During her time at Florida State University, Emily Maglin, a psychology major who graduated in Spring 2024, participated in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) and joined the Chelko Lab in the College of Medicine to study a rare inherited heart disease.

Additionally, her passion to support mental health led her to create a Mental Health Day proposal, which garnered support from both FSU and FAMU.

Maglin’s work extends to the state level, where she influenced legislation promoting mental health awareness.

What impacted your decision to attend FSU?

FSU offered the most well-rounded experience possible. Not only does Florida State boast a world-renowned psychology program that would best suit my major and academic interests, but Florida State also has a wonderfully diverse student life and countless opportunities for involvement. During my senior year of high school, I was able to visit a friend in her junior year at Florida State. Before I applied, she gave me a tour of the campus, major student hubs, student amenities and more.

After this visit, I fell in love with Florida State and applied. The COVID-19 pandemic struck in the last half of my senior year, so I could not go on any college tours with my family. Had I not seen the livelihood and diversity of FSU, I may not have attended. Also, I am a recipient of the Bright Futures Scholarship. Without this scholarship, I would not have been able to attend Florida State University, much less any university.

How have FSU’s programs supported your academic development?

I had the privilege of participating in UROP during the 2021-2022 academic year. UROP requires students to contribute to ongoing university research, selecting one project across many disciplines. While in the program, I had the honor of joining the Chelko Lab in the College of Medicine. The Chelko Lab, led by Dr. Stephen Chelko, specializes in the understanding and treatment of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. In this lab, I helped prepare samples of DNA, run polymerase chain reactions, perform echocardiograms and echo ultrasound exams on experimental mice and other laboratory tasks.

At the end of the 2021-2022 academic year, I had to compile Dr. Chelko’s research into a poster to be presented at the 2022 Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS). At URS, I presented the work I had been contributing to over the year to my colleagues and to members of Dr. Chelko’s lab. After I participated in the UROP program, I remained an undergraduate member of the Chelko Lab, contributing to his research for the past three years.

How have you developed your passion for mental health?

I have had the opportunity to join several extracurricular activities, most notably within the Student Government Association. In the 2022 spring semester, I represented the College of Arts and Sciences on Student Senate. I decided to use my new position to promote my longstanding passion for mental health. Throughout my term, I dedicated my efforts toward developing a logistical outline for a Mental Health Day to be implemented into the university’s academic calendar. This project, which spanned over six months, required intensive collaboration with university administrators, faculty and student leaders. After refining the outline and solidifying support from various entities, I presented the proposal to the student senate via Resolution 26.

After unanimous approval from Student Senate, I was able to bring the initiative back to Florida State’s administration to continue efforts toward implementation. The work I was able to accomplish in this role was life-changing and my most significant leadership position during my time at Florida State. Student Senate introduced me to a variety of student organizations. I served as the assistant director of the Mental Health Council and used this leadership role to de-stigmatize, promote awareness of and encouraged mental health. These two leadership roles allowed me to act on my passion for mental health while developing a professional passion for activism and the law.

Can you describe your impact on the Tallahassee community and beyond?

The work that I have done as both a student senator and as assistant director of the Mental Health Council positively contributed to Florida State, Tallahassee and essentially the state of Florida. I took the Mental Health Day initiative to the state level. I took the proposal to a state senator, who transformed my idea into a sweeping resolution, entitled Sunshine Day, which encouraged all universities in Florida to adopt a similar measure on their campuses in the name of mental health and recognition.

Though implementation rests on the administrators and student leaders at each university, the initiative has the potential to positively impact thousands of students across the state and improve overall student mental health in Florida.

As assistant director of the Mental Health Council, I have organized and planned several events to benefit student mental health and increase resource awareness. Most recently, I was able to host local vendors on FSU’s campus to alleviate student stress and provide an outlet away from academic and personal stressors.

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February is a time to think about matters of the heart.

That includes heart health.

The American Heart Association sponsors “American Heart Month” every February to promote good cardiovascular health. Understanding the risk factors of heart disease and how to live a heart-healthy lifestyle goes a long way toward improving quality of life.

Research from Florida State University faculty helps inform the scientific understanding of heart health. Faculty from the College of Nursing, College of Medicine and College of Arts and Sciences are available to speak to media about heart diseases, lifestyle interventions and emerging new therapies for helping patients.

Laurie S. Abbott, Ph.D., RN, PHNA-BC, associate professor, College of Nursing
(850) 644-6008; labbott@fsu.edu

Abbott’s research focuses on health promotion and prevention of chronic diseases among rural populations. As a board-certified, advanced public health nurse, she has conducted trials that tested culturally relevant, evidence-based interventions to promote health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in rural communities.

“Heart disease develops over time and can be prevented through healthy lifestyle strategies such as eating a plant-based healthy diet, exercising regularly, reducing stress and getting enough quality sleep. It is often underrecognized that preventing heart disease involves controlling health conditions linked with heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, by following the treatment regimens prescribed by a health care professional. Unfortunately, people living in underserved rural areas are disproportionately more likely to develop heart disease and other chronic diseases. Implementing evidence-based programs in community settings are crucial for promoting health, reducing disease risk and exacerbation and advancing health equity among rural dwellers.”

P. Bryant Chase, Ph.D., FAHA, professor of Biological Science, College of Arts & Sciences
(850) 645-4775; chase@bio.fsu.edu

Chase studies cellular and molecular biomechanics and the structure of striated cardiac and skeletal muscles. He’s currently studying genetic variants in cardiac troponin that cause hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathies. Troponin is the calcium ion sensor that regulates contraction of the heart and pumping of blood. It is central to the heart’s function, and small changes in the troponin gene’s DNA sequence may result in detrimental changes in the heart’s ability to pump blood. Chase was recognized as a Fellow of the American Heart Association (AHA) in 2002.

“Heart disease is personal. Too many of us have family members who experienced heart problems. When we talk about the cardiovascular system in class, students see American Heart Association statistics that show how devastating cardiovascular diseases are for society. But we note that the research is working — the statistics are trending in the right direction. I support AHA in many ways, including by doing research that provides insights into normal heart function and how that changes with disease. I never met my paternal grandfather, and my son and daughter never met their paternal grandfather, because of heart disease. But with advances in care, I am fortunate to experience the joys of being with my grandchildren.”

Stephen Chelko, Ph.D., FHRS, assistant professor, College of Medicine
stephen.chelko@med.fsu.edu

Chelko studies an inherited heart disease, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), often called sudden cardiac death in the young. His work helps find underlying genetic mutations in survivors to uncover abnormal cell signaling mechanisms that give rise to ACM-disease characteristics. He specifically investigates why high intensity sports or endurance exercise worsens the clinical course of patients with this disease. Chelko works with industry (Pfizer, Novartis and Rejuvenate Bio) to test the efficacy of up-and-coming and FDA-approved drugs to prevent the effects of ACM.

“Patients with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy are advised to completely stop exercise. This is counter to the field of heart disease, where exercise is a known benefit for heart health. Uncovering why exercise has such negative consequences in ACM is what drives my investigative and translational research.”

Lucinda J. Graven, Ph.D., APRN, FAHA, associate professor, College of Nursing
(850) 644-5601; lgraven@fsu.edu

Graven’s research focuses on improving outcomes for heart failure patients and their family care partners through the development and testing of cognitive-behavioral interventions. Her intervention, The Coping in Heart Failure Partnership, was originally tested in heart failure patients and has been adapted for use with patient and care partners in rural communities. A recent project developed an intervention program focused on rural patients, who partnered with advanced practice nurses to identify and develop strategies to manage problems related to heart failure in the home. Graven was recognized as a Fellow of the American Heart Association in 2019 and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2022.

“Because of the limitations of our current health care systems, more heart failure management has moved from the hospital to the home. However, managing heart failure in the home is complex and multifaceted. Family support is an integral part of heart failure care, particularly in rural areas where there is less health care access and fewer resources. Problem solving is vital in managing daily challenges associated with heart failure and having good problem-solving skills can help patients and care partners better manage heart failure problems in the home. I am in the final months of testing an intervention for rural dyads (patient and care partners) that focuses on improving problem-solving skills to enhance heart failure management in the home. Improving heart failure management in the home may result in better physical and mental health and reduce health care utilization.”

Jose Renato Pinto, Ph.D., associate professor, College of Medicine
(850) 645-0016; jose.pinto@med.fsu.edu

Pinto studies cardiac and skeletal muscle regulation and inherited diseases and the molecular basis of how heart muscles contract. His lab works to develop new genetic and molecular strategies to reverse cardiomyopathies, define the role of the protein troponin in heart development and disease and understand how the modification of different proteins affects muscle contraction and heart disease.

“My lab is focused on trying to understand how alterations in certain genes lead to heart disease. Genes carry the information to make proteins in our cells, and the heart has some proteins that are responsible for muscle contraction. However, when alterations are present in certain genes, the function of proteins in the heart is disrupted, and the heart’s ability to contract and pump blood through the body is affected. Our research is focused on identifying abnormalities at the protein level and developing new therapies to reverse heart failure.”

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