Research Interests
- Race disparities in preterm birth
- Health disparities in ob/gyn outcomes
- Community engaged/participatory research
Selected Grants
Duke University Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network Clinical Center
ResearchCollaborating Investigator · Awarded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development · 2023 - 2030Provider Remote ObsTetric-Related Employment Education (PROMOTE) and ObsTetric HEAlth Equity ResearCH Mentoring (TEACH) Equity
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029Prenatal maternal obesity and neurodevelopment: The mediating role of the microbiome and metabolome
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029Advancing understanding of racism-related health disparities beginning before birth: A multisite study with Black and Latina pregnant women
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Georgia State University · 2022 - 2027REDUCing the Disproportionate RatE of Preterm Birth in non-Hispanic Blacks through a Culturally Relevant Intervention during the Inter-pregnancy Period: REDUCE Preterm Birth
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Foundation for SMFM · 2024 - 2026Effects of Physical Activity on Human Pregnancy Energetics: Testing Maternal Metabolic Limits
ResearchSenior Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2023 - 2026Decision analytic model to investigate primary and secondary prevention strategies to reduce racial/ethnic disparities in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in the US
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2026Large-scale Implementation of Community Co-led Maternal Sepsis Care Practices to Reduce Morbidity and Mortality from Maternal Infection
ResearchCollaborator · Awarded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development · 2021 - 2026Analytics & Machine-learning for Maternal-health Interventions (AMMI): A Cross-CTSA Collaboration
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2022 - 2026The HOP-STEP Intervention: Improving Maternal Health in Women with Lupus through Improved Pregnancy Prevention and Planning - R01 Resubmission
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2022 - 2025Piloting a Provider Remote Obstetric-Related Employment Education (PROMOTE)
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation · 2023 - 2025Gertrude B. Elion Mentored Medical Student Research Award
FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Triangle Community Foundation · 2022 - 2025Advancing Community and Clinical Care for Childbirth-related Hypertension: Implementation, Engagement and Valuing Equity (ACHIEVE)
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2022 - 2024Duke CTSA (KL2)
ResearchScholar · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2024Large-scale Implementation of Community Co-led Maternal Sepsis Care Practices to Reduce Morbidity and Mortality from Maternal Infection
ResearchCollaborator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2023A Comparison of Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Administration of 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17-OHPC)
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Pittsburgh · 2021 - 2023ALLIED Faculty': Antiracism: Learning, Leading & Innovating Educational Development for Faculty
ResearchCollaborator · Awarded by Association of Professors of Gynecology & Obstetricians · 2021 - 2022TREETOP
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Sera Prognostics · 2017 - 2020Fellowships, Gifts, and Supported Research
Duke University School of Medicine CTSI KL2 Career Development Award ·
2019
Awarded by: Duke University School of Medicine
Selected for a three-year KL2 career development award funded by the Duke CTSI. This award protects 75% of my time for disparities research. I will develop innovative clinic-based and community-based interventions to improve social supports for preterm birth prevention in black women.
Reach Equity Career Development Award ·
July 2018
- June 2019
Awarded by: Duke Reach Equity Center
· $75,000.00
Preterm birth (PTB), delivery prior to 37 weeks gestation, is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity resulting in life-long medical complications such as blindness, chronic lung disease and intellectual disabilities. In 2017, the US PTB rate increased for the second consecutive year reaching 9.8 percent.
Additionally, dramatic racial disparities persist such that the PTB rate is 49% higher in non-Hispanic black (NHB) women. In women with a history of spontaneous PTB, randomized controlled trails demonstrate that weekly intra-muscular (IM) injections of 17-hydroxprogesterone caproate (17-P) reduce the risk of recurrent PTB by up to one third. A recent study of 17-P adherence showed that compared to all other racial/ethnic groups, NHB women were more likely to be non-adherent8. Given both the increasing PTB rate and persistent racial disparities, it is imperative to develop patient-oriented, culturally-sensitive interventions to increase 17-P adherence in NHB women.
The overall objectives of the current application are to develop and test an intervention to address patient-perceived barriers to 17-P adherence within the clinical encounter identified by NHB women. My central premise is that targeted interventions within the clinical encounter based on patient-provided insights will lead to increased adherence to 17-P injections in NHB women who are at highest risk for both PTB and 17-P non-adherence. I am supported by a highly experienced mentorship team with expertise in PTB, intervention design and implementation. This mentorship team is coupled with a rigorous career development plan that includes coursework in disparities research methodology, intervention dissemination, research management and grantsmanship. The proposed aims and coursework will position me to attain my ultimate career goals including independent NIH research funding.
Duke Population Health Improvement Award ·
July 2018
- June 2019
Awarded by: Duke CTSI
· $25,000.00
Preterm birth (PTB), delivery prior to 37 weeks gestation, is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. The US PTB rate is 49% higher in black women. In women with a history of spontaneous PTB, randomized controlled trails demonstrate that weekly intra-muscular (IM) injections of 17-hydroxprogesterone caproate (17-P) reduce the risk of recurrent PTB by up to one third if started between 16-20 weeks gestation. Despite the evidence and clear guidelines, preliminary data from the Duke clinic suggests 20% of 17-P eligible patients present beyond the 20-week gestational age window recommended for starting the therapy. Additionally, over 50% of the women presenting beyond the window for 17-P are non-Hispanic Black (NHB). Given the increasing rate of PTB, persistent racial disparities and suboptimal 17-P utilization, it is imperative to identify patient-perceived, culturally-specific barriers and facilitators to timely presentation for prenatal care in women eligible for 17-P.
Duke Population Health Improvement Award ·
July 2017
- June 2018
Awarded by: Duke CTSI
· $25,000.00
Sarahn Wheeler, assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Kelley Massengale, director of research and evaluation at the Diaper Bank of North Carolina, have partnered for the third project, Engaging the Community to Understand and Eliminate Barriers to 17-P for Preterm Birth Prevention in Non-Hispanic Black Women. The researchers recognize that preterm birth rates are consistently higher in non-Hispanic black (NHB) women than in other populations. Wheeler and Massengale have been granted a co-development funding award to conduct focus groups to uncover patient-perceived barriers to following healthcare provider recommendations. Their objective is to develop clinic- and community-based interventions to increase uptake of prevention therapies for NHB women at high risk for preterm births.
Josiah Trent Memorial Foundation Grant ·
2016
- 2017
Awarded by: Duke Josiah Trent Memorial Foundation
· $5,000.00
Awarded funding to support focus group studies examining barriers of uptake and adherence to 17-P in black women for the prevention of recurrent preterm birth.
NIH/NMA Travel Grant ·
August 1, 2015
- August 4, 2015
Awarded by: NIDDK/NMA
Awarded funding to attend the National Medical Association meeting in Detroit, MI where I will present a lecture on thyroid disorders in pregnancy.
Charles B Hammond Fund Grant ·
2015
- 2016
Awarded by: Duke OB/GYN Charles B Hammond Fund
· $5,000.00
Awarded funds to support flow cytometry data analysis for the peripheral blood mononuclear cells as part of my thesis research project.
Charles B Hammond Fund Grant ·
2014
- 2015
Awarded by: Duke OB/GYN Charles B Hammond Fund
· $5,000.00
Awarded a grant from the Duke University School of Medicine Charles B. Hammond Research Fund to support recruitment, data collection and data analysis for my thesis research project.
Loan Repayment Grant ·
2014
- 2016
Awarded by: NIH
· $30,000.00
Awarded NIH grant funding for loan repayment based on my thesis research proposal examining race disparities in preterm birth.
External Relationships
- P3 Equate (AMA Grant) Board
This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.