presentation entitled, “Monocyte Expression of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Gene Correlates with Central Obesity and Dyslipidemia in Adolescents”. Co-authors included Albert Kim, Carol Ciccarelli, and Drs. Jean Wiecha and Laura Hayman.