The proposed study aims to develop and pilot a brief, firefighter-specific, peer-led psychoeducation program to address hazardous drinking within the context of occupational stress and trauma exposure. The program consists of a single, in-person, group-based session that provides practical, evidence-informed education on the relationships among trauma, stress, alcohol use, resilience, and behavioral health resources. The psychoeducation program will be developed iteratively with firefighters, delivered by trained firefighter peer leaders, and evaluated in a pilot study to assess its feasibility and acceptability. The long-term goal is to create a culturely aligned and scalable resource that fire departments can use to strengthen behavioral health support and resilience among their members.
Funding Type: Foundation
AD-protective regulatory APOE variation in ethnically diverse populations.
Variants in the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene strongly influence Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk, neuropathology, and longevity. The APOE ε4 allele confers the greatest genetic risk for AD in Europeans and Japanese populations and is associated with reduced lifespan, whereas the protective ε2 allele is enriched among centenarians. Notably, APOE ε4 risk is attenuated in individuals of African ancestry, who also show reduced neuropathologic burden. We hypothesize that ancestry-specific regulatory variation at the APOE locus alters risk allele dosage and contributes to these differences. Single-nucleus RNA-seq studies show reduced APOE ε4 expression in astrocytes of African carriers, but the underlying regulatory variants remain unknown. This proposal aims to define the APOE transcript repertoire in human brain (Aim 1) and functionally evaluate ancestry-enriched APOE variants for effects on transcription, splicing, and RNA processing (Aim 2) using targeted long-read RNA sequencing and multiplex reporter assays. This work will generate a regulatory map of APOE and identify variants that lower APOE expression and protect against AD.
Canoe Journey: Land, water, language and culture for youth wellbeing
The Canoe Journey study is an exploratory study aimed at examining the acceptability and fit of motivational interviewing (MI) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) among American Indian and Alaska Native youth and young adult Canoe Journey participants. The team will develop a list of MI and DBT approaches in collaboration with Canoe Journey partners, and exploring the acceptability and fit of the approaches during Canoe Journey events in 2025, along with a list of tribally specific approaches to healing mental health in collaboration with Canoe Journey partners and confirm knowledge of these approaches among participants in 2026. The team will examine the relationship between measures of wellness with knowledge and use of MI, DBT, and tribally specific approaches to healing mental health in 2027, along with the acceptability and fit of a relational mental health intervention among Canoe Journey participants.
Event- related potential (ERP) as a biomarker for subtyping neurobiology of PTSD: A pilot study
This PTSD-focused methods-development EEG project aims to develop new tools for a) predicting PTSD treatment response, b) understanding the underlying biological process, and c) supporting the development of new treatments for PSTD. We are using an event-related potential (ERP) paradigm to develop non-invasive, easily implemented in clinic biomarker to provide useful information about the neurobiology of PTSD. The specific goals are to 1) collect ERP data within a veteran population before and after treatment with methylphenidate, 2) design data analysis methods that maximize available data, and 3) add to ongoing effort of translating technological advancements for PTSD research.
Redesigning Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Autistic Young Adults in Community Clinics
This project will 1) identify the unique barriers autistic young adults experience in accessing full-model Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for suicidal thoughts and behaviors and non-suicidal self-injury in community settings, 2) determine needed adaptations to DBT from the perspectives of service providers and recipients, and 3) user-test elements of a redesigned DBT protocol.
Health Outcomes of Betting on Sports (Project HOBS)
Project HOBS is examining associations between sports betting, mental health, and substance use among young adults. Surveys are collected bi-weekly for one calendar year (25 follow-ups) and at a distal 15-month follow-up.
Achieving Reach in Youth Behavioral Health and Wellness through Catchment-Area Community Governance
This study, funded as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Systems for Action research program, evaluates the feasibility of the Youth Wellness Hub as a hyper-local community governance model for integrating delivery and financing systems for youth behavioral health and wellness services. The Youth Wellness Hub combines three social policy tools that are separately promising or well-supported in the research literature: community governance; public health education campaigns; and service network coordination through fiscal blending. The study uses a mixed-methods approach to assess feasibility of the model as tested in Tacoma, Washington, including surveys and interviews with community organizations together with a network analysis of these organizations. The study is conducted by the University of Washington in collaboration with the Excelsior Center for Health and Wellness, the Safe Streets Coalition, and other community partners.
Parent-Child Assistance Program – Oklahoma
This project seeks to compare the effectiveness of the Parent-Child Assistance Program (PCAP) to services as usual in the state of Oklahoma using a randomized, controlled design.
SPARK
SPARK is an autism research study and a growing community of autistic individuals, their families, and researchers with a goal to advance the understanding of autism. This study aims to improve the lives of people with autism by identifying the causes of autism and informing more effective therapies, treatments, services, and supports.
Community curriculum codesign
Curriculum codesign is a capacity building initiative to cocreate therapeutic interventions alongside community partners using research translation and design-oriented activities.
