College of Medicine

At this year’s All Faculty Meeting, The FSU College of Medicine announced Yang Hou as the recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Junior Faculty Researcher Award. Yang Hou, an Assistant Professor, has demonstrated exceptional promise through her impactful research on neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) in just two years at FSU.
With 13 published articles, including four as first author, in prestigious journals like Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Dr. Hou has advanced the understanding of cognitive and behavioral outcomes in individuals with NF1. Her Department of Defense-funded project mapping neurobehavioral trajectories is particularly significant, shaping future research and clinical practices.
Dr. Hou has earned national and international recognition, including the Early Career Outstanding Paper Award from the American Psychological Association in 2021. She has been nominated for the Boyd McCandless Award and the Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology. Recently, she was invited to present at the Banbury Center on “Cognition and Behavior in Neurofibromatosis Type 1.”
A highly collaborative scholar, Dr. Hou’s work continues to drive progress in NF1 research and developmental psychology, marking her as a rising star in the field.

It’s competitive — recruiting top-notch educators, clinicians and researchers to a university, particularly those whose field of expertise is in high demand. The stars aligned perfectly at the Florida State University College of Medicine, resulting in the addition of William Bobo, M.D., MPH, to its faculty. Prior to coming to FSU, Bobo served as chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, as well as co-director for the Center for Individualized Medicine in Florida, at Mayo Clinic Florida, based in Jacksonville.

“My ideal career is involvement in at least three areas,” Bobo said. “First, clinically, to remain involved and to keep my axe sharp — which is priority number one. Second is I am an educator. My parents were both college professors, so I am a teacher at heart, and I always have been. In the past, research and administrative duties took me away from teaching. This move to FSU has represented a very enticing opportunity to get back into teaching — both at the bedside and the lecture hall.

“And third, I am hoping to combine my clinical and research interests to help build something excellent and widely recognized, both at the regional and national levels.”

A foundational underpinning of faculty recruitment at Florida State is ASPIRE, the strategic research plan for the university that fosters a culture of research excellence.

“ASPIRE guides us in our decision-making process,” said Stacey Patterson, Ph.D., FSU vice president for Research. “From retaining and recruiting high-quality faculty like Dr. Bobo, to increasing research support and creating opportunities for researchers to work together and develop impactful solutions, all are part and parcel of ASPIRE.”

Bobo said the mission of the College of Medicine was also a big draw for him, as it reminds him of where he received his medical degree in Missouri.

“The University of Missouri, Columbia, is a rurally situated medical school within a large university community,” he said. “It has as its focus primary care, service to rural and underserved persons, just like FSU. The implication of that for me, personally, was an incredibly rich educational experience that proved to be foundational for the rest of my career.”

Of course, who you know and the caliber of existing faculty at an institution can also be a big draw for attracting top talent. Bobo said Heather Flynn, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, proved to be pivotal in his decision to leave Mayo, a place where, admittedly, he was very happy. Both he and Flynn worked together on several collaborations for the National Network of Depression Centers.

“We started to discuss what she wanted to build at FSU and what was possible,” Bobo said. “This aligned with the things that I always wanted to build myself. It struck me as such a good opportunity because of a clear convergence of interests. And, through our discussion, we began to talk in more detail and those details were very appealing. I made a very difficult decision to leave a place where I was very, very happy and move two and a half hours west to Tallahassee.”

“We work hard to not only recruit outstanding faculty, but retain them and provide the tools they need to be successful in their work — all for the benefit of our students, patients and, in reality, all of us through new treatments and discoveries made by the groundbreaking research being done here,” said Dean Alma Littles, M.D.

Now settling into life at FSU as a professor of psychiatry in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, Bobo is teaching, conducting research focused on mood disorders, and seeing patients at FSU BehavioralHealth™ (behavioralhealth.fsu.edu). He says he is looking forward to growing his role even further.

“My first priority is to be a good citizen and be of value to this department, to the college of medicine and the broader FSU community,” Bobo said. “I’m currently teaching Evidenced-based Psychological Treatments to fourth-year medical students. I am hoping to submit applications for new courses and integrate into existing courses and blocks of instruction wherever I’m welcome and wherever people think I can be helpful.”

Flynn said she is excited about adding Bobo’s unique expertise and enthusiasm to the department and stated, “As we continue to recruit outstanding faculty like Dr. Bobo who will focus on our priorities of teaching students, caring for patients and conducting research in an integrated fashion, we will undoubtedly have a tremendous, positive impact on patient care, new therapies and novel solutions to some of our nation’s most pressing health issues.”

Meanwhile, Bobo continues his clinical practice and his grant-funded research focused on predicting the clinical effect of treatments for severe mood disorders, as well as integrating machine learning and asynchronous study designs to examine complex mood disorder phenotypes and correlated states, such as professional burnout in health care workers. He will soon launch the FSU Mood and Anxiety Center of Excellence, part of the National Network of Depression Centers (nndc.org). This will coalesce advances in patient care, training and research at FSU and nationally, similar to the National Cancer Center model.

“I’ve worked at very good health care institutions that are values-driven; people talk about the values, they weave the values into every decision that’s made, from administrative to the clinic. I’ve been blessed to be a part of that,” Bobo said. “FSU is one of those institutions where the way that policy is discussed, the way that patient care is discussed and the way research is planned — it’s consistent with our mission and that’s pretty inspiring, particularly if you care about being attached to things that are greater than yourself.

”That’s important to me.”

Dr. George Rust, M.D., has been recognized with the Faculty Advisor of the Year Award by the Medical Student Council for his exceptional leadership and mentorship with FSUCares. This student-driven service-learning organization makes a profound impact through initiatives like health screenings and community events.
Dr. Rust's dedication shines in his support of projects such as the Social Service Fair in Quincy and health screenings for blood pressure and diabetes at the homeless center. His efforts reflect the commitment of FSUCares faculty and students to advancing community health and wellness.
Below is the heartfelt letter Dr. Rust received with this well-deserved honor.

RSO Advisor of the Year 2024
FSUCares, Dr. George Rust
You know those people who are just "light"? Those people who illuminate a room just by being the person they are? Our advisor, Dr. George Rust, is one of those people. He is a very soft-spoken person and carries himself with a quiet confidence, but his passion for health equity and sharing his fountain of knowledge with students is evident and unparalleled. As an advisor for FSUCares, we could entrust him with the basics like signing-off on any forms that needed to be processed, but more importantly, we valued him as someone who led, but also fostered student leadership and initiatives. We could always count on Dr. Rust to join us at our events which included our Cultural Humility Night, FSUCares lmmokalee Service-Learning Trip, FSUCares Service-Learning Trip Reflections Night, FSUCares Township Throwdown Fundraiser, PAEC Health Fair, and the FSUCares Service-Learning Interest Meeting. We are left in awe knowing that he would support our cause by offering one of the most valuable assets in life - time. Without Dr. Rust, service opportunities like the lmmokalee service-learning trip would not be possible as he is a faculty member who has consistently been willing to travel with students on a seven-to-eight-hour ride to lmmokalee, Florida where he stays alongside college of medicine students during their immersive experience for time spanning over five days. He is one of the faculty who keeps the spirit of the FSU COM mission alive. As quoted by some of this past years' service-learning trip participants, one of their favorite phrases of his is "it's re.lational over informational" in the context of serving underserved or marginalized communities. These coined phrases like the aforementioned by Dr. Rust are sayings students will carry with them throughout their journey in medicine. They emphasize the importance of seeking to understand and getting to know the people we will serve to build trust in them and the greater communities. Dr. Rust embodies what it means to be a compassionate physician who fosters humanism, and he empowers other students to strive towards that. We are grateful for the time he has committed to FSUCares and look forward to our continued work with him.

We are proud to announce that Associate Professor Laura Reid Marks, Ph.D., has been selected as the recipient of a 2024-2025 William R. Jones Outstanding Mentor Award. This prestigious honor, presented annually by the Florida Education Fund, recognizes exceptional mentors statewide who have made significant contributions to the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship Program.

Dr. Marks was nominated by her student and lab assistant, Nicholas Reese, and after a thorough review, the William R. Jones Awards Committee unanimously selected her for this recognition. As part of the award ceremony, Dr. Marks was celebrated at the Annual McKnight Doctoral Fellows Meeting and received a plaque in recognition of her outstanding mentorship.

Professor Iván Balán, Ph.D., Researcher Onna Brewer, Ph.D., and Senior Research Associate Rebecca Giguere, MPH, from the Program on Client-Centered Research and Care at the CTBS are collaborating on an exciting new rectal microbicide study that has recently launched via the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN). The RevUP study compares the safety and acceptability of two HIV prevention methods: a tenofovir rectal microbicide douche and an oral on-demand pre-exposure prophylaxis in tablet form.

Assistant Professor Samantha Goldfarb, DPH, has been awarded a research fellowship funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to attend the MIT Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Ventures Bootcamp. As part of the fellowship, Goldfarb will participate in an intensive hybrid program featuring live expert webinars, online courses, and a five-day bootcamp at MIT. The program aims to support the development of innovative biomedical ventures to address substance use disorders, a complex and critical area in healthcare.

Yang Hou, Ph.D., Principal Investigator of the Development, Equity, and Resilience (DEaR) Lab, was honored to take part in the “Cognition and Behavior in Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)” conference in New York. There she shared insights on neurobehavioral function of individuals with NF1, a genetic disorder that often develops various tumors and exhibits more neurobehavioral problems (e.g., cognitive deficits and learning difficulties) than the general population. The DEaR Lab is looking forward to launching their collaborative projects, advancing the NF field, and promoting resilience in individuals with NF1!

Congratulations to CTBS Director Sylvie Naar, Ph.D., Associate Professor Zhe He, Ph.D., Department Vice Chair Nicole Ennis, Ph.D., and CTBS Assistant Director Sara Green, MSW, on receiving an NIH R21/33 award for their new project, “Precision HIV Prevention: Piloting a youth learning health community.” This new initiative aims to tackle North Florida’s HIV epidemic among youth by combining data, community engagement, and tailored intervention strategies. Despite progress in HIV prevention, young people are still disproportionately affected, especially in Florida, ranking second in the number of End the Epidemic jurisdictions. The project will establish a Youth Learning Health Community to design impactful, community-driven solutions using data from OneFlorida+ Data Trust, a clinical research consortium of 11 health systems in Florida.

Susan Epstein, Head of Library Access Systems, co-presented a webinar titled “Strategies and Tips for Resolving Access Issues with Vendors.” This engaging session offered strategies for effectively documenting and resolving access issues based on real-world success stories with vendors. Participants in the webinar represented a variety of library types: public, higher education, and K-12, and hailed from Florida, Virginia, and Barbados.

Sponsored by the Panhandle Library Access Network (PLAN), the event highlighted PLAN’s commitment to strengthening library networks and supporting information access for regional educational, social, and economic development.

Immokalee Regional Director Javier Rosado, Ph.D., Associate Professor Jean Kesnold Mesidor, Ph.D., and Data Manager Yuxia (O ha) Wang, MPH co-authored a new article published in Neurotoxicology and Teratology titled “Assessment of adverse childhood experiences in adolescents from a rural agricultural community: Associations with depressive symptoms and psychosocial problems.” This study examines the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among Latino adolescents in a rural agricultural community and their impact on mental health. Of the 852 adolescents screened at a rural primary care clinic, 64% had experienced at least one ACE, 23% showed signs of depression, and 11% faced psychosocial challenges. The study found strong links between ACEs and both depression and psychosocial problems, with females reporting more depression than males, and older adolescents having fewer psychosocial issues. The findings suggest that exposure to both childhood stress and environmental factors in agricultural settings may harm adolescent development, calling for further research to understand the combined effects of these stressors.

Assistant Professor Martina Luchetti, Ph.D., and Professor Angelina Sutin, Ph.D., co-authored an article published by Nature Mental Health titled “A Meta-analysis of Loneliness and Risk of Dementia using Longitudinal Data from >600,000 Individuals.” This study highlights the link between loneliness and dementia by analyzing data from over 600,000 individuals. Researchers found that loneliness significantly increases the risk of developing all-cause dementia, including Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, and cognitive impairment. The study emphasizes the need for more research into the types and sources of loneliness to create interventions that can reduce the risk of dementia.

The Center for Medicine & Public Health Policy & Practice recently published an article in HealthAffairs titled “State Variations In Progress Toward Eliminating Disparities In Infant Mortality, 2007–19.” The study reveals that progress on closing the Black-White infant mortality gap in the U.S. being slow and inconsistent. From 2008 to 2018, eight states saw the disparity worsen, while 24 showed improvement, underscoring the urgent need for targeted, multilevel efforts to prevent Black infant deaths.

Professor Sylvie Naar, Ph.D., Research Faculty Meredith Pooler-Burgess, DrPH, and Department Chair Heather Flynn, Ph.D. received financial grant support from the National Institute of Health’s Transformative Research Awards for an article published by PLoS ONE titled “Study protocol for transforming health equity research in integrated primary care: Antiracism as a disruptive innovation.” The award supports exceptionally innovative, high-risk, and/or unconventional research projects that have the potential to create or overturn fundamental paradigms or otherwise have unusually broad impact.

In this study, researchers are developing a new approach to address systemic racism in healthcare by integrating mental and physical health care. Using community-based research and systems science, they aim to identify the drivers of racism and create effective antiracism interventions. Focusing on Black/African Americans, the project seeks to improve health equity and benefit other marginalized groups.

Members of the Young Adult Centered HealthForce Training (YACHT) team have authored a manuscript titled “Young Adult Centered HealthForce Training to Increase HIV Testing and Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Referrals among Young Sexual Minority Men in Florida: Protocol for a Type 2 Implementation-Effectiveness Hybrid Trial with a Stepped Wedge Design” that has been accepted for publication in JMIR Research Protocols.

The YACHT program focuses on providing developmentally sensitive, culturally appropriate, and evidence-based counseling, testing and referral (CTR) services for young sexual minority men. This study evaluates whether the YACHT approach enhances HIV testing rates and adherence to evidence-based CTR practices.

The ACTS2 Caregiver Project recently attended the FSU Health Expo held at the Tallahassee Senior Center. This event provided seniors with the opportunity to explore FSU’s cutting-edge research and services in health and wellness. Attendees learned about the wide array of initiatives for enhancing physical and mental health and how to access them. At the Expo, ACTS2 provided dementia awareness resources and offered free skills-building and support services for caregivers of loved ones with dementia.

Cheryl Porter, Ph.D., Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Associate Professor, was recently elected as Member-At-Large for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Southern Group on Student Affairs. The AAMC is a not-for-profit association dedicated to transforming health through medical education, health care, medical research, and community collaborations.
The Members-at-Large attend scheduled meetings of the regional Steering Committee, attend scheduled regional business meetings, coordinate and facilitate the orientation for new members at the regional spring meeting, manage the SGSA mentoring program, ensure that schools in the region have designated institutional voting representatives and institutional representatives to all GSA communities/areas of expertise, assist with the development of the regional spring meeting, assist in carrying out special projects of the region, provide perspective and insight to discussions/action of the regional Steering Committee, gain an understanding of regional leadership, and gain an understanding of areas of interest/concern to regional members and the GSA.

Austin Spitz, MS, a medical student working with Dr. Kozel, won a 2024 Young Investigator Travel Award from the National Network of Depression Centers Conference for his work on a study titled “The Relationship of Anxious Arousal with Treatment of Dysphoria Using VR Mindfulness and Two Accelerated TMS Protocols.” This study highlights the potential of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to rapidly treat mental health conditions that have been resistant to antidepressant treatment. Additionally, this research demonstrates the importance of ongoing research and clinical efforts at the FSU Neuromodulation Lab. The ability to conduct such research was a direct result of the opportunity provided via the Florida State University College of Medicine Summer Research Fellowship.

Assistant Professor Julia Sheffler, Ph.D., recently presented groundbreaking research at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, demonstrating the significant role of nutrition education in promoting brain health. Her study spotlights the potential benefits of simple dietary adjustments in reducing dementia risk. Complementing her findings, a related study suggests that reducing daily consumption of processed red meat, such as bacon and hotdogs, by just one ounce could lower the risk of dementia by 20%. In response to these insights, Dr. Sheffler is spearheading the development of community programs designed to support individuals in making and maintaining effective dietary changes over the long term.

We are excited to welcome Dr. Laura Reid Marks, Ph.D., Ed.S., MAE, to the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine! Earning her Ed.S. & MAE from the University of Florida, and Ph.D. from Purdue University, Dr. Marks is currently an associate professor working directly with our Center for Translational Behavioral Science, and the director of the GROWTH (Global Research on Working to Ameliorate Health Disparities) Research Lab. Her recent research projects have focused on health disparities in people of color and the development of culturally tailored interventions. She is currently funded by a K23 through NIAAA to culturally tailor a mindfulness mobile health application for Black emerging adults who engage in risky alcohol use.

We are happy to share that an R34 grant by Associate Professor Karen MacDonell, Ph.D., titled “Optimizing mobile interventions to overcome stigma and promote HIV prevention among Thai young transgender women” that scored below fundable range (19th percentile, 34) was prioritized for funding by NIMH during council.

Workshop presenters, Justice Lewis and Stephanie Malally, social workers and clinic coordinators, will describe the procedures typically included in memory assessment and their costs, as well as treatment options for memory disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. They also will discuss how to access memory evaluation services and clinic-based educational and support opportunities.

Family caregiver and dementia care advocate, Priscilla Jean-Louis, will share her personal journey in obtaining a memory evaluation and medical treatment for her loved one with dementia.

Last, ACTS2 Project Coordinator, Tomeka Norton-Brown, will provide information about training and support for dementia caregivers, as well as local, state, and national dementia care resources. Persons with memory difficulties, family caregivers, elder care professionals, and other interested community members are strongly encouraged to join the workshop.

GSA is the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging. Achieving fellow status is a prestigious recognition by peers for outstanding contributions to the field of gerontology and represents the highest category of GSA membership. This distinction comes at varying points in a person’s career and is given for diverse activities that include research, teaching, administration, public service, practice, and notable participation in the Society. Professor Sutin and the new fellows will be formally recognized during GSA’s 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held from November 13 to 16 in Seattle, Washington.

Earning his M.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia and an M.P.H. from Vanderbilt University, Dr. Bobo held key positions as professor and chair, Department of Psychiatry & Psychology and as the Cecilia and Dan Carmichael Family Associate Director for the Center for Individualized Medicine at Mayo Clinic Florida. Dr. Bobo’s research and clinical interests are in addressing complex and difficult-to-treat cases of depression, perinatal and perimenopausal depression, and multifactorial correlates of depression such as occupational burnout, through the use of machine learning, clinomics, digital health tools (digitomics), other-omics, and asynchronous or semi-synchronous study designs. With over 200 publications, continuous funding from NIH and other sources since 2006, and over 22 years of clinical experience, he brings a wealth of expertise and a remarkable track record in mental health practice, research, and education.

Assistant Professor Mike Drury, Psy.D., co-authored a journal article titled “The Promise of Transdiagnostic Treatment in Rural Primary Care: The Unified Protocol,” which highlights the high rates of behavioral health challenges faced by individuals in rural areas. The study focuses on the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP), a therapeutic approach designed to address a variety of emotional disorders by targeting their underlying factors. The authors aim to evaluate the efficacy of UP in rural primary care settings, with the goal of improving mental health outcomes in these communities.

Sylvie Naar, Ph.D., and Laura Reid Marks, Ph.D., attended the International Congress of Psychology in Prague, Czech Republic. At this event, Naar shared findings from a study by Scale It Upon on social determinants of mental health in sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY). Statistics on SGMY participants show 77% had high levels of trauma and stress, 78% were reluctant to share their identity with their healthcare provider (HCP), and 67% felt mistreated by a HCP based on their identity.

Professor Ivan Balan, Ph.D., was given the Supplement Award from The National Institute on Drug Abuse for his currently active R34 grant titled “Integration of Electronic SBI(RT) into an HIV Testing Program to Reduce Substance Use and HIV risk Behavior among MSM in Argentina.” The proposed study seeks to address the disproportionate gap of MSM affected by HIV and substance abuse by developing and piloting an electronic-SBI program tailored for MSM awaiting their HIV test.

Department Chair, and President of the International Society for Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Heather Flynn, Ph.D., co-authored a chapter in a new textbook titled “Interpersonal Psychotherapy: A Global Reach.” The textbook describes the rapidly expanding global diss­­emination of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), an effective treatment for depression, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. The book, authored by the developer of IPT Dr. Myrna Weissman, includes the development of new training, technologies, and the use of IPT in over 30 counties around the world. In Chapter 5, Flynn discusses ISIPT Certification Programs and their goal to develop standards and processes supporting continued educational development and certification of IPT trainers and supervisors.

Office of Student Counseling Services members published an eye-opening article in the Florida Psychologist titled “The Wellness Prescription: How Psychologists Can Support Tomorrow’s Medical Providers.” In this article, the authors discuss mental health needs of medical trainees who navigate highly competitive college admissions, rigorous training, and substantial student debt. Statistics reveal that medical trainees and practicing providers experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and burnout compared to the general population. This calls attention to the importance of attending to the mental health of medical practitioners, as findings suggest that, when medical providers suffer, so do their patients.

Associate Professor Michael Nair-Collins, Ph.D., authored a new article discussing bioethics titled “The Uniform Determinations of Death Act is Not Changing. Will Physicians Continue to Misdiagnose Brain Death?” In the article, Nair-Collins explains how brain death is routinely misdiagnosed, with common practice declaring some patients dead by neurologic criteria even though they do not meet the legal standard for death. Despite vigorous efforts to revise the Uniform Determinations of Death Act (UDDA), guidelines will not change in the foreseeable future. Thus, legally living people will continue to be declared dead, contributing to mistrust in the determination of death.

BSSM Professors delve into the complex interplay between weight discrimination and health outcomes in a journal article titled “Sociodemographic predictors of perceived weight discrimination.” The study explores how weight discrimination is not just a social issue but also increases risk for chronic diseases and reduced life expectancy. With a focus on minority groups, the authors aim to identify sociodemographic factors associated with heightened perceptions of weight discrimination.

BSSM researchers authored a journal article titled “Healthcare visits by smokers: Does cessation treatment differ based on clinical condition?” The study finds that providers are offering cessation treatment to individuals with behavioral health conditions at either higher or comparable rates to those without. Using data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, researchers seek to examine if cessation treatment offered at healthcare visits differs based on the clinical condition.

Department Chair Heather Flynn, Ph.D., was interviewed by WCTV News regarding the challenges rural North Florida counties face in accessing mental healthcare. Eight counties in North Florida have no psychiatrists at all and suffer from a shortage in psychologists, social workers, and licensed mental health professionals. Flynn and colleagues are working to develop mental illness training, as well as establish mental health clinics with local partners to bridge the mental healthcare gap throughout rural communities in Florida.

Professor Angelina Sutin, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor Martina Luchetti, Ph.D., co-authored a brand-new journal article titled “Are social interactions perceived as more meaningful in older adulthood?” The study seeks to test the socioemotional selectivity theory, which states as people age the stronger their preference for emotionally meaningful social interaction becomes. To test this hypothesis, researchers collected data from three-hundred-six participants from the ages of 18-88 to examine the perception of meaningful social interactions in younger and older adults.

Professor Robert Glueckauf, Ph.D., and Tomeka Norton-Brown from the ACTS2 Caregiver Project recently held a workshop titled, “Effective Communication and Creative Problem Solving for Family Caregivers of Loved Ones with Dementia in Assisted Living Facilities: Keys to Success.” During this workshop, Rebecca Adelman & Heather Bornstein gave tips on effectively communicating with assisted care staff about loved ones with dementia, ViElla Lindsay about her personal experience with a loved one in assisted care, Tomeka Norton-Brown on ACTS2 services.

Assistant Professor Yang Hou, Ph.D., was given the 2024 FSU SEED Award for her research on “Psychosocial and Lifestyle Predictors of Neurobehavioral Function of Adolescents with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.” The proposed project will utilize ecological momentary assessment measures and activity trackers to collect rich data from adolescents with NF1: their daily neurobehavioral (i.e., cognitive, emotional, and behavioral) function and its predictors.

Department Chair Heather Flynn, Ph.D., co-authored a journal article titled “Antenatal Anxiety Symptoms Outperform Antenatal Depression Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation as a Risk Factor for Postpartum Suicidal Ideation.” During this study on Suicidal ideation (SI), Flynn’s team identified antenatal anxiety symptoms to outperform the previous leading risk factor, antenatal depression symptoms, as a predictor of SI during a mother’s postpartum phase.

Assistant Professor Julia Sheffler co-authored a newly published journal article titled “A modified Mediterranean-style diet enhances brain function via specific gut-microbiome-brain mechanisms.” This study seeks to demonstrate the potential benefits of a modified Mediterranean-ketogenic diet (MkD) on treating AD-related neurocognitive pathophysiology, such as Alzheimer’s Disease, by comparing changes that occur in mice when consuming a standard Western-style diet or an MkD.

Professor Frankie Wong and Associate Professor Eugenia Millender joined forces with a Panamanian research institute to address global health. Wong expressed his excitement for this new alliance, stating, “By combining the expertise of both institutions, we can make a real difference in the lives of people in Panama and beyond.”

Associate Professor Michael Nair-Collins, Ph.D., participated in a debate with Tracie Mahaffey, Ph.D., from the FSU Department of Philosophy on the topic “Organ & Tissue Donation Programs: The Bioethical Issues.” The debate centered on the idea of transitioning to an opt-out organ donation system. Mahaffey supported this approach, citing widespread public approval and willingness to participate, while Nair-Collins opposed it, emphasizing concerns about organ donors' lack of valid consent and the accuracy of death determination relative to the legal standard.

In this paper, the team led by Sara Green, MSW, discussed electronic health records as a cost-effective approach to providing necessary foundations for clinical trial research, as well as highlighting challenges of the regulatory process in the implementation of utilizing electronic health records in adolescent HIV research.

Nicole Ennis, Vice Chair of BSSM, Ph.D., had a recent appearance in a reel from CAN Community Health discussing the importance of HIV research at this year’s Florida HIV CPR Conference. In the reel, Dr. Ennis expressed the importance of research being the opportunity to understand what approaches work for who and under what circumstances, and the value of gatherings like the CPR Conference because they bring a robust infrastructure of participants, of what the actual issues people are facing to help academic researchers understand what evidence-based interventions are needed in the treatment and prevention of HIV.

Professor and Mina Jo Powell Endowed Chair in Neurological Sciences, Dr. Andrew Kozel, M.D., gave a talk on mental and behavioral health at the FSU Office of Research’s Collaborative Collision event in March. Kozel’s lecture provided an overview of how far the field has come and challenges that continue to face the research community.

Assistant Professor Yang Hou, Ph.D., recently delivered an informational lecture on rare diseases at BSSM's quarterly Community Rounds series with a panel on “Highlighting Pediatric Rare Diseases and Community Impacts.” Also hear from Fran Hokkanen, volunteer at NORD, about her experience in patient advocacy, Michele Holbrook, 2023 National Ambassador for the Children’s Tumor Foundation, spoke on her personal experiences with rare diseases, and Director of the Florida State University Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases, Pradeep Bhide, Ph.D., introducing this new FSU institute and the services it will provide to the community.

Assistant Professor Julia Sheffler, Ph.D., and Associate Professor Scott Pickett, Ph.D., recently co-authored a journal article titled “Sleep Quality as a Critical Pathway Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Multimorbidity and the Impact of Lifestyle.” This study aims to establish the effects of adverse childhood experiences on multimorbidity through sleep quality and investigate whether lifestyle factors may influence this relationship among middle-aged and older adults.

Assistant Professor Julia Sheffler, Ph.D., and Associate Professor Scott Pickett, Ph.D., recently co-authored a journal article titled “Sleep Quality as a Critical Pathway Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Multimorbidity and the Impact of Lifestyle.” This study aims to establish the effects of adverse childhood experiences on multimorbidity through sleep quality and investigate whether lifestyle factors may influence this relationship among middle-aged and older adults.

Professor Robert Glueckauf, Ph.D., & Tomeka Norton from the ACTS2 Caregiver Project recently held a workshop titled, "Managing Sleep Difficulties in Caring for a Loved One with Dementia: Strategies for Success." During this workshop, Associate Professor Scott Pickett discussed effective habits and resources on how to maintain sleep while providing care to a loved one with dementia.

BSSM Department Chair Heather Flynn, Ph.D., and Co-Chair of the Florida Maternal Mental Health Collaborative (FL-MMHC), alongside Alex Carlisle, Ph.D., and CEO of The National Alliance against Disparities in Patient Health (NADPH), are working on groundbreaking projects to address healthcare disparities and promote health equity.

Megan Deichen Hansen, Ph.D., presented a Grand Rounds lecture at the Harvard Medical School discussing “Perinatal Psychiatry Access Programs: An Innovative Tool for Perinatal Mental Health Equity.” Deichen Hansen’s talk focused on the contemporary landscape of maternal mental health inequities, gaps in care along the mental healthcare pathway, and strategies for promoting equitable outcomes using a perinatal integrated care model.

Associate Professor Karen MacDonell, along with scholars Bo Wang, and Nittaya Phanuphak are co-leading multiple NIH-funded projects focused on HIV prevention in vulnerable groups of young adults in Bangkok, Thailand. Recently, U.S. investigators worked with the Thai team at IHRI and were able to tour multiple clinical partner sites in the Bangkok area. If successful, this collaboration will result in mobile, technology-based intervention tools that IHRI and other clinical partner sites can offer to young adult patients to manage their health and reduce the risk of HIV.

Associate Professor Michael Nair-Collins, Ph.D.,  argues that the evaluation for brain death should require assessment for loss of hormonal secretion from the pituitary gland and hypothalamus to fit the current guidelines of the Uniform Determination of Death Act.

Susan Epstein's collaborative endeavor seeks to enhance the integration of Cognitive Information Processing theory, research, and practice.

Associate Professor Joseph Gabriel, Ph.D., talked on how the increased sale of proprietary medicines led to a professional crisis among pharmacists related to their loss of autonomy.

FSU Professor Sutin is part of a team of researchers who have identified a potential low-cost method for predicting if a person is at risk of developing dementia

Dr. Karen MacDonell has been invited to serve a 3-year term as a standing member of the HIV/AIDS Intra- and Inter-personal Determinants and Behavioral Interventions (HIBI) study section.

Andrew Kozel received the 2022 President’s Award from the Clinical Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Society, whose members are dedicated to optimizing clinical practice, awareness, and accessibility of transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy.

Sylvie Naar will be formally inducted into the academy in November, joining 13 other researchers admitted this year, which bumps the group’s membership to more than 200.

Dr. Sylvie Naar, director of the Florida State University Center for Translational Behavioral Science, has received a grant from the NIH to promote evidence-based diagnose and prevention counseling testing and referral services (CTR) for young men who have sex with men (YMSM).

”The average person should understand that right now at this moment they are at very low risk,” Dr. George Rust with FSU Medicine said.

Dr. Sylie Naar, part of Florida State University's Center for Translational Behavioral Science, has received a four-year grant totaling to almost $1 million.

We would like to congratulate her, Ms. Miaisha Mitchell, and the Leon County Emergency Medical Services on the honor, and thank them for their services to our community!

Drs. Yolany Hyde and George Rust each received a 2022 Leadership Award at the recent Student Organizations and Involvement Awards Ceremony.

Dr. Yolany M. Hyde will serve of the Southwest Council of Latin American Studies (SCOLAS) for 2022 - 2024.

Heather Flynn, professor and chair of the College of Medicine’s Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, has been appointed to the Commission on Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

A five-year grant, awarded by NIH’s National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, will fund research designed to reduce the spread of HIV among young adults.

Professor Angela Sutin, Ph.D. is part of a multidisciplinary collaboration on a recently awarded $2.25 million NIH grant. The Principal Investigator is Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology Claire Berryman.

FSU College of Medicine Distinguished Endowed Professor Sylvie Naar is principal investigator for the five-year grant, along with Assistant Vice President for Research and Academic Affairs Norman Anderson and College of Social Work Associate Professor Carrie Pettus.

The FSU Behavioral Health at Apalachee Center clinic is the first of its kind in the state and helps provide mental health services to anyone in the community.

Free Facebook Live Workshop, Thursday August 26, 2021 at 7PM Est.

Heather Flynn, Ph.D. Professor for the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine has been selected as Chair effective September 1, 2021.

Dr. Heather Flynn, Interim Chair of the Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine (BSSM) department at the FSU College of Medicine announced the inaugural Community Rounds event scheduled for August 4, 2021 from 12 to 1PM. The event is "Behavioral and Social Aspects of Vaccine Hesitancy: Community Challenges and Successes".

Joseph Gabriel, Ph.D., was recently appointed to the editorial board of the Bulletin of the History of Medicine beginning in January, 2022. It is a leading journal in its field for more than three quarters of a century.

Dr. Heather Flynn, professor and interim chair of the the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine is president-elect for the International Society of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (ISIPT).

Hear a panel discussion on this topic during a free Facebook Live event, Thursday, April 8th from 7-8:15 PM/EST. 

With the new year, the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine (BSSM) welcomes Dr. Heather Flynn, PhD in her new role as Interim Chair.

Dr. Julie Sheffler with the Center for Translational Behavioral Science (CTBS) and Ms. Ute Horn, Executive Assistant to the department chair were recognized for outstanding contributions to the College for 2019-20 at the Faculty Council Executive Committee Faculty/Staff Awards ceremony.

Michael Nair-Collins,, Ph.D., a bioethicist and associate professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, today is a prominent national voice in any conversation about brain death. He recently accepted an invitation confirming as much, joining the Uniform Law Commission Study Group to Examine the Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA), established in 1981.

Hear Wendy Barber, M.S., highly esteemed health coach and dementia care advocate, discuss this topic during a free Facebook Live event, December 10, 2020 from 7-8:15PM. 

Nicole Ennis received a $356,000 grant to assess the effect of medical marijuana on response time, attention, and executive functions in people 50 and older.

Frank "Andy" Kozel will serve as co-director of the FSU Mood and Anxiety Center of Excellence, and as medical director of FSU BehavioralHealth at Apalachee Center.

Comments from Les Beitsch, chair of the Department of Behavioral Science and Social Medicine, were included in a recent Associated Press article about Florida's public health system and its impact on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, department chair Les Beitsch is one of the 15 panelists advising the ACC as the conference contemplates potential health and safety concerns of having a college football season.

“There has been a lot of worry that loneliness would increase dramatically because of the social distancing guidelines and restrictions,” said lead author Martina Luchetti, an assistant professor at the College of Medicine. “Contrary to this fear, we found that overall loneliness did not increase. Instead, people felt more supported by others than before the pandemic. Even while physically isolated, the feeling of increased social support and of being in this together may help limit increases in loneliness.”

The paper is part of a larger study College of Medicine researchers are doing on COVID-19 to look at changes in mental health during the COVID-19 crisis and how psychological factors contribute to various aspects of response to the pandemic.

The College of Medicine has named Frank “Andy” Kozel the Mina Jo Powell Endowed Chair in Neurological Sciences. Kozel also will serve as a professor of psychiatry in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine at the College of Medicine.

In spite of COVID-19 travel restrictions, Dr. Leslie Beitch held audience with our Canadian friends to the north when he was interviewed June 26, 2020 by guest host Greg Brady on the Bill Kelly Show.

During the third week in June, Florida saw a record setting spike in daily reported new cases. This had many asking how bad can the resurgence become as the state continues its phased reopening, and what is the threshold for a hard stop, if any? Les Beitsch, Ph.D., J.D. and Chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine at the FSU College of Medicine, pondered this question and more in a South Florida Sun Sentinel article and a Tallahassee Democrat editorial.

Dr. George Rust, clinician, professor and Director of the Center for Medicine and Public Health, was asked recently for comment on a newly proposed task force that would inform Florida's reopening during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) announced its COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group, which includes one representative from each of its 15 institutions, including Dr. Leslie Beitsch, the chair of Behavioral Sciences & Social Medicine at Florida State.

While, “no sane person feels good during a global disaster,” during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are coping techniques that confer protective factors, offered Drs. Heather Flynn and Scott Pickett, two clinical psychologists in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine at the FSU College of Medicine.

As the magnitude of the coronvirus outbreak came into focus, the media has reached out to experts in public health to gain a perspective on the appropriate response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Leslie Beitsch, professor and chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine (BSSM), and others have offered valuable perspectives.

Dr. George Rust, Professor at the FSU College of Medicine, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Director of FSU's Center for Medicine and Public Health, shares his experience and perspective on the COVID-19 epidemic as one of four doctors interviewed by the Tallahassee Democrat.

Dr. Rust's Mentee, Charles Fleischer MD who is an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Rural Health, was awarded a $20,000 First-Year Assistant Professor Grant from the FSU Council on Research and Creativity.

TCC's President Murdaugh has agreed to designate three acres of land on the southwest edge of the TCC campus as the museum's home site

Leon County is set to become only the second county in Florida with a clean needle exchange program intended to reduce the transmittal of blood-borne infections and promote drug treatment. Dr. Leslie Beitsch testified before the County Commissioners that needle exchange programs lower the likelihood of prolonged addiction because of the integration of referral programs. Dr. Beitsch is a Professor and Chair for the FSU College of Medicine, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine.

In an article for the Tallahassee Democrat, Tomeka Norton-Brown, project coordinator for ACTS 2 wrote, "Caregivers are some of the strongest people I know. They’re dedicated, reliable and selfless. In my line of work, we also know that selflessness – though admirable – can be harmful to your health." Her article was written in recognition of National Family Caregivers Month.

Dr. Leslie Beitsch, Professor and Chair of the FSU College of Medicine, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine co-authored an article that was selected as one of four papers of the year published by the American Journal of Public Health.

College of Medicine researchers Samantha Goldfarb, Gregg Stanwood, Heather Flynn and Devon Graham shared insights from biomedical, clinical and policy perspectives on opioid abuse during pregnancy.

The College of Medicine’s ‘What if?’ questions could help Florida communities tackle cancer disparities.

Heather Flynn, professor and vice-chair at the FSU College of Medicine was recently appointed to the statewide Opioid Taskforce.

Dr. Yolany Martinez Hyde, assistant professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine is the first woman to win the National Poetry Prize at the Los Confines International Poetry Festival. Dr. Martinez Hyde teaches medical spanish at the FSU College of Medicine.

Carolyn Blue, Senior Administrative Assistant in the Center for Translational Behavioral Science received 2019 Outstanding Mentor Award from the Tallahassee Future Leaders Academy. The TFLA program is sponsored by the City of Tallahassee, which partners with area organizations, businesses and colleges to provide summer jobs for more than 200 local youth, ages 15-19. The program is devoted to providing community high school students with mentorship, work experience and professional development.

With an $800,000 grant, George Rust seeks to help Florida communities find out why specific cancer disparities exist — and then encourage them to do something about it.

Les Beitsch and Associate Professor of Geography Christopher Uejio will partner with researchers from Tulane University to examine how infrastructure damage and exposure to carbon monoxide may have increased stress and trauma and decreased access to health care.

Dr. Pascal Jean-Pierre received a $48,000 grant from the FSU MRI Oversight Committee in March and a second award of $13,000 from the Council on Research and Creativity in May for a complementary study on Type 2 diabetes and neurocognitive dysfunction.

Dr. Joseph Gabriel of the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, along with Dr. Matthew Crawford of Kent State University collaborated to produce an important new work on pharmacopoeias—official lists of medicaments and medicinal preparations published by municipal, national, or imperial governments—organized the world of healing goods in the early modern Atlantic World. These lists gave rise to new and valuable medical commodities such as cinchona bark, guaiacum, and ipecac.

Javier Rosado and Tatiana Fernandez wrote a children's e-book focused on stressors children from migrant families face.

First-year students from the Florida State University College of Medicine will board buses this Friday and fan out across North Florida and southwest Georgia to explore rural health care.

The African-American Alzheimer's Caregiver Training Conference is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 29 at the Old West Enrichment Center in Tallahassee. The free Saturday conference will include presentations, breakout groups, and caregiver and community resource panel discussions.

Dr. Julia Sheffler was awarded $50,000 through the Clinical Translational Science Award (NIH Award Number UL1TR001427) for her project, "Early phase feasibility trial: Examining the effects of diet on genetic and psychosocial risks for Alzheimer’s disease.”

Celina Meyer, a DIS undergraduate student in the Center for Translational Behavioral Science (CTBScience) was awarded a 2019 Garnet and Gold Scholar Society IDEA Grant.

Most people are familiar with the term “brain dead” and its implications for taking a person off life support or for organ donation. Fewer people know the history and current controversies behind the legal and medical definition of brain death.

On February 13, 2019 Visiting Scholar Dr. Piotr Nowak presented the lecture, “The Death of an Organism vs. Death as an Irreversible Loss of a Human’s Moral Status”.

A recent study by Associate Professor Angelina Sutin has determined that loneliness has a connection to an increased risk of dementia in older adults over the age of 50.

Patricia Babcock, who served as co-director of the College of Medicine’s Center for Behavioral Health Integration since 2016, has been named deputy secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families.

It’s one of the nagging questions of our time: Why is medicine so expensive? In fact, that’s the headline for an essay in the Feb. 21 New York Review of Books in which Associate Professor Joseph Gabriel figures prominently.

Research conducted by Angelina Sutin and Antonio Terracciano suggests that specific aspects of an individual's personality is directly related to their beliefs about others' bodies and the way that's expressed in social interactions.

Angelina Sutin received a $3.8 million grant from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health. For the next five years, she’ll be studying midlife cognitive aging in Latinos, looking for predictors and mechanisms of decline.

A new grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration aims to improve maternal mental health outcomes by increasing screening rates and patient access to treatment and resources. For the next five years, Dr. Flynn will work with the FDOH and Florida Maternal Mental Health Collaborative to improve perinatal depression detection, treatment, engagement and outcomes.

Dr. Patricia Babcock's work this past Spring with the Florida Department of Children and Families' child protective services investigators is featured in the Fall 2018 FSUMED Magazine.

A new Florida State University College of Medicine study involving data from 12,000 participants collected over 10 years confirms the heavy toll that loneliness can take on your health: It increases your risk of dementia by 40 percent.

A New York Times article sites Dr. Sutin's research.

Dr. Rust has taken over the Center for Medicine and Public Health from its Founding Director, Dr. Les Beitsch.

Support the African-American Alzheimer’s Caregiver Training program!