College of Medicine faculty secure major research awards to advance diagnosis, treatment and prevention across key health conditions

Penn State College of Medicine research teams recently received national funding awards to advance innovation in diagnostics, therapeutic research and sleep health. Together, the projects represent more than $1.8 million in current-year funding and nearly $7.8 million in anticipated total support from federal and foundation partners.

These new awards highlight the College of Medicine’s growing leadership in translational and clinical research, advancing care from the lab to the clinic to the community.

Faster, more accurate DVT diagnosis in family medicine

Principal Investigator: Stephanie Carey, MD, MPH, assistant professor of family and community medicine and orthopaedics and rehabilitation
Sponsor: American Board of Family Medicine Foundation
Award: $55,000

Dr. Carey’s pilot project will evaluate a three-point point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) protocol to detect deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in family medicine clinics. By training residents and attending physicians to perform the ultrasound at the point of care, the team aims to speed diagnosis and treatment, reduce emergency referrals, and improve outcomes for patients with suspected DVT.

Developing better treatments for papillomavirus infections

Principal Investigator: Neil Christensen, MSc, PhD, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and cell and biological systems
Sponsor: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Award: $311,680 (total anticipated $1.23 million)

Dr. Christensen’s team will test antiviral compounds for treating papillomavirus infections using rabbit and mouse models. Human papillomavirus (HPV) contributes to a range of lesions and cancers, yet current treatments often fail to eradicate infection or prevent recurrence. This project aims to identify more effective systemic or topical therapies that can address both active and hidden infections.

Improving sleep and cardiovascular health through tailored therapy

Principal Investigators: Alexandros Vgontzas, MD, ScD, professor and Anthony Kales, MD, University Chair in Sleep Disorders Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, and Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, PhD, Edward O. Bixler, Professor of Psychiatry, professor of psychiatry and behavioral health, public health sciences and neuroscience and experimental therapeutics
Sponsor: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Award: $1.47 million (total anticipated $6.48 million)

This multi-site clinical trial explores how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and trazodone affect sleep quality and blood pressure in adults with different insomnia types. Building on prior research defining insomnia with short sleep duration as a biologically distinct subtype, the study seeks to refine treatment strategies that improve both sleep and cardiovascular outcomes.

Driving discovery and impact

Innovation happens every day at Penn State College of Medicine. Explore more stories of discovery and impact at med.psu.edu/research.

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