November 2025 Newsletter
IWH Training Survey
- Please complete this survey to help us gather data on training and mentoring activities of IWH Affiliate Faculty. Contact Dr. Heather Jones (hjones7@vcu.edu) with any questions.
Upcoming IWH Research Development Group Meetings
- Addiction and Women’s Health Research Development Group Meeting: November 21, 3:00pm
- Cancer in Women Research Development Group: December 10, 2025 at 1:00pm
- Female Athlete Research Development Group: December 10, 2025 at 2:00pm
- Nutrition and Women’s Health Research Development Group Meeting: December 11, 2025 at 11:00am
- Perinatal Health Research Development Group Meeting: December 17, 2025 at 9:00am
- Interpersonal Violence & Trauma Research Development Group Meeting: December TBD
To be added to the list for any of the Research Development Groups or to suggest a new group, please contact molly.hyer@vcuhealth.org.
Featured Faculty of the Month
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Monica Swahn!
Monica Swahn, PhD, is the newly appointed dean of the VCU College of Public Health and Director of Global Women’s Health for IWH. Dr. Swahn is a global leader in the field of public health and has received numerous accolades, including the Sheth Distinguished Faculty Award for International Achievement. Her research examines drivers of alcohol use, violence, and HIV/AIDS, both nationally and internationally, with an emphasis on how alcohol exacerbates health disparities - particularly in women. She spent a decade as a health scientist and epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and has served as a consultant for international health organizations including the United Nations Development Program and World Health Organization.
Help us celebrate excellence by nominating standout faculty or yourself to be the next IWH Affiliate Faculty of the Month. Use the Newsletter Submission Form, and be sure to include 1-2 sentences highlighting their impact, achievements, or what makes their work stand out.
News from IWH leadership and affiliate faculty
We are proud to share that the VCU Institute for Women’s Health has been invited to be a member of the Milken Institute’s new Women’s Health Network, which is being chaired by former First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden. The Women’s Health Network will serve as a global collaborative to drive innovation and advance new and existing efforts across women’s health.
Amelia Grover, MD, FACS, Professor in the Department of Surgery, has been appointed to serve as the next Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Development.
Lana Sargent, PhD, RN, FNP-C, GNP-BC, Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and Associate Dean in the Office of Practice and Community Engagement, was selected as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
Ana Diallo, PhD, MPH, RN, an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing and former BIRCWH Scholar, was awarded an NIH R01 for her project focused on integrating a prescription produce program within a diabetes prevention program among adults with pre-diabetes to prevent disease onset.
Alexandra Lempke, PhD, ATC, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and current BIRCWH Scholar, was recently highlighted in Runners World magazine for her study on training behaviors associated with Boston Marathon performance. The study was recently published in Sports Medicine.
Upcoming Events
Save The Date! The Health of Women 2026 Conference, presented by the VCU Institute for Women’s Health, will be held on Friday, May 29, 2026, at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa – Short Pump. Registration will open soon!
Research Study Recruitment Corner
Are you looking to recruit participants for active studies? Please fill out the Recruitment Corner Form if you are interested in having your study included in the newsletter.
- Deciphering the Cognitive and Neural Underpinnings of Risk-Taking in Eating Disorders (RISK-EAT)
- Recruiting adolescents (ages 12-17) and young adult (ages 18-25) females with and without bulimia nervosa
- Please see the flyer attached to this email for inclusion/exclusion criteria
- 2 study visits are required
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- Visit 1: (in person or virtual) will be a ~3 hour screening visit
- Visit 2: (in person at VCU CARI center) will be a ~3-4 hour visit
- Two-week follow-up of online surveys and games
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- Participants will be compensated $75 per visit and additionally compensated for engagement in the follow-up period
Follow our new social media pages!
The VCU Institute for Women’s Health has a new social media presence on LinkedIn and Facebook. Connect with us to stay up to date on the latest IWH news!
Do you have exciting news to share? We want to hear from you! Please share any recent career developments (grants, publications, promotions, media stories) using the Newsletter Submission Form. We will feature these highlights in the next IWH newsletter.
To subscribe to the newsletter and join the IWH Listserv, email Kellyn Moody at Kellyn.Moody@vcuhealth.org.