MedStar Health Researchers Awarded Grants From the Charles and Mary Latham Fund

Hyattsville, MD (January 29, 2018)—Investigators from the MedStar Health Research Institute were awarded grant funding for three research initiatives through the Charles and Mary Latham Fund, established by Ella O. Latham, to support medical research in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

The three MedStar Health research projects that were awarded funding are:

• Ian Brooks, PHD for Pilot Testing a Chatbot to help promote self-care in patients with Type-2 Diabetes. This research project is to develop the first prototype of an artificial intelligence to work with African American seniors who are living with chronic diabetes.
• Hunter Groninger, MD, FACP, FAAHPM for A Pilot Study to Evaluate Virtual Reality for Pain Management in Hospitalized Patients with Advanced Heart Failure Receiving Palliative Care Consultation. This research seeks to include virtual reality as a potential treatment for managing pain through non-pharmological means for palliative care patients
• Jason Chang, MD for Impact of Neurogenic Stunned Myocardium on Clinical Outcome in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Pilot Study. The goal of this study is to focus on one aspect of subarachnoid hemorrhage, the neuro-cardiac axis, to further understand the development of secondary brain injury.

“Each of these research projects is centered on innovative advances in outcomes for our local community of patients in the Washington, D.C., metro area,” said Neil J. Weissman, MD, president of MedStar Health Research Institute. “We are extremely appreciative for the support we have received from the Charles and Mary Latham Fund and its corporate trustee, SunTrust, to continue our commitment to better outcomes for our patients.”

The Charles and Mary Latham Fund was established by Ella O. Latham in memory of her parents. Founded in 1972, the Fund has supported a myriad of worthwhile projects relating to medical research for the cure of diseases in the human body with a preference for clinical applications and medical, nursing, and hospital care for persons suffering from such diseases who are financially unable to provide their own care.

About MedStar Health Research Institute
The MedStar Health Research Institute is the research arm of MedStar Health, the largest healthcare provider in Maryland and the Washington, D.C., region. MHRI provides scientific, administrative and regulatory support for research programs throughout the MedStar Health system. MHRI’s expertise includes translational research into disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment. These programs complement the key clinical services and teaching programs in the 10 MedStar hospitals and other MedStar entities. For more information, visit www.MedStarResearch.org. 

About MedStar Health
MedStar Health is a not-for-profit health system dedicated to caring for people in Maryland and the Washington, D.C., region, while advancing the practice of medicine through education, innovation and research. MedStar’s 30,000 associates, 6,000 affiliated physicians, 10 hospitals, ambulatory care and urgent care centers, and the MedStar Health Research Institute are recognized regionally and nationally for excellence in medical care. As the medical education and clinical partner of Georgetown University, MedStar trains more than 1,100 medical residents annually. MedStar Health’s patient-first philosophy combines care, compassion and clinical excellence with an emphasis on customer service. For more information, visit MedStarHealth.org.