Health & Medicine

Picking up the pieces: FSU psychology professor weighs in on mental toll of hurricanes

As many Floridians rebuild their lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, the psychological toll of the storm may leave scars for years to come. Florida State University Professor of Psychology Brad Schmidt studies the nature, causes, treatment and prevention of anxiety and associated issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and suicide. He […]

FSU researchers find pandemic altered personality traits of younger adults

A research team led by faculty at the Florida State University College of Medicine found the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to cause personality changes, especially in younger adults. The research, published in PLOS ONE, found that the population-wide stressor of the pandemic made younger adults moodier, more prone to stress, less cooperative and trusting and less […]

FSU lands world-renowned research team to bolster ‘unprecedented growth’ at College of Nursing

As part of its expansion of health care and clinical research, Florida State University is adding two esteemed digital health experts with long records of funding from the National Institutes of Health to its ranks. Lisa Hightow-Weidman will begin her role as a distinguished and endowed professor on Oct. 3. Kathryn Muessig will start her […]

$4.9M FSU College of Medicine grant seeks to reduce HIV infections among young adults

A lack of relatable messaging around HIV diagnoses and prevention could be a reason infection rates aren’t falling among young adults, despite dramatic decreases among all other demographics. With a $4.9 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, Florida State University behavioral scientist Sylvie Naar hopes to change that. “The No. 1 issue […]

FSU joins online tool that matches volunteers with research to advance health care

Florida State University invites the community to engage in the research process as its scientists look to better understand complicated diseases and other medical conditions. The institution has just joined ResearchMatch (https://www.researchmatch.org/ ), a nonprofit program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) where people – healthy or not – can sign up to […]

FSU researchers find link between health outcomes and smoke from sugarcane fires

A new study from a Florida State University team estimates that sugarcane fires in South Florida emit harmful particulate matter in quantities comparable to motor vehicles and is a factor in mortality rates across the region. Their work is published in Environmental Health Perspectives, a peer-reviewed journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health […]

FSU psychologist awarded $9M to expand ‘gamified’ treatments for pediatric ADHD

Millions of children are diagnosed each year with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. When untreated, or undertreated, children with ADHD face challenges focusing, managing time, and practicing self-control, and these difficulties can persist into adulthood. A Florida State University researcher who previously developed “gamified” treatments targeting central deficits of ADHD in children 8-13 has received two […]

FSU College of Medicine faculty member selected for national fellowship

As a physician, educator and mentor, Dr. Shermeeka Hogans-Mathews is looking for ways to expand her influence. She’s doing just that with a year-long fellowship from the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM). STFM named Hogans-Mathews as a recipient of its Leadership through Scholarship Fellowship, which offers training and mentorship for early-career faculty members […]

FSU biologists discover how cancer-causing virus avoids triggering immune system response

The human immune system is a complex network of organs, cells and proteins that defend the body against infections and diseases. While our bodies work constantly to ensure invading infections don’t breach the defenses, viruses are working just as hard to coerce our immune systems into allowing access and staying quiescent. A team of researchers […]

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: FSU psychologist works to combat loneliness in older adults

An estimated 30 percent of American adults aged 70 and older report experiencing heightened loneliness, according to research published in the Clinical Psychology Review, and increasing evidence suggests that perceived social isolation is a major risk factor for physical and mental illness in later life. Now, a Florida State University psychologist is working to find […]

NIH grant funds College of Medicine research on preventing premature deaths

Sylvie Naar is on a mission to train the next generation of researchers in methods for developing behavioral interventions, which could mean the difference between life and death for a lot of people. That’s not hyperbole: The National Cancer Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is supporting that goal with a […]

FSU researchers explore how tech can support older adults through $14.7-million consortium grant

Florida State University researchers are part of a consortium that has been awarded a $14.7 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to work with emerging and existing technologies to promote the well-being, quality of life and independence of older adults and provide support for older adults with cognitive impairments. Initially funded in 1999, […]