As noted in the mission, vision and core values statements, the Center for Palliative and Supportive Care (CPSC) has a mission of providing compassionate clinical care, demonstrating leadership in teaching health professionals and trainees, conducting collaborative research, and influencing health care delivery and public policy. The Research Scholars Program and the monthly Center Scholars Forum, directed by the CPSC, provide an integral component to accomplishing CPSC's mission. Through the Center Research Scholars Program and the Center Scholars Forum, the CPSC aims to cultivate and promote innovation and collaboration in the advancement of palliative and supportive care research across the University of Alabama at Birmingham and beyond.
Center Scholar appointments are made on the basis of quality and relevance to the Center of each prospective member’s research portfolio and are considered secondary appointments. Center Scholars are invited to participate in the Center’s activities, especially in developing innovative and creative approaches to palliative and supportive care research.
Center Scholars will hold one of the following ranks:
- Senior Scientist: equivalent to Professor
- Scientist: equivalent to Associate Professor
- Associate Scientist: equivalent to Assistant Professor, Instructor, or Adjunct faculty member
- Associate: non-faculty status
The Center for Palliative and Supportive Care continues as a Center of Expertise for the University and is very active as a clinical, education and research entity. Earlier this year, the Center awarded its sixth cycle of PREP Pilot Grant Awards supporting pilot projects that contribute to the evidence base of palliative and supportive care and enhance the prospects for external funding opportunities for UAB investigators. Each of the PREP awardees presented at our monthly Center Scholar forum. The forum was established to exchange research ideas and gather feedback regarding research and collaboration. This continued dedication to research and collaboration was recognized in the Fall of 2019 when the Center for Palliative and Supportive Care was accepted as a pilot University Wide Interdisciplinary Research Center (UWIRC) in the Fall of 2019.
Scholar Presentation Archive:
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2021
JAN 4 | CANCELLED
FEB 1, 21 | Rachel Wells, PhD, RN
Homegrown: Developing a Program of Research Examining Critical Components of Early Palliative Care for Advanced Heart Failure
MAR 1, 21 | Sylvia Huang, PhD, MA, MEd
System-wide Depression Screening Implementation: Practice Transformation to Improve Access and Quality of Psychosocial Cancer Care
APRIL 5 | Emily Johnston, MD, MS
Quality of End-of-Life Care for Children with Cancer
MAY 3 | Sara Lappan, PhD, LMFT
Culturally-Based Values and Preferences for Clinician Care and Communication of Lesbian and Bisexual Women with Serious Illness and their Partners
JUNE 7 | Caitlyin Clevenger, PhD and .Rhianon Reed, DrPH
Culturally Based Values and Preferences for Clinician Care and Communication Transgender and Gender Diverse People with Serious Illness and their Partners & Assessing Provider, Patient, and Caregiver Preferences for Palliative and End-of-Life Care in Kidney Transplantation -
2020
JAN 6 | Tom Buford, MD
Optimizing Exercise to Prevent Age-Related Functional Decline
FEB 3 | Cindy Cain, PhD
Supporting or Undermining Personhood? How Staff Practices Support and Undermine Personhood for People with Dementia
MAR 2 | Deb Ejem, PhD
Optimizing Exercise to Prevent Age-Related Functional Decline
APR 6 | Lyle Walton, MD and Emily Johnston, MD
PREP Awardees Presenting on their Projects
MAY 4 | Karina Halilova, MD and Gabrielle Rocque, MD
PREP Awardees Presenting on their Projects
JUN 1 | Sara Lappan, PhD and Rachel Wells, PhD
PREP Awardees Presenting on their Projects
SEP 14 | Grant Williams, MD
Assessing the Older Adult in Oncology: Predicting Treatment Tolerability
OCT 5 | Nicholas Hoppmann, MD
The Integration of Palliative Care for Patients with End-Stage Liver Disease
NOV 2 | Maria Pisu, MD
Let's talk about costs: research to address the financial hardship of cancer care
DEC 7 | James Dionne-Odom, PhD
Progress and Experiences with the Project CASCADE Pilot Factorial Trial using MOST -
2019
JAN 7 | Emily Johnston, MD
End-of-Life Care for Children, Adolescents and Adults with Cancer: How Can We Do Better?
FEB 4 | Heather Herrington, MD and Alethia Sellers, MD
NIH Center of Excellence in Pain Education (COEPE)
MAR 4 | AAHPM/HPNA Practice Talks
- Macy Stockdill, Provider Perspectives on Palliative Care in End-Stage Liver Disease: A Qualitative Study
- Anand Iyer, Palliative Care Needs and Perspectives on Early Palliative Care from Individuals with COPD and their Family Caregivers: A Mixed Methods Study
- Deb Ejem, Exploring the Role of Religion and Spirituality in Provider-Patient Communication among African-Americans with Advanced Heart Failure and their Family Caregivers
- Marie Bakitas, Integrating the ENABLE Early Palliative Care Approach in Community Cancer Centers: Results of an Implementation Trial
APR 1 NB1052 | Alayne Markland, DO
Research Opps for P&SC in VA & Birmingham GRECC
MAY 6 NB | Ricky Shinall, M.D. (Vanderbilt University)
Specialist PC for Surgical Pts: Reflections from a Young Investigator
JUNE 3 NB1071 | Nataliya Ivankova, PhD, MPH
Approaching a Problem from a Mixed Methods Research Perspective
JUL/AUG SUMMER BREAK ————
SEPT 9 SON | Larry Hearld PhD
Dissemination & Implementation Science: A Primer and Possibilities for Palliative Care
OCT 7 SON | Rodney Tucker M.D.
Palliative Care & Hospice Education & Training Act (PCHETA) Update
NOV 4 SON | Jessica Williams PhD
Perceived Discrimination in Health Care & Hypertension Management among African Americans in the Southern U.S.
DEC 2 | Ganisher K. Davlyatov, PhD
Telerehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis -
2018
JAN 8 | Anand Iyer, MD
Project EPIC: Early Palliative & Supportive Care in COPD
FEB 5 | Stephen Carter, MD
Simulated Altitude as an Adjunct to Optimize Aerobic Exercise in Obese Breast Cancer Survivors with Limited Ambulatory Function: Pilot Randomized Trial
MAR 5 | Marie Bakitas, DNSc, APRN, NP-C, AOCN, ACHPN, FAAN and Sandhya Mudumbi, MD
Palliative Care Interventions in End-Stage Liver Disease: A Rapid Review of Literature
MAR 5 | Sylvia Chao-Hui Huang, PhD and Gabrielle Rocque, MD
Association between Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms and Health Care Utilization in Geriatric Patients with Cancer: Findings from the Patient Care Connect Program
MAR 5 | Yasemin Turkman, PhD and Gabrielle Rocque, MD
Evaluating Disparities in Hospice Utilization for Cancer Patients Living in the Deep South
APR 2 | Eric Wallace, MD
UAB Telehealth Efforts Update
MAY 7 | Deborah Ejem, PhD
Preliminary Findings from the ENABLE: CHF Diversity Administrative Supplement
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2017
MAR 6 | Nick Dionne-Odom, PhD, RN, ACHPN and Post-doctoral Fellow, School of Nursing
A 4-survey of family caregivers of poor-prognosis cancer patients: directions for future analyses
MAY 1 | Rachel D. Wells, MSN, RN, CNL
What's in the Black Box?: Describing the focus of early outpatient Palliative Care Consultation Evaluations and Treatment Recommendations for Individuals with Advanced Heart Failure.
SEPT 11 | Sylvia Huang, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics & Palliative Care
Mental Health Diagnoses and Quality Proceses of Care at the End of Life: Findings from the BEACON Trial
OCT 2 | Anand Iyer, MD, UAB Division of Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Medicine and Postdoctoral Fellow, Health Services, Outcomes, and Effectiveness Research Training Program
Project EPIC: Early Palliative and Supportive Care in COPD
NOV 6 | Noha Sharafeldin, DrPH, Postdoctoral Fellow Hematology/Oncology
Intervention strategies to improve cognitive functioning in hematologic cancer survivors after hematopoetic transplantation
DEC 4 | Rita Jablonski-Jaudon PhD, Associate Professor of Nursing
Clinician and Consumer Perspectives Regarding Advance Care Planning (ACP) Best-Practice Conversation at Different Stages of Dementia -
2016
FEB 1 | Alexander Lo, MD
Determining the Association between Unmet Palliative Care Needs and Healthcare Utilization among Older Adults with Heart Failure
MAR 7 | Sylvie Mrug, PhD
Examining the Role of Spiritual Coping in Health and Well-Being of Patients with Cystic Fibrosis
APR 4 | Jessie Merlin, MD
Intervention for Chronic Pain in Individuals with HIV
MAY 2 | Stephen Carter, PhD
Simulated-Altitude as an Adjunct to Optimize Aerobic Exercise in Obese Breast Cancer Survivors with Limited Ambulatory Function: Pilot Randomized Trial”
SEP 12 | Anand Iyer, MD
Life-Space Mobility as a Measure of Social Limitation in COPD
OCT 3 | Marie Bakitas, DNSc
Describing and evaluating current practices of specialist and generalist palliative care support for patients with a Mechanical Circulatory Support Device (MCSD)
DEC 5 | Zina Trost, PhD
Fear, Injustice, and Virtual Reality: A Research Overview -
2015
FEB 9 | Elizabeth Kvale, MD, and Jessie Merlin, MD, MBA
Chronic Pain in Ambulatory Palliative Care
MAR 10 | Judy Paice, PhD, RN, FAAN
The War on Cancer Pain: New Battles
APR 13 | Anna Arthur, PhD, MPH, RD
Improving Dietary Patterns in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors to Optimize Disease Outcomes and Supportive Care: A Pilot Intervention Study
MAY 11 | Nick Dionne-Odom, PhD
Progress on 4-State Survey of Advanced Cancer Family Caregivers
SEPT 21 | Matt Davis, M.D
End of Life Care In Neurosurgical Patients: Implications For Policy And Research Opportunities
OCT 12 | Sylvia Huang, Psychology Post Doc Fellow
Promoting Advance Care Planning Through Community Based Participatory Research: Challenges and Opportunities In The Deep South
NOV 16 | Jessie Merlin, M.D, MBA
Development of a Behavioral Intervention for Chronic Pain in Individuals with HIV
DEC 7 | Erin Currie, PhD, RN
Parent Experiences Surrounding Infant Deaths: Taking the Next Steps -
2014
JAN 27 | Jessica Merlin, MD, Assistant Professor with joint appointments in the Divisions of Infectious Diseases and Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care
Development of a Behavioral Intervention for Chronic Pain in Individuals with HIV - feedback on a K23 proposal
APR 14 | Brainstorming Session with the Center for Palliative and Supportive Care Center Scholars
MAY 23 | Marie Bakitas, DNSc, NP-C, FAAN FAAN, the Marie L. O'Koren Endowed Chair and Professor at the UAB School of Nursing
Immediate vs. Delayed Initiation of Concurrent Palliative Oncology Care: ENABLE III Randomized Controlled Trial Patient Outcomes
MAY 23 | Nick Dionne-Odom, PhD
Benefits of Immediate vs. Delayed Palliative Care to Informal Family Caregivers of Persons with Advanced Cancer: Outcomes from the ENABLE III Randomized Controlled Trial
JUNE 19 | DeNay Porter Kirkpatrick, DNP, APN-BC, CRNP, Nurse Practitioner, in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, & Critical Care Medicine
COPD/Asthma IPU & CMS Bundle Payment Pilot
SEPT 10 | Elizabeth Kvale, MD, Associate Professor & Medical Director UAB Palliative & Supportive Care Outpatient Services
Survivorship Care Transition Intervention
OCT 10 | Peter S. Hendricks, PhD, Associate Professor Public Health in the Department of Health Behavior
5HT2A Agonists (Classic Psychedelics) in the Treatment of End-of-Life Distress -
2013
JAN 14 | Kerri Bevis MD, Assistant Professor Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Work in Progress (in palliative care in oncology)
MAR 28 | Jessica S. Merlin, MD, MBA, PCOR K12 Scholar and Assistant Professor Division of Infectious Diseases
HIV and Chronic Pain Research
APR 15 | David H. James RN, DNP, CCRN, CCNS, UAB Center for Nursing Excellence
Bioethical Considerations for Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) in the critically ill
MAY 14 | Sridivya Parvataneni, MD, Research Assistant, UAB Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging
Discharge Hospice Referral and 30-Day All-Cause Readmission in Medicare Beneficiaries Hospitalized for Heart Failure
JUNE 10 | René Jooste, M Pharm, CCRP, Clinical Trial Billing Officer, UAB Office of Sponsored Programs
Comparing the Quality of end-of-life Cancer Care in the Medicare Population at Academic Medical Centers and Non-academic Medical Centers prior to and after the Enactment of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003
SEPT 30 | J. Nicholas Dionne-Odom, MA, MSN, RN, Instructor, School of Nursing; Palliative Care Nurse Interventionist, NPCRC, ENABLE CHF-PC; Project Coordinator, ACS Reducing Disparities in Palliative Care; Doctoral Candidate
Preliminary Results: A Theoretical Model of the Psychological Processes of Surrogate Decision-Making at Adult End-of-Life in the ICU using Cognitive Task Analysis
OCT 28 | Gabrielle Rocque, MD, Medical Director of the Patient Care Connect Program with the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center
Integrating Palliative Care and Oncology: The University of Wisconsin Inpatient Experience
DEC 19 | Burel R. Goodin, PhD, Assistant Professor, Departments of Psychology and Anesthesiology
The Role of Oxytocin in the Pain and Stress Responses of Older Adults -
2012
NOV 13 | Amos Bailey, MD, Professor and Director of Palliative Care Services - Birmingham VA Medical Center and Kathryn Burgio, PhD, Professor, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care
Hospice Emergency Kits in End-of-Life Care for Veterans in Home Settings
DEC 10 | Mona Fouad, MD, Professor, Division Director Preventive Medicine. CanCORS is one of the largest longitudinal cancer outcome trials undertaken
CanCORS Dataset
If you are interested in becoming a Center Scholar Member or would like more information about Center Research Scholars please contact:
Emily Johnston, MD, MS
Email: eejohnston@uabmc.edu
Phone: 205.638.2120
Racheal Nerud, MBA
Email: rg14@uab.edu
Phone: 205.975.2610