MedStar Health Research Institute Receives Research Grants From the Charles and Mary Latham Fund

Hyattsville, MD (December 19, 2016)— MedStar Health Research Institute was 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:

• Kathryn Walker, PharmD, and Anne Kelemen, LICSW, ACHP-SW, A Pilot Feasibility Study Of Massage To Reduce Pain For Palliative Care Patients In The Hospital. This research will study the integration of therapeutic massage for hospitalized patients receiving palliative care, with results focusing on the impact of therapeutic massage on pain management.
• Chukwuemeka U. Ihemelandu, MD, Personalizing Management of Gastrointestinal Malignancies, by Identification of Potential Cell Surface Antigens for Cancer Imaging using an Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis of Publicly Available Genomic Profiles. This research will seek to identify and explain the observed differences in tumor biology, which could be utilized to further personalized patient care.
• Natalie Benda, MS, and Terry Fairbanks, MD, MS, Supporting Shared Decision-­Making for Emergency Department Clinicians and Patients with Limited English Proficiency. This study will assess how to provide appropriate shared decision-­making support for emergency department encounters involving patients with limited English proficiency, including problem solving instances when an interpreter is not present.

“Our researchers are committed to pursuing clinical research that advances the health of our local Washington, D.C., metro community,” 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.