Washington, D.C. – Today, the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) announced that its Interprofessional Collaboration Research Grants, in the total amount of $53,395, have been awarded to three recipients: Dr. Melinda Cozzolino, of Ithaca College, for her work in supporting individuals with co-occurring TBI and substance use disorder; Dr. Yan Zheng, of University of Kansas Medical Center, for her work in enhancing the blood supply while addressing gender inclusivity of blood donation; and Dr. Hossein Khalili, of Winston-Salem State University, for his work in empowering interprofessional collaboration through global research innovation.
The grant program, led by ASAHP's Research, Discovery, and Innovation Committee, is designed to provide awards up to $30,000 in support of innovative research projects with the highest potential to produce new knowledge and paradigms towards success in interprofessional collaboration.
"Investing in the research spearheaded by these three accomplished individuals underscores ASAHP's commitment to the value of interprofessional collaboration,” said ASAHP President Craig Jackson, MSW, JD, FASAHP, Dean of the School of Allied Health Professions at Loma Linda University. “Past grantees have found new ways to innovate and collaborate and I have no doubt that this year’s recipients will build on that success with research initiatives that will benefit health professions educators at all of our member institutions as well as the broader field of health professions.”
The three grant recipients will be invited to present their work at the 2025 ASAHP Annual Conference.
Here is more information about this year’s recipients:
Community, Collaboration, and Connection: An Interprofessional Approach to Supporting Individuals with Co-occurring TBI and Substance Use Disorder.
$21,985 grant awarded to
Primary Investigator (PI) Dr. Melinda Cozzolino, OTR/L, MS, CRC, BCN, FAOTA, Professor, Chair and Program Director, Occupational Therapy at Ithaca College
In partnership with Tompkins County Whole Health in Ithaca, NY, the county-wide public and mental health services provider, this pilot program will create a unique hands-on learning opportunity while addressing a gap in services for high-need individuals. Students in the occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology programs, with faculty supervision, will work together to design, and implement treatment interventions for individuals with acquired brain injury and co-occurring substance use disorder. The complexity of this population necessitates an interprofessional approach and will provide the students with opportunities to learn from and with one another. This will lay the groundwork for students to become accomplished IPE professionals in their chosen allied health profession.
Data collection and program evaluations will inform the school of Health Sciences and Human Performance (HSHP) of Ithaca College on developing a framework for fundamental IPE curriculum and clinical experiences that can be incorporated throughout HSHP disciplines and implemented by other institutions and ASAHP member organizations.
“This is an incredible source of support for interprofessional practice and research among allied health professionals. We are particularly excited that it is being accomplished in partnership with our community, enabling us to bring our expertise to addressing an identified need and gap in services. For our faculty, it will enable them to add to the treatment literature around co-occurring traumatic brain injury and substance use disorder. For our students, it offers a meaningful experiential learning opportunity to co-treat in an interprofessional manner under the guidance of expert faculty,” said Dr. Christina Moylan, Dean of the school of Health Sciences and Human Performance at Ithaca College.
Enhancing Blood Supply while Maintaining Blood Safety: An interprofessional collaboration to address the gender inclusivity of blood donation.
$16,678 grant awarded to
Primary Investigator (PI) Dr. Yan Zheng, Ph.D., MLS(ASCP)cm
Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Laboratory Sciences at the University of Kansas Medical Center
This project aims to evaluate the impact of a new blood donor questionnaire (DHQ v4.0), on both blood donation and the overall blood supply while keeping safety a top priority. The new questionnaire, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is updated to be inclusive and apply to all potential donors, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. A key goal of this change is to improve the safety of the blood supply by identifying risks for HIV and other infections more effectively. The study is a collaborative effort between researchers at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) and the New York Blood Center Enterprise (NYBCe) at the Community Blood Center (CBC) of Greater Kansas City. It collects data through donor and blood center staff surveys and analyzes donation and deferral data before and after implementing the new questionnaire. The research seeks to understand if this new approach encourages donations from more diverse groups, leading to a more inclusive blood donor pool. Findings will help shape future blood donation policies to ensure both safety and diversity in the blood supply.
“This is an exciting and significant area of research with the potential to dramatically impact the availability and safety of the blood supply. This outcome is particularly important when considering the severe shortage of blood nationwide,” said Dr. Abiodun Akinwuntan, Dean of the School of Health Professions at KU Medical Center.
Empowering Interprofessional Collaboration Through Global Research Innovation
$14,732 grant awarded to
Primary Investigator (PI) Dr. Hossein Khalili, BScN, MScN, PhD, FNAP,
Senior Associate Dean of the School of Health Sciences at Winston-Salem State University; the President of the Interprofessional Research.Global
Interprofessional Research Global (IPR.Global) is the global network for interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) research. IPR.Global promotes evidence-informed healthcare policies by fostering rigorous, theory-driven IPECP research with the goal of addressing healthcare outcomes that reduce disparities and improve health equity. In alignment with this mission, IPR.Global is developing the Summer Research Institute, designed to provide interprofessional health practitioners, educators, and researchers with the knowledge, skills, and mentorship necessary to develop, fund, conduct, and disseminate high-quality IPECP research.
In April 2024, IPR.Global convened a Global Interprofessional Research Planning Summit at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) to conceptualize the Institute’s curriculum and structure. This project is being conducted in collaboration with WSSU, North Carolina Northwest Area Health Education Center (NC NW AHEC), and the Jefferson Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education (JCIPE).
The Institute will include a needs assessment to understand the training and mentorship support required for IPECP researchers. The pilot program will evaluate its impact on fellows’ research skills, collaboration, and grant submissions. With a long-term goal of scaling the Institute, the project aims to foster novel research collaborations and contribute to the growing body of IPECP research that addresses complex healthcare challenges worldwide.
About ASAHP
The Association of School Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) is a national professional organization of 130 universities and employers focused on critical issues affecting health professions education. ASAHP’s mission is to advance health professions education and discovery through interprofessional collaboration, leadership, excellence, and innovation. As much as 60% of the U.S. healthcare workforce may be classified as ‘health professions’ which are distinct from medicine, nursing, and dentistry, yet equally vital to the health and wellbeing of our society.
Contact:
Kristen Truong
kristen@asahp.org
Vice President of Public Affairs
ASAHP