Bibliography of Prior Literature Relevant to Research Development

This document contains references that were included in the original Mendeley citation library established by Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski, added by NORDP members after the library was established, or included by the task force as a result of either personal knowledge or bibliographic tracing. While not exclusive, this bibliography represents a nucleus of the extant literature relevant to research development, and can serve as a resource for RD professionals going forward

Orienting New Researchers Across Multiple Pathways: Bridging Research Resource Gaps for New Faculty at VCU

New faculty researchers at VCU, who possess diverse research interests or requirements, often find it challenging to navigate the VCU environment in search of research resources necessary to initiate their work. The majority of available research resources highlighted on central VCU pages primarily cater to biomedical research, inadvertently marginalizing those in less prominent fields. Resources in other departments, such as fine arts and education, are limited and often restricted to the departmental or school level. This raises the essential query: How and where should I begin my research? The project employs a faculty and staff survey aimed at assessing the existing research training during orientation and providing recommendations for future steps

S20, E13: SCOTUS Eras: Taney Court (10/31/2025)

Nia and Aughie talk about the fifth U.S. Supreme Court\u27s Chief Justice, Roger Brooke Taney. Taney\u27s Court lasted from 1836 - 1864, notably presiding over the Dred Scott case as well as cases that further defined the Commerce Clause and set into stone the idea that the Court should consider the Political Question Doctrine when taking a case.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/civil_discourse/1293/thumbnail.jp

Perceptions of Healthy Diets, Food Behaviors, and Meal Kit Preferences Among SNAP Participants in Richmond, Virginia.

This qualitative exploratory study delved into perceptions of healthy diets and food-related behaviors among SNAP participants in Richmond, Virginia. The study also assessed participants’ perceptions of a hypothetical online food delivery program (“Meal Kits”) as an alternative nutritional support strategy. The Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) was used to conceptualize and design the study, guiding the analysis to focus on how individual, interpersonal, community/institutional, and societal factors influence behavior. The research explored participants’ perceptions of how personal, economic, cultural, and environmental factors influence their food choices. The study found that participants generally perceive healthy eating as an aspirational value. Economic considerations emerged as the most significant influencer of food choices, with many participants employing strategies, such as purchasing cheaper, less healthy foods, to manage limited SNAP benefits. Family and cultural influences also significantly shaped food shopping behaviors, as did convenience and taste. Participants viewed the local food environment as playing a crucial role, although not as significant as expected. Although findings were mixed, many participants indicated that areas of Richmond serviced by larger grocery chains offer acceptable access to healthy options. The key factors influencing this access were transportation and proximity to those larger chains. The study also identified participants’ lack of trust in the food industry, highlighting a need for more accessible and trusted nutritional information. Regarding meal kits and online delivery, participants expressed moderate interest in the kit’s potential to improve their diets and increase access, especially for those with health-related dietary needs or mobility issues. However, concerns about meal kit cost, quality, and personalization of delivered food were common. Many participants value the control over their diet that traditional shopping and cooking provide. This suggests that any meal kit integration into 7 SNAP must ensure affordability, quality assurance, and the ability to cater to personal preferences. Although the sample was small (N=19), this study did indicate that meal kits could complement SNAP in underserved areas. However, tailored implementation, informed by community needs and cultural preferences, is critical for such a program to be effective. A key finding of this limited study, however, is that even with careful implementation, if any potential future program fails to address the financial pressure felt by participants, it is unlikely to be utilized. Participants indicated that the SNAP allotment they receive was already inadequate for providing resources for a healthy diet, especially for a household. Thus, they were skeptical of any program, no matter how healthy, that would increase their costs. This finding is especially relevant given recent discussions about reductions in the SNAP budget, which might impact allotment levels for participants. Overall, however, this research indicates that meal kit options not currently available under SNAP, such as support for developing healthy shopping lists and preparing healthy meals, should be examined as a potential US Department of Agriculture Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE) change initiative. Following further research, this study recommends considering the longer-term implementation of other meal kit options, such as delivered ingredients and prepared food, as the online food delivery and meal kit market continues to evolve

Green Resilience: Outdoor Physical Activities as Pathways to Psychological Well-being for International Graduate Students in the US

Graduate school can be a demanding and isolating experience, especially for international students who face additional challenges such as language barriers, cultural adjustment, and limited social support. Mohammad Jahanary’s research explores how outdoor physical activities can serve as pathways to psychological well-being for international graduate students in the U.S. Guided by the biopsychosocial model, he conducted interviews with 16 students across four universities to understand how these activities impact mental health. Participants reported that outdoor recreation not only improved mood, sleep, and stress management but also fostered a sense of community and belonging. While cost and safety were noted concerns, the overall findings suggest that outdoor and physical activities are affordable, culturally inclusive interventions that promote resilience. Jahanary’s work calls on universities to encourage and facilitate these opportunities—pairing international and domestic students and offering incentives—to build healthier, more connected, and more productive academic communities

Special Recital, Sam Colaccino, trumpet, video

Special Recital videoSam Colaccino, trumpet and flugelhorn, videowith Malik Gray, alto saxophone; Chet Frierson, tenor saxophone; Danny Dupes, trombone; Rinatt Montoya, guitar; Minjee Jang, piano; Avery Waddell, bass; Charles Brown, drumsTuesday, October 7, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.Recital HallJames W. Black Music Center1015 Grove Avenue | Richmond, Virgini

Junior Recital, Wes Castle

Junior RecitalWes Castle, guitarwith Malik Gray, tenor saxophone; Kevin Granados, tenor saxophone; Hepburn Hull, piano; Libby Mullins, vocals; Avery Waddell, bass; and April Freeman, drumsTuesday, September 2, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.Recital HallJames W. Black Music Center1015 Grove Avenue | Richmond, Virgini

The Role of HIF-1 Alpha in Immune Regulation During Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD), commonly known as eczema, affects roughly 20% of the global population and 10% of Americans, most of them children. Characterized by chronic itching, inflammation, and skin irritation, AD causes emotional distress, social challenges, and sleep deprivation. Current treatments—such as corticosteroids, antihistamines, and costly biologics—only manage symptoms without addressing the root cause. Araba Abaidoo-Myles’s research investigates the immune mechanisms underlying AD, focusing on the role of a key regulatory protein, HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha). This protein acts as a molecular switch that influences immune cell behavior and inflammation. Using mouse models, her team found that activating HIF-1α through topical treatment with the drug roxadustat significantly reduced AD severity. These findings suggest that targeting HIF-1α could offer a promising path toward curative therapies, moving beyond symptom relief to address the underlying immune dysregulation driving atopic dermatitis

TGFβ-Mediated Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Human Cholangiocyte Cell Cultures Following Ischemia Reperfusion Injury

Donation after circulatory death (DCD) has expanded the donor pool for liver transplantation. However, ischemic cholangiopathy (IC) is a complication more commonly observed in DCD liver recipients and is associated with inferior outcomes. The molecular mechanisms of IC are largely unknown but a recent study points to possible ischemia-induced genetic reprogramming of the biliary epithelium into mesenchymal-like cells. The main objective of this study was to determine if this epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cholangiocytes after exposure to DCD conditions are regulated via Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGFβ) autocrine signaling. Human cholangiocyte cultures were exposed to periods of warm and cold ischemia to model DCD liver donation. Another model involved stimulating cells with TGFβ in the absence of ischemia and served as a positive control. Some cells were pretreated with small molecule TGFβ receptor antagonists prior to injury in both models. Before beginning studies, the effects of injury, substrate, and time on total cell number and viability in vitro were characterized. Injured groups exhibited significant increases in total cell number over time, particularly between Day 1 and Day 4, while uninjured populations remained relatively stable. By Day 4, the disparity in cell number and viability between injured and uninjured groups diminished, identifying Day 4 as a critical convergence point for comparative analyses. Substrate had minimal impact on the injury response at Day 4, supporting its use as an optimal time point. For cross-condition comparisons, EMT was characterized by assays of cell migration, cell morphology, and differential gene and protein expressions. Cholangiocytes exposed to DCD conditions and/or TGFβ displayed migratory behaviors and gene expression patterns consistent with EMT. Cell viability and E-cadherin expression fell while migration and expression of vimentin and TGFβ increased. Each of these effects in the DCD model were significantly mitigated by selective small molecule serine-threonine kinase inhibitors of TGFβ receptor signaling. Similarly, selective TGFβ receptor inhibitors were successful at mitigating TGFβ synthesis and release, vimentin, and SMAD4 elevated expressions, but did not restore E-cadherin expression in cholangiocytes undergoing EMT by exogenous TGFβ. Our findings show that EMT occurring in human cholangiocytes after exposure to DCD conditions is modulated by upstream signaling from autocrine derived TGFβ, and small molecule serine-threonine kinase inhibitors may be potential therapeutic targets for cholangiopathy after DCD liver transplantation