A new Florida State University study finds that adding healthcare providers’ photographs to clinic welcome signs can strengthen certain aspects of patient trust before patients even meet their providers. 

 The study, “First Impressions Matter: The Influence of Provider Photographs on Medical Trust Among Minority Women,” was conducted by Amy Huber, professor and chair of FSU’s School of Design, and Rachel L. Bailey, James E. Kirk Professor of Communication. The researchers examined how provider photographs influence perceptions of trust among Black and Hispanic women.

Previous research has shown that medical trust plays a critical role in healthcare decisions among Black and Hispanic women. Huber and Bailey examined whether simple, low-cost design changes could strengthen provider-patient relationships and potentially contribute to better health outcomes. 

 “This study reinforces the idea that design does more than shape spaces; it shapes human experiences in important ways,” said Huber. “In every space where we spend time — in our homes, doctor’s offices, workplaces, airports — design impacts our decision making and affects the way we feel.” 

The findings suggest that patients can begin forming trust in their healthcare providers before meeting them. The research also highlights how thoughtful waiting room design can improve the patient experience through simple, inexpensive changes. 

The study included 343 responses from Black and Hispanic women in the United States, ages 18 to 44. Each participant viewed one of 12 randomly assigned images of clinic waiting rooms featuring different healthcare provider photographs. Participants then rated their perceptions of the provider using a measure of medical trust. 

The researchers found that displaying provider photographs improved perceptions of providers’ commitment to patients. Black participants also rated providers of the same racial or ethnic background more favorably in fairness and communication skills. However, the study found no significant differences in overall trust based on provider identity. Among Hispanic participants, provider identity did not significantly affect trust ratings. 

The study was published in the Health Environments Research & Design Journal.  

To learn more about the FSU School of Design, visit Design.fsu.edu.  

The FSU College of Communication and Information’s Wellness Communication Center is dedicated to advancing evidence-based wellness strategies that empower individuals and communities to achieve optimal health, resilience and longevity. Learn more at wcc.cci.fsu.edu.  

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For years, critical data about Florida’s behavioral healthcare system has been scattered among state agencies, making it difficult to assess how well the system serves patients and where improvements are needed.  

Now, Florida State University is working to bring that information together to give policymakers and researchers a clearer picture of mental health and substance use treatment across the state.  

The effort is part of the Tristin Murphy Act, which became Florida law in 2025. Under the legislation, FSU is building and hosting the Florida Behavioral Health Data Repository, a secure, statewide resource that will bring together data from multiple agencies. The project combines expertise from the FSU College of Medicine’s Center for Behavioral Health Integration, the Northwest Regional Data Center (NWRDC) and FSU Information Technology Services (ITS). 

“Right now, we cannot say whether or not people who enter into care systems in Florida get better,” said Heather Flynn, professor and chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine at FSU’s College of Medicine and director of the FSU Center for Behavioral Health Integration. “We don’t know if the right resources are being targeted to the right geographic areas or populations.” 

Creating a repository that brings together data from multiple state agencies is a complex undertaking. The repository grew out of the work of Florida’s Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder. 

After consulting with other states that have developed similar systems, FSU researchers identified several challenges, including staff turnover, limited technical expertise and the need for independent oversight. FSU brings together specialists in data science, biostatistics, public and behavioral health to help address those challenges. 

“Access, quality, outcomes. That’s really what this whole program is about, improving access, quality and outcomes for mental health and substance use in the state.”

– Heather Flynn, FSU professor

The project also relies on FSU’s existing technology infrastructure. The Northwest Regional Data Center (NWRDC), which already supports state agencies, provides the secure environment needed to house the repository.  

Tim Brown, assistant vice president of NWRDC, said those existing relationships with state agencies helped lay the groundwork for the project.  

“FSU’s NWRDC is built to handle massive, complex public-sector datasets with the highest levels of security,” Brown said. “Because our infrastructure already supports state agency data, building this repository at FSU was a seamless fit. It allows us to maximize existing state investments while ensuring Florida’s data remains safe, centralized and highly available.” 

While NWRDC provides the infrastructure, the Data and Analytics team within FSU ITS is developing the technology to combine data from five state agencies into a single system. 

The five agencies are the Department of Children and Families, the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Corrections, and the Office of the State Courts Administrator. Each uses different methods and formats to collect and share information. 

The ITS team is developing a system to standardize that data so researchers can analyze it securely and consistently.  

“Our main priority is protecting patient privacy while integrating data from disconnected systems,” said Jorge Vidal, senior director of Data and Analytics at FSU ITS. “Identifying information will be kept in a highly secure environment, separate from the anonymized data researchers will use to study trends across the state.” 

The FSU Center for Behavioral Health Integration is guiding the research. Roderick Harris, the repository’s program director, said combining information from different agencies will help with better understanding patients’ experiences and evaluate treatment outcomes over time. 

“If the outcome is reduced hospitalizations or fewer trips to the crisis stabilization unit or detox center, what does that success look like?” Harris said. “And what services were delivered to get to that successful outcome? Was it peer support services? Building that integrated model is what this is all about.” 

During the project’s initial phase, FSU researchers will analyze the data and submit annual reports to the Florida Legislature. A governance structure that includes representatives from participating state agencies will help guide the work. In later phases, qualified researchers at FSU and other institutions, including the University of South Florida, may apply for access to deidentified datasets. 

By bringing together information that has long been separated across state agencies, FSU hopes to give policymakers and researchers the evidence they need to identify gaps in care, evaluate treatment outcomes and improve mental health and substance use services for Floridians. 

“Access, quality, outcomes,” Flynn said. “That’s really what this whole program is about, improving access, quality and outcomes for mental health and substance use in the state.” 

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From pioneering cancer research and building the world’s most powerful magnets to expanding the frontiers of health, engineering and the arts, Florida State University has spent generations turning research and creative discovery into work that changes lives.

As FSU celebrates its 175th anniversary, that legacy stretches from the university’s earliest research programs to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and today’s rapidly growing FSU Health academic health system.

“Research is central to Florida State University’s mission and essential to the impact we make on Florida, the nation and the world,” said President Richard McCullough. “For generations, FSU researchers have pushed the boundaries of knowledge, tackled complex challenges and transformed bold ideas into discoveries that improve lives. We look to build on that legacy as we continue investing in the research that will drive the next generation of breakthroughs.”

Early research foundations

In 1947, the Florida State College for Women became Florida State University, signifying an expansion of the institution’s mission from undergraduate education to a research enterprise.

The university’s research footprint was also growing. FSU established its first marine laboratory, the Oceanographic Institute, in 1949, followed by additional facilities on the St. Johns River near Jacksonville and on Tampa Bay. The facilities supported research into local fisheries, the oceanography of the Gulf Stream, red tide and other marine science topics.

As the FSU research program developed, the university became a leading institution in the physical sciences, especially physics and chemistry. In 1957, FSU established the High Energy Physics group, the first high-energy physics program in the Southeast. The FSU Accelerator Laboratory — now the John D. Fox Nuclear Accelerator Laboratory — began operations in 1960, helping FSU physicists study low-energy nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics and the quantum mechanics of atomic nuclei and their reactions, which supports applications like medical treatments, energy production and storage, national security and more.

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For Dr. Alma Littles, dean of the FSU College of Medicine, the 2026 FSU Health Expo in Gadsden County on Saturday was a homecoming and a reminder of the importance of access to quality healthcare.

Littles grew up in Gadsden County and spent much of her career there as a family medicine physician before becoming dean. At Saturday’s health expo at the Gadsden County Courthouse in Quincy, she reconnected with former patients and saw firsthand the impact that access to healthcare can have on individuals, families and communities.

“We want to make sure that we’re making a difference,” she said. “That’s why we’re here.”

Hosted by FSU Health in partnership with Gadsden County, the expo brought together faculty, staff, students, researchers, healthcare professionals, community organizations, local businesses and residents for a day focused on health, wellness and community connection.

More than 90 vendors and exhibitors participated, representing Florida State University, Florida A&M University, healthcare organizations, nonprofit agencies, local businesses and community partners from across the region. They offered health screenings, educational resources, research opportunities and community services designed for people of all ages. The event was part of FSU Discovery Days, the university’s annual celebration of research, creativity and innovation.

“Seeing all these amazing people, organizations and community partners come together in one place demonstrates the incredible commitment that exists across our region to improving health and well-being,” said Ursula Weiss, director of FSU Health Community Engagement. “Our goal is not only to connect people with resources today, but also to build lasting relationships that help create healthier communities for years to come.”

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The Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases (IPRD) at Florida State University has enrolled its first families in the Sunshine Genetics pilot program, which utilizes whole-genome sequencing to screen newborns for rare genetic conditions.

The screening checks for nearly 900 genetic conditions. Early identification of these conditions will empower families with knowledge about their newborn, reduce diagnostic delays and accelerate the path to treatment or specialized management.

Florida Rep. Adam Anderson (R-Palm Harbor), who championed the legislation which established both IPRD and the Sunshine Genetics Act, called it a milestone he will never forget.

“Two years ago, this was an idea we were fighting to make a reality,” Anderson said. “Today, Florida families have the opportunity to enroll their newborns in a program we once could only imagine. This remarkable progress is a testament to the doctors, researchers and industry leaders, as well as the hospitals and universities across Florida and around the country, who believed in this vision and worked to make it possible.”

Anderson will deliver a keynote address at the International Consortium of Newborn Sequencing (ICoNS), Oct. 7-8 at Harvard Medical School before an international collection of experts in the field. He will be joined there by IPRD and Sunshine Genetics leadership, in addition to leadership from many of its program partners.

Sunshine Genetics and its pilot program is administered by IPRD at FSU’s College of Medicine, with guidance from the multi-institutional Sunshine Genetics Steering Committee and support from industry leaders Baylor Genetics, GeneDx, Nest Genomics  and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

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The Florida State University Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship will conduct a first-of-its-kind study that explores the link between proper fit of personal protective equipment (PPE) and occupational cancer risk for women in the fire service.  

In partnership with the University of Arizona, FSU Carol Avery Professor Meredith McQuerry, lab director of the Wearable Advancements in Research and Performance (WARP) group, received a $1.5 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to further examine the relationship between gear fit and occupational cancer. The findings will be applicable to approximately 1.1 million members of the United States Fire Service. 

“I am honored to be part of this award, partnering with colleagues at the Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, to study how gear fit directly impacts occupational cancer for the first time,” McQuerry said. “We hope this work will inform standard sizing improvements for increased firefighter health and safety.” 

“I am honored to be part of this award, partnering with colleagues at the Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, to study how gear fit directly impacts occupational cancer for the first time. We hope this work will inform standard sizing improvements for increased firefighter health and safety.” 

– Meredith McQuerry, FSU Carol Avery Professor

McQuerry and her research team will compare gear fit of female firefighters with cancer biomarkers that provide results from pre-to-post live fire training burns at four structural fire departments across the United States, including Florida, California, Arizona and Virginia. Occupational cancer is the leading cause of long-term line-of-duty deaths in the fire service. Last spring, FSU principal investigator and postdoctoral fellow Josephine Bolaji collaborated with Arizona to deploy a multi-measurement system to quantify gear fit during a pilot trial.  

FSU’s latest research is a hallmark of the FSU Health mission, an integrated academic health system that brings together hospitals, physicians, clinics, research, education and innovation to improve the health of the communities the university serves. McQuerry is a member of ICON-Health, an institute dedicated to combatting chronic disease through comprehensive, multidisciplinary research. 

As director of the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab®, McQuerry has world-renowned expertise in clothing comfort physiology with industry-leading research that investigates ways to improve first-responder safety through functional equipment. Her latest grant explores multiple risk factors for toxic exposure and reproductive outcomes for the female firefighter population. 

McQuerry has received federally funded awards demonstrating the potentially hazardous relationship between poor gear fit and increased occupational exposure. She recently chaired a research team that concluded a five-year multi-state project titled “Protective Clothing for Wildland Firefighters,” providing recommendations to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) on improving methods for cleaning and safeguarding PPE for wildland firefighters. 

As head of the WARP Group, McQuerry leads a team of postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate students at the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab ®, the Textile Testing Laboratory and the 3D Body Scanning Lab. Over the last decade, WARP has received more than $5 million in funding for research that spans protective equipment design, clothing comfort physiology, medical textiles and material durability. 

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Florida State University’s doctoral program in kinesiology has earned the No. 1 spot in the National Academy of Kinesiology’s (NAK) 2026 rankings. 

Housed in the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (Anne’s College), the kinesiology program, which explores human movement and physical activity, rose from No. 3 in the 2023 rankings. 

Released every three years, the evaluation examined data from 2023 through 2025 across 39 participating universities. The rankings evaluate total research expenditures, faculty productivity and research impact, faculty leadership roles in the field, doctoral student support, student research productivity, graduate employment outcomes and the number of NAK Fellows on the faculty.   

“We are incredibly proud to be recognized as the nation’s top kinesiology doctoral program,” said Damon Andrew, dean of Anne’s College. “This ranking reflects the outstanding work of our faculty and students and the culture of excellence that defines our program. Together, they are advancing research, shaping the future of the field and strengthening the FSU Health initiative through leadership in the field of kinesiology.” 

“We are incredibly proud to be recognized as the nation’s top kinesiology doctoral program. This ranking reflects the outstanding work of our faculty and students and the culture of excellence that defines our program. Together, they are advancing research, shaping the future of the field and strengthening the FSU Health initiative through leadership in the field of kinesiology.” 

– Damon Andrew, dean of Anne’s College

FSU Health is an integrated academic health system that brings together hospitals, physicians, clinics, research, education and innovation to improve the health of the communities the university serves. The initiative is a long-term investment in Florida’s health infrastructure and economy.  

The ranking is the first No. 1 ranking for an FSU Health-associated program since its launch in 2022. 

Additional findings from the NAK’s evaluation highlighted the program’s strength in student success and research productivity. 

FSU ranked in the 100th percentile nationally for doctoral student publications, students receiving full financial support, graduates securing tenure-track faculty positions and faculty-authored books.  

The evaluation also placed FSU among the nation’s leaders in graduates earning postdoctoral positions, invited keynote presentations and faculty research productivity. During the reporting period, FSU kinesiology doctoral students produced 105 journal articles, while 14 graduates secured tenure-track faculty positions. Kinesiology faculty produced 336 journal articles and secured more than $21.6 million in federal research funding. 

“This recognition reflects the strength of the people who make our program exceptional,” Andrew added. “Our faculty attract talented students who want to work alongside leaders in the field, and those students go on to make meaningful contributions through their research, scholarship and professional success. That cycle continues to strengthen our program.” 

“This recognition reflects the strength of the people who make our program exceptional,” Andrew added. “Our faculty attract talented students who want to work alongside leaders in the field, and those students go on to make meaningful contributions through their research, scholarship and professional success. That cycle continues to strengthen our program.”

Anne’s College is home to world-renowned faculty in fields spanning athletic training, athletic coaching, exercise physiology, sports nutrition and dietetics, sport sciences, sport management and sport psychology. The college is also home to leading research centers and institutes, such as the FSU Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine. 

For more information about Anne’s College and its academic programs, visit annescollege.fsu.edu. 

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Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) have finalized core agreements establishing the long-term framework for FSU Health, an integrated academic health system focused on improving health and expanding access to advanced care and research across North Florida and beyond.  

These agreements include lease and operating agreements and other definitive legal documents, including an academic and clinical framework supporting the partnership at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and the future FSU Health hospital in Panama City Beach. 

“Today marks a defining step forward in our shared vision to build an academic health system that will serve our community and our state for generations to come,” FSU President Richard McCullough said. “Through FSU Health, with Tallahassee Memorial Hospital as its clinical anchor, Florida State University is bringing together the people, expertise and resources needed to improve lives, expand access to advanced care and create new opportunities for medical education and research across North Florida and beyond.”  

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Inc. will serve as a cornerstone of FSU Health, bringing trusted expertise in community-based care, an extensive network of physicians and advanced practice providers, and leading specialty and advanced-care services. 

“For nearly 80 years, TMH has grown alongside this community, always looking for new ways to bring better care closer to home,” said Mark O’Bryant, chief executive officer of Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. “Our work with FSU, including the academic medical center strategy we developed together in 2021, has created an opportunity to build on that legacy in ways we could not achieve alone. Our patients, physicians, advanced practice providers and colleagues can expect the same commitment to exceptional, compassionate care, strengthened by new opportunities to advance medicine, educate future healthcare professionals and bring more specialized care and innovation closer to home.” 

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Inc. will continue managing day-to-day operations under the FSU Health brand at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, the future Panama City Beach hospital, TMH’s other clinical care locations and its employed physician network, TMH Physician Partners. Patients will continue receiving care from their established physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses and team members, while benefiting from the added strengths and capabilities of a Top 25 public research university. 

The agreements build on an academic health center strategic alignment plan that started in 2021 and the transfer of city-owned hospital assets to FSU earlier this year and establish the long-term governance, operational and academic framework supporting the continued growth of FSU Health across North Florida and the Panhandle. They also preserve TMH’s existing charity care policy at both hospitals and establish a new governance structure that gives FSU the ability to nominate candidates for boards in Tallahassee and Panama City Beach.  

As the region’s only academic health system, FSU Health will connect patients with leading physicians, advanced treatments, clinical research and specialized services while training the next generation of healthcare professionals. Future plans for FSU Health in Tallahassee include developing new graduate medical education programs in high-demand specialties such as trauma surgery, minimally invasive and bariatric surgery and pulmonary and critical care medicine. 

Patients and the community can learn more about the partnership at TMH.ORG/FSUHealth.  

About FSU Health
FSU Health is Florida State University’s integrated academic health system, uniting hospitals, physicians, clinics, research, education, and innovation under a unified vision to improve health across communities we serve. With hospitals in Tallahassee and Panama City Beach operated by Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, FSU Health connects trusted community care with the academic, research, and training strengths of Florida State University. FSU will open a new 140,000-square-foot FSU Health Research and Collaboration Building on the Tallahassee Memorial campus in Fall 2026. Together, we are building a nationally recognized destination for patient care, education, research, and innovation.  

About Florida State University
One of the nation’s top public research universities, Florida State University serves more than 46,000 students from all 50 U.S. states and more than 120 countries. Located in Tallahassee, Florida’s capital, FSU offers nearly 270 undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, including medicine and law, taught by exceptional faculty who are leaders in their fields. Whether they are Pulitzer Prize winners, Guggenheim Fellows or members of the National Academies, FSU faculty inspire students to reach their full potential with unparalleled opportunities in the arts, sciences and humanities. FSU’s unwavering commitment to student success produces some of the highest retention and graduation rates in the nation. Florida State’s welcoming campus is the oldest continuous site of higher education in the state and home to a growing research enterprise, the world-class National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, celebrated fine and performing arts programs, an entrepreneurial spirit and championship athletics teams.  

About Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare
Founded in 1948, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) is a private, nonprofit healthcare system serving North Florida and South Georgia that is becoming FSU Health through its partnership with Florida State University. TMH includes a 772-bed acute care hospital in Tallahassee, a new hospital under development in Panama City Beach, a psychiatric hospital, multiple specialty care centers, five residency programs and more than 50 affiliated physician practices. As the clinical anchor of FSU Health, TMH is helping bring together advanced patient care, medical education, research and innovation to improve health across the region. For more information, visit TMH.ORG. 

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With Breast Cancer Awareness Month approaching in October, several organizations are actively preparing campaigns to spread awareness about early detection and prevention. However, a significant knowledge gap remains between available medical information and actual awareness among young women. 

New research from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine notes that among women, breast cancer is the leading source of alcohol attributable cancer. Yet, according to the National Cancer Institute, less than one-third of young adult women are even aware that drinking alcohol is a breast cancer risk factor.  

Russell B. Clayton, Distinguished and Endowed Provost McKenzie Professor in the College of Communication and Information at Florida State University, is working to bridge this gap through a recently awarded $3.1 million, five-year National Institutes of Health federal grant in collaboration with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James and the UMass Chan Medical School. The grant will support a series of projects over the five-year funding period focused on identifying the most effective social media strategies for spreading awareness about the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer in women. 

Clayton believes several factors may be contributing to this information gap.  

“Traditional alcohol-related health messaging has largely focused on more immediate and familiar risks, such as drinking and driving, rather than the longer-term cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption,” Clayton explained. “The evidence for alcohol-focused cancer messaging is also less established than it is for tobacco.”  

The lack of research available on this subject is exactly what Clayton and his team aim to address through their series of studies. They will focus specifically on social media messaging due to its potential to reach a wider audience, especially among women in younger populations.  

“We are interested not only in whether a message changes what people say they believe, but also in whether it captures and sustains attention, strengthens memory for the message and ultimately influences attitudes and behavioral intentions,” Clayton explained.  

“We are interested not only in whether a message changes what people say they believe, but also in whether it captures and sustains attention, strengthens memory for the message and ultimately influences attitudes and behavioral intentions.”

– Russell B. Clayton Distinguished and Endowed Provost McKenzie Professor

Clayton also noted that rather than using top-down messaging, members of the grant team at Ohio State University worked with young adult women to create several social messages communicating the risk of alcohol consumption in relation to breast cancer. The participants were able to provide useful information, including that Instagram and TikTok are the preferred platforms for young women.  

“Involving young women directly in the design process allows our team to develop messages that reflect how they actually think about alcohol, breast cancer risk and social media,” Clayton added. “Their input helps us develop messages that are relevant, credible and engaging to the audience we are trying to reach.”  

To achieve this goal, the researchers will use a range of methods, including nationally representative online self-report surveys followed by laboratory experiments employing psychophysiological measures that provide insight into participants’ cognitive and emotional responses to the messages, such as eye tracking, heart rate and skin conductance. Together, these methods will provide a more comprehensive understanding of how people respond to different social media messages. 

“Self-report questions typically ask people to report what they remember, what they felt or what they thought about a message after message exposure,” Clayton noted. “Measures such as eye tracking, heart rate and skin conductance give us another window into those responses and help us understand which parts of a message capture visual attention and generate cognitive or emotional engagement.”  

Overall, Clayton and the research team aim to provide a solution that can ultimately be used to design better and more effective social media messaging that communicates the risks associated with alcohol and breast cancer. 

“We can then build on these findings by rigorously testing optimized messages on actual behavioral outcomes and developing strategies that could eventually be scaled to population-based and national campaigns aimed at reducing alcohol-related cancer risk,” Clayton said.  

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A Florida State University researcher will use a combination of artificial intelligence tools and laboratory testing to find innovative treatments for brain cancer, particularly for children.

Qing-Xiang “Amy” Sang, the Diane and Michael Bruton Professor for Cancer Research in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, received more than $500,000 from the Florida Cancer Innovation Fund to determine which existing cancer drugs have the potential to also effectively treat rare pediatric brain cancers. Sang will use AI to quickly sort through a large volume of data to identify which drugs show the most promise as brain cancer treatments before testing them in the laboratory to investigate how they interact with various brain cancers at the molecular level.

Created in 2024 under the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Cancer Innovation Fund aims to strengthen collaborations between oncologists and scientists by supporting cutting-edge cancer research and treatment models.

“Brain cancers are among the deadliest and hardest-to-treat cancers in both children and adults,” Sang said. “There are many types of brain cancers, so a drug that works well against one may do nothing against another. However, different tumors often share hidden similarities in their underlying biology. This grant will help us examine drugs that are already known to work against certain cancers and test whether they can also treat different, less-studied types of brain cancer.”

There are nearly 600 cancer-fighting drugs on the market today, made possible by countless hours of research, culminating in the production of more than 1 million cancer-related scientific publications worldwide from 2010-2019 alone. These publications contain valuable findings on cancer biology, cancer-drug interactions and patient response to different treatments.

However, because the volume of research is so vast, it would be nearly impossible for one person, or even one laboratory group, to spot crucial patterns across this data set even if they had the time and funding to do so. Sang will use AI to bridge this gap, quickly analyzing which of those nearly 600 cancer drugs have the highest potential to effectively combat specific understudied brain cancers, such as atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma — both of which are rare and presently incurable pediatric brain cancers.

Repurposing existing medicines for cancer-fighting benefits

Sang will expand her search to include drugs already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for non-cancer conditions. For example, tamoxifen was first approved as a contraceptive pill, but scientists later discovered it can treat breast cancer and even lower the risk of tumor development in high-risk patients.

“By identifying molecular similarities among tumors, we can make educated, data-driven hypotheses about which existing drugs might work in a new biological setting,” said Sang, who is also affiliated with FSU’s Institute of Molecular Biophysics. “We will take our top candidates for novel brain cancer treatments into the lab and test them directly on brain tumor cells to demonstrate that our approach works in practice, not just theory.”

In the lab, Sang will test how the recommended drugs interact with real, patient-derived organoids — three-dimensional, ball-shaped clusters of cells — which behave much more like a whole tumor than a single flat layer of cells. This method aligns with a national shift away from animal testing, driven by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s preference for use of computer-based tools and realistic human-cell models when possible.

“Dr. Sang is a highly regarded biochemist with remarkable creativity, persistence, and a research program yielding unique insights,” said Wei Yang, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry chair. “Her new grant is also a testimony to the advancement of A Strategic Plan to Inspire Research Excellence, or the FSU ASPIRE mission, developed to identify strategic areas of focus and investment, ensuring the sustained growth and impact of FSU’s research enterprise, particularly in the area of drug discovery.”

While Sang primarily focuses on rare pediatric brain cancers, she also seeks treatments for more common forms, like glioblastoma tumors. Compared to more prevalent cancers, such as prostate and breast cancer, brain tumors account for less than two percent of all new U.S. cancer cases, according to the National Foundation for Cancer Research.

“Because we research drugs that are already approved or have gone through early-stage clinical trials, the odds of successfully moving them toward new patients are much higher than trying to build a brand-new compound,” Sang said. “This is especially important for rare brain cancers, which often attract little interest from pharmaceutical companies simply because the number of patients is small and potential profit is limited.”

Sang’s work also supports FSU Health, an academic health system combining the expertise of hospitals, physicians, clinics, research, education and innovation to improve the health of our community.

“Our goal is to extend the lives of cancer patients, enhance quality of life and when possible, provide a cure,” Sang said. “I hope that in our efforts to repurpose existing drugs, we have a realistic shot at finding effective treatments for difficult brain cancers in a quicker timeframe.”

To learn more about research conducted in the FSU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, visit chem.fsu.edu.

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People taking popular GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound may face stigma from those closest to them, according to a new study by a Florida State University professor.

Braidyn Lazenby, an assistant professor at FSU’s College of Communication & Information, led the study “‘They Call Us Cheaters:” Exploring Stigma Management Communication Strategies During GLP-1 Medication Use.’” The findings were published last week in Health Communication.

Lazenby and her fellow researchers conducted open-ended, one-on-one interviews with 34 adults who were taking GLP-1 medications for weight management, metabolic disorders and other health conditions. Researchers used the reflexive thematic analysis method to identify recurring patterns in participants’ experiences.

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Although music has been used as a form of healing for centuries, music therapy is still considered an emerging healthcare practice. At the Florida State University College of Music, a professor is helping to grow this clinical intervention that addresses everything from anxiety to physical rehabilitation. 

Professor of Music Therapy Lori Gooding is accelerating the industry through research and translational courses. She believes there is a misconception surrounding music therapy that needs to be cleared up.  

“A lot of people don’t recognize that music therapy is a profession you train for, that you have academic and clinical training, that there’s a board certification exam you have to pass and there’s licensure in many states,” Gooding said.  

She also addressed the core difference between the informal therapeutic benefits of listening to a favorite playlist and clinical, evidence-based music therapy, as they are often thought of as one.  

“The difference between that and what we do in music therapy is that we are going in and assessing an individualized need, and we are using music within the context of a therapeutic relationship to help someone restore, maintain or improve their functioning,” Gooding said.  

FSU is nationally recognized for having one of the earliest established leading programs in music therapy with a 100% placement rate among graduates. The program often places its graduates in fields such as medicine, mental health, special education, hospice and older adult services. 

Gooding attributes the program’s success to equipping students with the latest research so they enter the workforce fully prepared. 

“I think one of the things that makes us unique is we are really grounded in research; we’re really integrating what the current evidence is,” Gooding noted. “They’re also learning how to generate new evidence. It’s going to not just keep practice current but actually push practice forward. It’s that combination, I think, that sets us apart.” 

In addition, in partnership with Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, FSU offers a NICU-MT certificate program through the College of Music. Gooding explains how this program highlights the physical relief music therapy can offer its patients.  

“We’re watching the monitors for their heart rate, their respiration rate, the oxygen saturation rate, and so on,” Gooding said. “And based on what’s happening, knowing where those levels need to be, and watching what’s happening while we’re doing the music intervention, we actually adjust what we’re doing.”  

Gooding’s practice aligns with FSU Health, the university’s integrated health system that brings together hospitals, physicians, clinics, research, education and innovation to improve the health of the communities FSU serves. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, music therapy’s countless benefits include lowering blood pressure, improving memory, enhancing social skills, reducing muscle tension and more.  

Music therapy can also be particularly effective for mental health treatments. Gooding noted that for anxious patients, integrating music into preexisting methods of relaxation can minimize their stress levels.  

“A lot of people do relaxation exercises like deep breathing, that kind of thing,” Gooding said. “We take those similar concepts and pair it with music, so that if someone is feeling anxious, or if they’re noticing that their heart rate is elevating, they can use the steady pulse of a piece of music or a music exercise or experience to help their body kind of get in line with that steady pulse, which is going to help literally physiologically slow them down.”  

Music therapy can be particularly effective in treating adolescents struggling with their mental health. In these cases, there are a variety of methods specialists may use, including analyzing lyrics.  

“Where it might be a challenge for someone to engage in just one-on-one talking directly about themselves, we can find a song that has lyrics that are relevant to what that person is going through, and that creates a space that allows people to say, ‘Well, I noticed this in the song, you know what? I do that sometimes too,’” Gooding said.  

The evidence-based practice remains a versatile profession, offering a range of clinical approaches designed to meet patient needs. An essential component of the field lies in its individualized nature, ensuring that every treatment is tailored to support each patient’s specific needs.  

“One person could love heavy metal music and find that relaxing because it’s their favorite kind of music, whereas for another person, that’s going to increase their anxiety,” Gooding said. “We really lean into that patient-preferred piece to try to connect with them.” 

As she trains the next generation of music therapists, Gooding is bolstering an emerging healthcare practice ready to put its patients at ease. One of music therapy’s early pioneers, the FSU College of Music is proving once again that great music has strong healing power. 

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