“We want to develop new research in multiple areas of interest including health communication, health promotion, clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients in our clinic,” Associate Director of Research Tim Freson said. “The mission of the
Although Health and Wellness Services has participated in research for several years, the launch of the Center for Research formalizes its intent to move forward in health-related research.
Two full-time faculty members, one full-time staff position, and eight student research assistants comprise the research team.
“Opportunities for students in our program dovetail with their academic and personal development in a purposeful and integrative fashion,” Freson said. “This type of research experience helps the student in future academic and professional endeavors.”
In collaboration with the Department of Psychology, HWS researchers have been examining traditional and non-traditional risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) over a four-year span with the goal of evaluating potential risk-lowering behavior changes for college students.
“Until recently most studies focused on people 40 years and older with symptomatic stages of CHD,” Freson said. “In reality CHD is a continuous disease that begins in childhood and develops over time. One of the long-term goals is to continue research examining CHD risk factors in the college population and potential interventions to reduce their risk.”
In a related study, HWS is collaborating with the Program in Nutrition and Dietetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, to study the impact of whey protein supplementation on cardio vascular disease risk factors in college students.
“Our specific aim is to examine the relationship between physiological pathways and whey protein and reduce hypertension through diet before placing individuals on antihypertensive medications,” Freson said.
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