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Assistant Professor Katherine Breen, started August 2023

Education:

University of Illinois Chicago (PhD), Benedictine University (MSN), St. John’s College of Nursing (BSN), Southern Illinois University (BS Healthcare Management).


Research focus/goal:

“Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) threatens the lives of millions of people per year. People with ACS frequently have multiple chronic conditions, or multimorbidity, and are at greater risk for worse outcomes than those without multimorbidity. Unfortunately, multimorbidity is higher and occurs earlier among minority and lower socioeconomic communities. Therefore, developing multimorbidity risk profiles that include social determinants of health may be useful in developing interventions that reduce disparities and improve post-ACS care. As a next step in my research, I plan to develop an NIH Mentored Research Career Development grant focused on using electronic health records and artificial intelligence to develop these risk profiles.”

Why Loyola:

“The support from everyone, the opportunity for career development, and the warmth and enthusiasm that permeate the school make it feel like home.”

Assistant Professor Meghan Garland, started August 2023

Education:

Rush University (PhD), Case Western Reserve University (MSN), Western Michigan University (BA Anthropology).

Research focus/goal:

“Black people are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white people. Physical activity during pregnancy has been shown to reduce pregnancy-related complications. My research goal is to develop a physical activity intervention for Black pregnant people. I am beginning to work on an NIH Mentored Research Career Development grant to identify social and environmental factors that are related to physical activity among Black pregnant people so that I can develop a physical activity intervention that addresses these factors.”

Why Loyola:

“I was so impressed with the welcoming and the warmth and the care that were expressed to me during the interview process. It really made me feel like this would be a great home.”

Postdoctoral researcher Sueyeon Lee, started Fall 2023

Education:

University of Illinois Chicago (PhD), Ewha Womans University in South Korea (MS, BS Nursing).

Research focus/goal:

“My program of research focuses on promoting healthy behavior to prevent and address cardiovascular disease. During my doctoral program, I studied physical activity and sleep in patients who underwent cardiac surgery. I have broadened my research interest to explore how physical activity and sleep impact inflammation in underrepresented populations. Recently, I submitted an American Heart Association (AHA) postdoctoral fellowship application to examine the effects of a race-based stress reduction program on sleep, dim-light melatonin onset, and inflammation in Black women at risk for cardiometabolic disease. My research plan includes the measurement of salivary melatonin samples and the collection of activity tracker sleep data. This research aligns with my commitment to reducing health disparities and improving the well-being of underserved populations.”

Why Loyola:

“I chose Loyola to be mentored by Karen Saban. Her research is aligned with my work, and I have the opportunity to participate in the study team of a newly funded NIH randomized clinical trial. I’m also impressed by the school’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as community service.”

Assistant Professor Alexandra Nowak, started August 2022

Education:

Ohio State University (PhD), Wayne State University (JD), Oakland University (BSN), Madonna University (BS Legal Assistant/Paralegal).

Research focus/goal:

“My research focuses on biopsychosocial measures of preterm birth in Black women—specifically aspects of the neighborhood environment as measures of structural racism and their effects on biological mechanisms. I recently submitted a grant proposal for an NIH Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award to study the relationships among neighborhood disadvantage, psychological stress, changes in gene expression (using integrated single-nucleotide polymorphism and DNA methylation data), and preterm birth in pregnant Black women. I would like to identify a biomarker that could be used in clinical trials to identify women who are at risk for preterm birth. The ultimate goal is to prevent preterm birth by intervening early in pregnancy.”

Why Loyola:

“Once I started interviewing, I could really feel the support. Then, once I got here, everybody kind of rallies around you.”

Assistant Professor Ginger Schroers, started August 2022

Education:

Villanova University (PhD), North Park University (MS Nursing Education), University of Illinois Chicago (BSN).

Research focus/goal:

“My program of research focuses on key quality and safety issues in health care: interruptions during medication administration and nursing handoff reports. I am currently funded by the National League for Nursing and the Illinois Nurses Foundation to conduct a multi-site study with nursing students to determine the effects of deliberately practicing medication administration and interruption management on medication administration error rates and several other outcomes. The results of this study and other pilot studies will provide support for a major federal grant application.”

Why Loyola:

“It’s the faculty, leadership, and students. The faculty are just so supportive. Leadership, too. There’s no ego here. On top of that, the students are wonderful to work with. They want to be here, and they want to make a difference.”

Assistant Professor Lisa Wesolowski, started August 2023

Education:

University of Pittsburgh (PhD), St. Xavier University (BSN).

Research focus/goal:

“Pregnant women who undergo induced labor have nearly double the risk of having a cesarean delivery. A better understanding of the variation in natural labor progression could lead to more precise care of laboring women and decreased risk for unnecessary interventions. In my dissertation research with 401 women, I found three patterns, or trajectories of labor: precipitously progressing, average, and slow progressing. The slow progressing trajectory was associated with greater length of pregnancy. My next step is to begin working on an NIH Research Career Development Award to continue my work with identifying demographic, clinical, and genomic predictors of labor trajectories. My long-term goal is to develop interventions that are more precisely tailored to different trajectories of laboring women.”

Why Loyola:

“It’s just a really supportive environment, especially with Karen Saban introducing all of us to all the resources Loyola has to offer, and it has a great reputation for research and academics. Also, I was born and raised in the Chicago area. I have that Chicago pride in Loyola.”

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