2025 RCIF: Research, Creativity, and Innovation Forum

The Impact of Cluster vs Traditional Power Training on Cognition in Healthy Older AdultsLocation: 4Mentor: Dr. Joseph SignorileTo compare the effects of cluster- vs traditional-power training on changes in executive function (EF) or Verbal Memory (VM) following a 12-week intervention... Read More →

Astroglial TNFR2 modulation of hippocampal synaptic function in the EAE model of multiple sclerosisLocation: 87Mentor: Dr. Roberta BrambillaMultiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that leads to sensory-motor dysfunction and cognitive impairments, affecting approximately... Read More →

Awareness and Acceptability of the HPV Vaccine Among Haitian Migrant Women in South Florida Location: 7Mentor: Dr. Dominique GuillaumeBackground:Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of cervical cancer, a major contributor to cancer-related deaths among women. In the U.S... Read More →

Development of CoQ10-Enhanced Nanoparticles for Targeted Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease in DiabetesLocation: 18Mentor: Dr. Shanta DharAtherosclerosis, the primary driver behind coronary artery disease (CAD), remains the leading cause of death in the United States. CAD from atherosclerosis... Read More →

Metabolic Syndrome Risk Scores in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury versus Non-Spinal Cord Injury PopulationsLocation: 20Mentor: Dr. Gary FarkasBackground/Objectives: Spinal cord injury (SCI) elevates cardiovascular (CV) risk via physiological changes.1 Continuous measures like... Read More →

Physical Activity, Quality of Life, and the Moderating Role of Fatigue Among Older Breast Cancer PatientsLocation: 26Mentor: Dr. Michael AntoniPhysical activity is shown to improve quality of life (QoL) in breast cancer (BC) patients. However, fatigue, a common symptom in BC, is linked... Read More →

A Computer-Supervised Assay for Reliable Preclinical Testing of Spinal Cord Therapeutics Location: 25Mentor: Dr. Hassan Al-AliAccording to the NSCIA, there are over 17,000 newly reported cases of spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the United States each year. SCI severely disrupts neurophysiological... Read More →

Studying the toxicological relationship between indoor mold and household cleaning productsLocation: 84Mentor: Dr. Sudheer SalanaMold is one of the most pervasive biological pollutants in indoor spaces. Although the toxicity of mold is well documented, the effect of mold on modifying... Read More →

A Computer-Supervised Assay for Reliable Preclinical Testing of  Spinal Cord Therapeutics Location: 25Mentor: Dr. Hassan Al-AliAccording to the NSCIA, there are over 17,000 newly reported cases of spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the United States each year. SCI severely disrupts neurophysiological... Read More →

The Impact of Cluster vs Traditional Power Training on Cognition in Healthy Older AdultsLocation: 4Mentor: Dr. Joseph SignorileTo compare the effects of cluster- vs traditional-power training on changes in executive function (EF) or Verbal Memory (VM) following a 12-week intervention... Read More →

Exploring Stress in Hispanic Women with Breast Cancer: The Role of Ethnicity, Neighborhood Disadvantage, and Protective FactorsLocation: 46Mentor: Dr. Michael AntoniHispanic women with breast cancer (BC) face unique disparities, including younger age at diagnosis, more aggressive... Read More →

Human Annotation of Telephone-Based Health Coaching Calls: Laying the Groundwork for AI-Driven Analysis in Cancer SurvivorshipLocation: 75Mentor: Ms. Grey FreylersytheTelephone-based health coaching has demonstrated efficacy in promoting lifestyle changes among cancer survivors. With... Read More →

Targeting Platinum Resistant Lung Cancer by Exploiting Metabolic DifferencesLocation: 48Mentor: Dr. Medhi WangpaichitrCisplatin resistance (CR) remains a major challenge in lung cancer treatment. We identified increased ROS levels as a common feature in CR lung cancer cells, linked... Read More →

A Computer-Supervised Assay for Reliable Preclinical Testing of  Spinal Cord Therapeutics Location: 25Mentor: Dr. Hassan Al-AliAccording to the NSCIA, there are over 17,000 newly reported cases of spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the United States each year. SCI severely disrupts neurophysiological... Read More →

Assessing Mitochondrial Quality Control in Primary Trabecular MeshworkLocation: 51Mentor: Dr. Anh PhamMitochondrial dysfunction plays a role in many diseases, including glaucoma. Impaired trabecular meshwork (TM) cell function contributes to elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in... Read More →

ABCA1 Deficiency and Radiation Effects on Podocytes and Kidney InjuryLocation: 78Mentor: Dr. Anis AhmadRadiation therapy (RT), either alone or in combination with chemotherapy, impairs cholesterol efflux and contributes to the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Currently... Read More →

Immune Regulation of Chronic Skin Inflammation in Hidradenitis SuppurativaLocation: 69Mentor: Dr. Natasa StrboHidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is linked to dysregulation in the hair follicle (HF) microbiome response. Butyrophilins (BTNLs) are an emerging immunomodulatory protein with... Read More →

Embrace the Beat: Empathy and Heart Rate FlexibilityLocation: 63Mentor: Dr. Jennifer BrittonEmpathy is important for understanding others and maintaining social relations. Expressing empathy may be influenced by the ability to be flexible with thoughts and feelings. Physiological... Read More →