Research Activity

Current Grants 

OneFlorida Cancer Control Network (Florida Department of Health)

Investigator: Peter Carek, M.D., M.S.

Establish a statewide network that will quickly bring the benefits of research in labs and other clinical settings to more than 9 million patients in all of Florida’s 67 counties. The network will initially create tobacco cessation programs in doctors’ offices around the state in a coordinated effort to prevent cancers and other cardiovascular diseases related to tobacco use.
OneFlorida Clinical Research Consortium (PCORI)

Investigators: Peter Carek, M.D., M.S. and David Feller, M.D.

The PCORI funding award designates the consortium as one of 13 clinical data research networks nationwide, which are working to accelerate the translation of promising research findings into improved patient care. The clinical data research networks are part of a larger collaborative initiative called the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network, or PCORnet.
Center On Transfusions And Transfusion-Related Complications Among Hemoglobinopathy Patients (CDC)

Investigator: Peter Carek, M.D., M.S.

Clinical decision support (CDS) can provide assistance to physicians who rarely see patients with uncommon conditions such as hemoglobinopathies by providing information that will remind them (via a BPA) to incorporate screening for transfusional iron overload into the usual care they provide for these patients. The proposed clinical decision support intervention in the EHR would allow physicians to have real time prompts so that screening for transfusional iron overload is not forgotten during an office visit following the administration of a red blood cell transfusion.
Integration of Serum Biomarkers, MRI, Functional Assessments, and Impact Accelerometer Data to Improve Diagnosis and Management and Predict Prolonged Recovery of Sports Concussions Experienced by UF Collegiate Athletes (AWARE) (Banyan Biomarkers/Florida High Tech Corridor Council)

Investigator: James R. Clugston, M.D.

Research goal is to more objectively diagnose, manage, and predict recovery of sports concussions using 1) brain imaging using advanced forms of MRI, 2) quantitative measurements of head impacts using the Head Impact Telemetry System (HITS) in helmeted athletes (football), 3) blood-based concussion biomarker testing, and 4) standard functional assessments of sports concussion currently used in most athletic and clinical settings.
Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium (NCAA/Department of Defense)

Investigator: James R. Clugston, M.D.

A prospective, longitudinal, multi-center, multi-sport investigation that delineates the natural history of concussion in both men and women by incorporating a multi-dimensional assessment of standardized clinical measures of post-concussive symptomatology, performance-based testing (cognitive function, postural stability), and psychological health.
Sports Concussion And Neuromuscular Function   Investigator: James R. Clugston, M.D. The specific aims of this study are to compare the foci of brain activation during a quadriceps muscle contraction stimulus (Specific Aim 1), voluntary activation and strength of the quadriceps muscle (Specific Aim 2), and the independent and combined effects of concussion and cognitive challenge on knee stiffness during a jump land task (Specific Aim 3) in athletes with or without a concussion.
Genomic Medicine Implementation: The Personalized Medicine Program (IGNITE) (NIH)

Investigator: Siegfried Schmidt, M.D.

A study of the effects on physician prescribing decisions when provided with patients’ 1) CYP2D6 genotyping and 2) Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)
Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) Studies of Cardiovascular Drugs (FDA)   Investigator: Siegfried Schmidt, M.D. The goal of this project is to provide pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data to help the FDA better understand which factors should be considered in bioequivalence studies of metoprolol ER products.
An Interactive Patient-Centered Consent For Research Using Medical Records (NIH)

Investigator: Ray Moseley, PhD

First, this study will design an electronic consent application intended to improve patients’ satisfaction with and understanding of consent for research using their EHR data. The electronic application will provide interactive functionality that creates a virtual, patient-centered discussion with patients about research that uses EHR data. Also, to correct potential misconceptions and increase informedness, the application will present trust-enhancing messages that highlight facts about research regulations, researcher training, and data protections. Second, in a randomized trial, this study will compare the effectiveness of this new interactive, trust-enhanced consent to an interactive consent with no trust enhancement (interactive) and a consent with no interactivity and no trust enhancement (standard).
NN9535-4191 Dose-finding of semaglutide administered subcutaneously once daily versus placebo and liraglutide in subjects with type 2 diabetes (Novo Nordisk)

Investigator: Karen Hall, M.D.

The aim of this trial is to investigate dose-finding of semaglutide administered subcutaneously once daily versus placebo and liraglutide in subjects with type 2 diabetes.
MEDication Focused Outpatient Care for Underutilization of Secondary Prevention (MEDFOCUS) (NIH)

Investigator: John G. Gums, Pharm. D.

To conduct a multi-center, cluster-randomized implementation study utilizing a web-based, centralized cardiovascular risk service (CVRS) to determine the extent to which the CVRS model will be adopted and implemented in medical offices with large geographic, racial and ethnic diversity. Subjects enrolled at UF will be in the control group, receiving standard care, rather than the CVRS intervention.
SONAR (AbbVie)
Investigators: John G. Gums, Pharm.D, David Feller, M.D., and R. Whit Curry, M.D.

A randomized, multi-country, multicenter, double blinded, parallel, placebo-controlled study of the effects of Atrasentan on renal outcomes in subjects with type 2 diabetes and nephropathy.
SaTC-EDU: EAGER: Education Initiative TECH MeD: Transdisciplinary Education for Critical Hacks of Medical Devices (NSF)

Investigator: Lauren Solberg, J.D., M.T.S.

By employing a range of educational strategies, the TECH MeD (Transdisciplinary Education for Critical Hacks of Medical Devices) initiative seeks to broaden the discourse regarding the cybersecurity implications of remotely accessible, implantable medical devices beyond the narrow confines of computer science. Our goal is to educate a broad audience, including undergraduate and graduate-level students from various disciplines, healthcare professionals, patients with implantable medical devices, and the general public about the ethical, legal, social, and technical implications of these remotely accessible technologies.
STFM Program Enhancement Award (STFM)

Investigator: Tanya Anim, M.D.

Develop and implement a tailored Faculty Development Series for the UF Family Medicine Department to improve the quality of teaching.

Past Grants

I-PRO (Pfizer Inc.)

Investigators: Siegfried Schmidt, M.D. and David Feller, M.D.

An integrative and sustainable approach to pain management in primary care: Evaluating a systematic care model rollout in practices in the UF Department of Community Health & Family Medicine. Pain related patient information and care recommendations will be collected/communicated in Epic.
Biomarkers of TBI (Banyan Biomarkers, Inc.)

Investigator: James R Clugston, M.D.

A prospective study of biomarkers associated with sports induced concussions in college student athletes.
An Interactive Tool Addressing and Communicating Alphas EOL Issues (Alpha-1 Foundation)

Investigator: Ray Moseley, PhD
A study of the feasibility and effectiveness of two types of social media both as sources of information and as a way of communicating about the quality of life of persons living with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and who are facing end-of-life medical decisions.
PEAR-II Grant (NHLBI)

Investigators: John G. Gums, Pharm.D and R. Whit Curry, M.D.

Pharmacogenomic Evaluation of Antihypertensive Responses (PEAR-II): A Validation Study, 2010-present, validating the pre-identified genomic markers for response to diuretics and beta-adrenergic antagonists discovered in PEAR-I.
CAPTION TRIAL (NHLBI)

Investigators: John G. Gums, Pharm.D, Eric Dietrich, Pharm.D, and Karen Hall, M.D.

Collaboration Among Pharmacists and Physicians To Improve Outcome Now (CAPTION) trial is a 4 year, multi-site study designed to analyze the impact of a pharmacist/physician team approach vs. physician-only approach on the outcome of chronic diseases (asthma, hypertension).
SPRINT TRIAL (NHLBI and NIDDK)

Investigators: John G. Gums, Pharm.D and Karen Hall, M.D.

The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial is a multicenter, randomized clinical trial designed to test whether a treatment program aimed at reducing systolic blood pressure to a lower goal than what is currently recommended will reduce cardiovascular disease risk.
PEAR Grant (NHLBI)

Investigator: John G. Gums, Pharm.D. and R. Whit Curry, MD.

Pharmacogenomic Evaluation of Antihypertensive Responses (PEAR) five-year grant (2005 – 2010) identifying genomic makers for response to diuretics or beta-adrenergic antagonists. (http://www.pear.cop.ufl.edu)
BELT Asthma Study (AHRQ)

Investigators: Ku-Lang Chang, M.D., and Karen Hall, M.D.

The Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) was an 2-year grant for the Blacks & Exacerbations on LABA vs. Tiotripium (BELT) study, a 12 month prospective, randomized, parallel group, open-label trial comparing the effectiveness of LABA/ICS vs. Tiotropium/ICS in delaying the time to exacerbation in black patients with asthma. With 18 sites across the country recruiting participants, the University of Florida stands out with the highest number of enrollees.
TAP-OUT-34 Study

Investigator: John G. Gums, Pharm.D.

Utilizing the existing iDOP infrastructure, this surgical care outcomes project is designed to create a unique, patient-specific database that will document a wide range of clinical and economic outcomes associated with an inpatient orthopedic surgery population. Specifically, the project adapts the iDOP electronic data-mining program and will collect patient-level data on pain and pain management surrogate markers, as well as patient-level data related to Venous Thromboembolic Events (VTE) and their associated health-care outcomes. This project will document aggregate data at the hospital level and benchmark the values to regional and national averages when available.