We support biobehavioral and mental health research approaches to increase knowledge and improve healthcare outcomes.
Biobehavioral lab and Biobank
Our research is conducted the biobehavioral research laboratory located in the School of Nursing. The lab is a center of excellence in salivary science and biobanking and serves as a one-stop-shop for students and researchers designing and conducting studies involving biobehavioral methods. Learn more about our lab and biobank.
Mental health
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is our focus in mental health research. Working closely with partners at the Audi Murphy Veteran’s Hospital, our researchers in the School of Nursing examines treatments with the goal of minimizing anxiety and improving daily function and mental wellness.
Center for Health Care Services NAS Residential Facility
Primary Investigator, Lisa M Cleveland PhD, APRN, CPNP, IBCLC, FAAN
Goal: Develop and conduct a program evaluation for a Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) in-patient, residential, treatment program.
Sponsor: Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
Precision Metabolic Mechanisms of Low Carbohydrate and Ketogenic Diet
Primary Investigator, Yan Du PhD, MPH, RN
Goal: The purpose of this project is to test the use of ketogenic diet modification in a clinical trial with obesity and diabetes.
Sponsor: 80-20 Foundation
The Impact of a COVID 19 Project ECHO Program on the Mental Health of Community Health Workers: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study
Primary Investigator, Pamela Recto PhD, RN
Goal: The purpose of this proposed mixed methods design pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility of using a telementoring Project ECHO program as a mechanism for providing mental health support to Community Health Workers as they learn to better care for their communities.
Sponsor: UT Health San Antonio, Nursing Advisory Council
A Co-Curricular IPE for Health Professions Students: A World Café Approach for Facilitating Knowledge about Interprofessional Collaboration and Patient-Centered Care
Primary Investigator: Pamela Recto, PhD, RN
Goal: The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to virtually tailor a co-curricular Interprofessional Education (IPE) involving service users to enable students to acquire greater knowledge and positive attitudes towards IPE collaboration, obtain valuable insight on healthcare experiences of individuals with Serious mental Illness (SMI), and understand the value of behavioral health integrated care and patient-centered care.
Sponsor: UT Health San Antonio, LINC Seed Grant
A Biobehavioral Approach to Identifying Factors of Blood Pressure in Korean Americans with Hypertension and Exploring Salt Sensitivity
Primary Investigator, Jisook Ko PhD, RN
Goal: To identify individual, psychosocial, behavioral, biological factors of blood pressure, assess salt sensitivity, and evaluate the consistency of sodium level between dietary sodium intake through mobile dietary tracking app and urine sodium level for Korean Americans in Central Texas.
Sponsor: UT Health San Antonio, Nursing Advisory Council
Overdose Prevention Centers
Primary Investigator, Lisa M Cleveland PhD, APRN, CPNP, IBCLC, FAAN
Goal: The purpose of this pilot project is to implement and evaluate three pre-arrest diversion and community-based overdose prevention centers.
Sponsor: Health & Human Services Commission
A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized controlled trial of exercise ± creatine supplementation to augment the adaptations of exercise training in cancer survivors
Primary Investigator, Darpan I. Patel PhD
Goal: The objective of this study is to determine the effects of creatine supplementation in improving adaptations to exercise in cancer survivors following routine cancer therapy.
Sponsor: ThriveWell Cancer Foundation