NC TraCS Award Announcements

The NC TraCS Institute is pleased to announce awardees for 4 programs:

• The 119th cycle of the TraCS $2K pilot grants
• The 16th cycle of the TraCS $2K Stakeholder Engagement vouchers
• The 22nd cycle of the TraCS $5K-$50K matched pilot grants
• The 4th cycle of the TraCS $5K-$50K matched FastTraCS pilot grants

In total, 44 applications were received and 16 were chosen for funding. Awardees include investigators from UNC’s Adams School of Dentistry, UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Gillings School of Global Public Health, School of Education, School of Medicine, and School of Nursing, TraCS partner N.C. A&T State University, plus Oregon Health & Science University.

$5K-$50K and FastTraCS grants are comprised of NC TraCS funding matched by funds from UNC Schools, Departments and Centers—and funding from partner organizations. The 16 projects are listed by Program below.

TraCS $2K Pilot Grant Program

Michael Adams, School of Medicine
Katherine Saylor, College of Arts and Sciences
Project Title: Identifying undiagnosed genetic disease in the UNC Healthcare system

Magdalene Assimon, School of Medicine
Project Title: Patterns of use and sudden cardiac death risk associated with prescription QT-prolonging drug exposure among hemodialysis patients

Hope Davis, College of Arts and Sciences
Project Title: Association Between Steps Per Day and Knee Joint Health in Individuals at Risk of Post-Traumatic Knee Osteoarthritis

Scott Davis, Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Project Title: Implementation of an Online Educational Video Intervention to Improve Eye Drop Technique

Joshua Herb, School of Medicine
Gita Mody, School of Medicine
Karyn Stitzenberg, School of Medicine
Project Title: Determinants of Rural-Urban Differences in Surgical Resection for Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in North Carolina

TraCS $2K Stakeholder Engagement Voucher Program

Jada Brooks, School of Nursing
Jeffrey Proulx, Oregon Health & Science University
Project Title: Building a Community-Academic Partnership with the Cherokee to Address Diabetes through the Adaptation of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention

TraCS $5K - $50K Translational Research Matched Pilot Grants

Allen, Kelli, Rheumatology & Thurston Arthritis Research Center, School of Medicine
Project Title: Precision Medicine to Inform Rehabilitation and Exercise Therapies for Knee Osteoarthritis

Azcarate-Peril, M. Andrea, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, School of Medicine
Project Title: Can pre-therapy analysis predict response to treatment for lactose intolerance?

Bjurlin, Marc, Urology, School of Medicine
Project Title: Characterization of Bladder Carcinogen Urinary Biomarkers in Young Adult Electronic Cigarette Users

Esther, Jr., Charles, Pediatric Pulmonology, School of Medicine
Freeman, Ronit, Applied Physical Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences
Project Title: Understanding the mechanisms of mucus flake formation

Kistler, Christine, Family Medicine, School of Medicine
Project Title: The Feasibility of Using a Pharmacogenetic Assay in Nursing Home Residents to Reduce Adverse Events (FOGI-NH)

Lewis, Valerie, Health Policy & Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health
Project Title: Demonstrating feasibility of studying care delivery across payers: the Transforming Healthcare in North Carolina (THiNC) pilot project

Liu, Pengda, Biochemistry & Biophysics, School of Medicine
Davis, Ian, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, School of Medicine
Project Title: MERTK inhibition sensitizes Ewing sarcoma to chemotherapy

Tan, Xianming, Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health
Project Title: Building an intelligent EMA system to study the feasibility of conducting EMA studies on at risk children and adolescents

Wade, Jeannette, Social Work and Sociology, N.C. A&T State University
Frederick, Helyne, UNC School of Education
Parker, Sharon, Social Work and Sociology, N.C. A&T State University
Project Title: An Exploratory Study of Barriers to Black Women's Involvement in Gynecological Research and Health Care

TraCS $5K - $50K Translational Research Matched FastTraCS Pilot Grants

Shah, Rishma, Craniofacial & Surgical Care, Adams School of Dentistry
Project Title: Development of an Innovative Custom-Fitted Portable Intraoral Speech Therapy Device

View a complete list of Pilot awardees at tracs.unc.edu/pilot.