Additional 2008 Accomplishments

• Lee X. Blonder, Professor

In 2008, Dr. Blonder continued as the Principal Investigator on an NIH grant entitled “Neuroimaging Studies of Depression in Parkinson's Disease” (1RO1 MH078228-01).  She also has two pending NIH grant applications, one as Principal Investigator and one as Co-Investigator.  She published papers in Rehabilitation Psychology and Aphasiaology and presented data from the Parkinson’s grant at the International Neuropsychological Society and the International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders conferences.  In addition to supervising graduate students and giving a guest lecture in Aging of the Nervous System, Dr. Blonder served as a preceptor for Patient Centered Medicine in the Spring of 2008 and is currently a preceptor in Patients, Physicians, and Society II.  Dr. Blonder’s service accomplishments include having chaired the Search Committee for the Director of the Stroke Program (College of Medicine); and the Pilot Grant Committee in Behavioral Science (Departmental).  She is also a member of the search committee to recruit a new Center on Aging Director (College of Medicine).  Dr. Blonder serves on the University Research Professorship Committee, (Vice President for Research Office) and is an alternate member of the Health Care Colleges Council (Medical Center).  She is a longstanding member of the Certificate in Gerontology Committee (College of Public Health). At the national level she reviewed grant applications for the NIDA and NIMH Loan repayment programs and served as a temporary member on the Biobehavioral Mechanisms of Emotion, Stress.

• Deb Danner, Assistant Professor

Dr. Danner’s accomplishments during 2008 in the area of research include data collection from four Kentucky adult day centers as a part of a 2007-2008 state funded grant to investigate the Best Friends Approach to Dementia Care.  Data was collected in Lexington, Louisville, Prestonsburg and Shelbyville and analysis and summary of study findings has begun. Additionally, four articles were published in peer reviewed journals, one describing the approach at the minority emphasis satellite clinic, Polk-Dalton, and a book chapter was published in a Positive Psychology series. Finally, preliminary data analysis of findings from a recently completed care giving study at Polk-Dalton has begun. Her work related to the Education Core of the Alzheimer’s Disease Center grant emphasized the continuation of local minority outreach efforts. A conference targeting African Americans and the importance of research was planned and will be held on March 22 in Lexington.  This effort has involved extensive communication with community groups through our Community Action Council and our Council of Ministers. A video presenting a story of how AD affects an African-American family, Granny Pearl, has been written and developed with final filming and editing now underway. This video will be previewed and a panel discussion produced as part of the March conference. The update of the community volunteer registry which involves a mailing to 20,000 registered voters was begun in the Fall of 2008 with 1400 new volunteers recruited to date. Her national visibility included an invitation to participate in a Diversity Session at the International Conference on AD, being selected as a member of the Steering Committee for ADC Education Cores, selection as invited participant by AOA for teleconference session, and serving on a study session to evaluate ADRC applications.

• J. Robert Walker, M.S.W., L.C.S.W.

During 2008, Robert Walker completed a project commissioned by the President of the University on methamphetamine use in Kentucky. Working with the dean of the College of Dentistry, he recruited investigators for six intramural studies of methamphetamine and other drug use in Kentucky and then edited a report of the studies in a report. In 2008, he had nine publications with three as first author. During 2008, one grant written by Robert Walker was funded by SAMHSA/CSAT to provide residential treatment for pregnant women with substance use disorders. This three year grant is in eastern Kentucky and will result in research data on over 200 women who meet criteria for residential treatment for substance during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Robert Walker completed the first year evaluation of the KIDS NOW Plus program that serves pregnant women who have substance use disorders. This project included matching data from two large state datasets with CDAR collected data at baseline and postpartum follow-up. This is the first effort to match actual child birth event data to treatment data as a way of examining outcomes in a naturalistic study. Robert Walker obtained a contract to develop an electronic data system for the Kentucky Division of Child Care and the Office of the Inspector General to cover licensing of all child care facilities in the state. Total external funds for this year are about $1.2 million. Robert Walker also provided expert witness services on three legal cases and consulted on two other investigations into professional misconduct.

• Martha Wunsch, M.D.

Since Dr. Wunsch joined Dr. Sharon Walsh and the research team in September 2008, she became familiar with lab routines and begun to take an active role in ongoing research projects. She finalized publication of “Opioid Deaths in Rural Virginia: A Description of the High Prevalence of Accidental Fatalities involving Prescribed Medications” (RO3 DA019047-01A1) as well as preparing to publish information about female decedents and those cases where methadone was identified. With the assistance of Dr. Walsh, she is developing research to identify risk factors for methadone overdose deaths. During the fall “Alcohol and other drug use during pregnancy: Management of the affected mother and child” and “Nonmedical use of prescription medications” were finalized as chapters for the 4th Edition of The American Society of Addiction Medicine Textbook. She continues to act as Co-Investigator for two projects at Carilion Health System, “The Treatment of Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal: A comparison of Methadone Loading and Tapering Regimens (NOW)” and “Prescription Pain Medication Use in Patients with Chronic Pain”. Marty is a member of the Committee on Substance Abuse for the American Academy of Pediatrics, Co-Editor of the Journal of Addiction Medicine, and a founder and At Large member of the American Board of Addiction Medicine. She provides mentorship to clinicians nationwide prescribing buprenorphine through SAMHSA supported Physician Clinical Support System.