North Florida Foundation For Research And Education Inc

Programs: A nonprofit va research and education foundation, the north florida foundation for research and education, inc. (nffre) was established to administer and facilitates research and education programs within the north florida/south georgia veterans health system (nf/sgvhs) located in gainesville florida. Researchers at the nf/sgvhs conduct investigator- initiated and pharmaceutical/device sponsor initiated trials. Nffre benefits va health care and strives to provide support and flexible funding mechanisms to support va researchers and collaborators while offering additional opportunities for our veterans to participate in clinical trials. Our research is dedicated to investigating a variety of ailments afflicting the nation's veterans. Nffre plays an important role supporting va investigators and serves to facilitate collaborative efforts with industry sponsors, academic institutions, other federal agencies, voluntary health organizations, nonprofit professional societies, and for-profit companies to conduct clinical trials, test therapeutic interventions, support lab based projects and collect data for outcomes projects. A few examples of nffre's contributions to va research and va education at nf/sgvhs: during fiscal year 2017, nffre fostered many sponsored studies conducted at nf/sgvhs with industry collaborators including boehringer ingelheim, novartis, glaxo smith kline, rti surgical, astrazenica, endologix, dalgene, terumo, sanofi, gilead sciences, biomonde, angel medical systems, population health research institute, philips respironics, and actelion. Nffre managed 20 active cradas and initiated 9 new cradas (va collaborative research and development agreements). Nffre provides research support for multiple funded projects conducted by joshua yarrow, ms, phd, a research health scientist at nf/sgvhs. Dr. Yarrow performs proof-of-principle, translational, and clinical research. His research focuses on 1) determining the sex-steroid mediated mechanisms underlying the maintenance of bone and skeletal muscle and 2) evaluating pharmacologic strategies and physiologic interventions designed to augment bone mineral density, skeletal muscle mass, and reduce adiposity. His laboratory expertise involves the assessment of three-dimensional bone and soft tissue morphology (including vasculature) via microct; body composition via dual x-ray absorptiometry; and skeletal muscle mass and basic molecular biology techniques; immunoassay and spectrophotometry techniques; and sex-steroid/peptide-hormones analysis of body fluids and tissues. His current research evaluates the pharmacologic means of preventing bone and muscle loss subsequent to veteran spinal cord injury. Dr. Yarrow was awarded the presidential early career award for scientists and engineers (pecase). This is the highest honor bestowed by the united states government for science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. Nffre provided support to david e. Winchester, m. D. , va cardiologist including his innovation grant project titled "just in time cardiology: improving access through consult triage". This project focused on appropriate test ordering of nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging, since a substantial proportion of these tests are found to be rarely appropriate and/or do not substantially benefit the patient. Dr. Winchester's project is designed to help reduce overuse of testing through education of both doctors and patients. The project evaluated solutions for appropriate test ordering (nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging) for cardiac ischemia. The solutions were based on three principles: specialty-specific training, multimodality approach, and alternatives to testing and team-based care. In conclusion, dr. Winchester and the study team found that specialty specific, multimodality education, with a collaborative approach may substantially reduce rarely appropriate mpi. The results of this education appear to persist for at least a few months after the intervention. As a result of this work, the practice was selected as a gold status practice in the under secretary for health second shark tank competition.

nffre's contributions to va education conducted at nf/sgvhs included: medical education. Nffre manages the richard m. Whittington lecture series fund to support medical education at nf/sgvhs. In 2017, dr. Ronald shorr held a lecture series at clinical & translational science institute at university of florida. Dr. Shorr is the director of the va geriatric research education & clinical center. Also dr. Nan musson conducted a speech pathology clinical forum relating to the understanding dysphagia education program.