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Welcome to the Second Quarter FCMRG newsletter! We have exciting new updates and we welcome a new member to the team!
Welcome Holly Morrison!
Welcome Holly Morrison!
Dr. Holly Morrison is the new FCM Director of Research! We are so excited to have her on board!
Holly Morrison, PhD, serves as the Director of Research in the Department of Family and Community Medicine in Roanoke, VA. Dr. Morrison earned her PhD from Virginia Tech’s Biomedical & Veterinary Sciences program, where her research dissertation focused on cancer immunology and inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (esp. inflammation-driven tumorigenesis in colorectal cancer).
Following her PhD, her postdoctoral research training at the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute studied the intersection of stem cell function in regeneration and skin cancer development. Having spent 10+ years training as a translational biologist with extensive training in cancer biology, Dr. Morrison is committed to bridging the gap between research findings and applications to healthcare.
Her research areas of interest include health systems science, implementation science to improve healthcare delivery, and community medicine.
Holly's welcome lunch & meet and greet
Posters & Presentations
FCMRG alumni Domenique Villani (currently a PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania), and Michelle Rockwell (executive director of the Research Consortium at the Virginia Center for Health Innovation) presented at the 2026 Academy Health Annual Research Meeting in Seattle. Their posters represent the Smarter Care Virginia work based on low value imaging in primary care. These projects were completed at Carilion and publications are pending.
2026 Carilion Research Day was a success!
Mary King, PhD, presented her work on delay discounting, perceived stress, and low-value prescribing
Sonia Warrior presented a project based on over-the-counter NSAID use in patients with chronic kidney disease, heart failure, and hypertension
Cami Mittendorf presented her project based on using photovoice to explore participant experiences in the Southwest Virginia Produce Prescription Program
Congratulations to Dr. Epling who gave two insightful pediatric grand rounds this quarter - one in SUNY upstate and one at Carilion Children's hospital.
Research Publications
FCMRG is excited to announce two new publications this quarter!
John N. Mafi, MD, MPH1,2; Sitaram Vangala, MS1; Jonathan Cantor, PhD2, Melody Craff, PhD, MB, BChir3; Manying Cui, MS1; Artem Romanov, BA1; Ziyi Li, MS1; Michelle Rockwell, PhD4; Chi-Hong Tseng, PhD1; Dale Skinner, MSc3; Michael Hadfield, BS3; A. Mark Fendrick, MD5; Cheryl L. Damberg, PhD2; Catherine Sarkisian, MD, MSPH1; Katherine L. Kahn, MD1,2
Grant
Congratulations Dr. Michelle Rockwell! She was recently awarded a $300k grant (BONES) to apply implementation science to improve osteoporosis management in primary care! Learn more about the Academy Health fellowship here
BONES
BONES
Bone Health Optimization through Navigation, Evidence-based Screening, and Management
Aims of the BONES study:
Aim 1. Tailor a multi-component intervention to improve management of osteoporosis in primary care.
Aim 2. Implement a multi-component intervention to improve the management of osteoporosis in primary care.
Aim 3. Evaluate the implementation of a multi-component intervention to improve management of osteoporosis in primary care.
This two-year grant involving implementation science training will take place in six practices across the Roanoke region
Newsworthy Happenings
Congratulations Isaiah!
Congratulations Isaiah!
Congratulations Isaiah Yim (VTCSOM '26) for receiving a letter of distinction for research exploring the impact of switching from opioids to NSAIDs
Congratulations to Kate Watkins (VTCSOM '28) for earning Dean's Ut Prosim Award for Inclusive Excellence!
Have a great summer! See you next quarter!
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