School of Nursing Faculty Expertise

Research Strengths

Research and scholarship among faculty are centered on expanding the scientific body of knowledge for clinical practice and conducting research that promotes the health of individuals and families across the lifespan. Many of our faculty engage in research and scholarship in more than one area.

Our research significantly impacts our ability to provide cutting edge education to our students and remain acknowledged experts in our areas of study.

Nursing Faculty Areas of Research

Gerontology

  • Abdallah, Lisa - Outcomes of geriatric nurse practitioners; DRINC Project (Dehydration Reduction in Nursing Home Residents by Caregivers); BDN project (Bring Diversity to Nursing).
  • Futrell, May, Professor Emerita - Health behaviors among older adults including physical activity; cultural differences in health behaviors of older adults (phenomenological method); Alzheimer's research; dementia and wandering; nursing historical research including the Lowell Nursing Archives; DRINC project.
  • Gautam, Ramraj - Social gerontology, more specifically late life intergenerational relationships, intergenerational programs, social support, caregiving, and mental health of older adults; Long-term care; Global aging and health.
  • Melillo, Karen Devereaux - Professor Emerita - Investigating alternative primary care models for the aged from Medicare data; development and pilot testing of a transitional care dedicated education unit; DNPs caring for the underserved in Massachusetts after health care reform; physical activity and exercise among older adults; gerontological nurse practitioner intervention outcomes research.

Nursing Workplace and Workforce

  • El Ghaziri, Mazen - Occupational health and wellness, workplace violence, healthcare workforce, correctional workforce.
  • Zhang, Yuan - Occupational health, shift work and sleep health, health care workforce.

Reproductive and Sexual Health

  • Comfort Enah - Sexual and reproductive health, mHealth intervention, serious video games, adolescent health, community-based participatory research, global health and underserved populations.
  • Fantasia, Heidi - Reproductive and sexual health, sexual decision making, negotiation of sexual consent, impact of partner violence on contraception use, reproductive coercion, personal and partner-mediated sexual risk behaviors, sexual safety, and screening for physical and sexual violence.
  • Koren, Ainat - Family planning, men's reproductive health; Health and safety of health care workers; Integration of technology into clinical practice; childhood obesity.

Education

  • Mote, Sandra - Teaching Undergraduate and Graduate students to design and lead therapeutic groups. Mental health care promotion.

Health Promotion

Mental Health

  • Yun-Ju Lai - Mind and body connection in the stroke population; inflammatory response in COVID-19.

NOTE: Additional research interests of specific faculty can be found on the Nursing faculty web page.