Supported Projects
MaTRIC Project Summaries
Learn more about the research MaTRIC has supported with its services. Explore the research summaries and key research project management tasks provided by MaTRIC for each fiscal year cohort.
FY26 Projects
PI: Iain Carmichael, PhD
Assistant Professor, Pathology; Assistant Professor, School of Data Science and Society
The lab of Iain Carmichael aims to develop artificial intelligence approaches that improve diagnostic precision, increase access to state-of-the-art healthcare, uncover novel biomarkers for disease prognosis/therapeutic response and streamline the basic scientific investigation of disease processes.
PM: Ana Jafarinia
- Facilitate data collection
- Correspond with Lineberger administration
- Coordinate grant proposal development
PI: Jimikaye Courtney, PhD
Assistant Professor, Exercise and Sports Science
Dr. Courtney is co-director of the Health, Exercise And Lifestyle (HEAL) Lab. Her research investigates people’s daily physical activity and alcohol use behaviors, with a focus on understanding their combined effects on disease risk and identifying how factors such as affect, stress, and motivation influence these behaviors to inform health behavior interventions.
PM: Caroline Ritchie
- Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs)
- Create external facing communication and marketing materials
- Onboard research group members
- Manage study and staff relationships
- Help foster a positive, productive team culture
PI: Marc Emerson, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
Dr. Marc Emerson is focused on cancer care systems and access to care issues. He is an active member of the Southeastern American Indian Cancer Health Equity Partnership and the Carolina Breast Cancer Study projects at UNC.
PM: Victoria Triana
- Organize and track manuscript development
- Manage grant applications and identify funding mechanisms
- Coordinate weekly study team meetings
- Provide high-level project management guidance
PI: Renée Ferrari, PhD, MPH
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Maternal and Child Health
Dr. Ferrari leads the North Carolina Partnerships to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening (NC PICCS), a CDC-funded program aimed at increasing colorectal cancer screening in NC FQHCs. Partnering with NC DHHS and the American Cancer Society, the project strengthens FQHC capacity through quality improvement, training, and evaluation. UNC leads the evaluation.
PM: Dina Alabsew
- Provide overall coordination
- Support organizational development of study team
- Develop grant materials
- Support data analysis
- Assist with budget management
- Draft annual and progress reports
PI: Ed Fisher, PhD
Adjunct Professor, Department of Health Behavior; Director, Peers for Progress
Dr. Fisher is global director of Peers for Progress, a program that documents the benefits of peer support in diabetes management and conducts various activities to promote peer support around the world. He also supports DiabetesSisters, a nonprofit patient advocacy organization, offering peer support for diabetes through virtual support group meetups, webinars, workshops, and a wealth of resources tailored for women.
PM: Ana Jafarinia
- Develop resources for community, family, and peer support
- Write and send newsletter
- Facilitate webinars, meetings, and workshops
- Provide financial management
- Help create website
PI: Adam Goldstein, MD, MPH
Distinguished Professor, Family Medicine
Dr. Goldstein leads the Tobacco Treatment Program (TTP), which conducts research and helps disseminate findings on how to improve patient satisfaction, streamline efficiency, and advance the science of tobacco treatment. The TTP provides tobacco treatment services across the UNC healthcare system to help patients achieve their goal of smoking cessation.
PM: Ana Jafarinia
- Develop manuscripts and prepare for journal submission
- Facilitate strategic planning to support organizational development of study team
- Present research at conferences
- Assist with data analysis
PI: Sarah Kowitt, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Family Medicine
Dr. Kowitt’s research focuses on preventing and reducing tobacco and cannabis use, particularly among youth and young adults. Dr. Kowitt and Dr. Seth Noar co-lead Project 4 in UNC’s Tobacco Center for Regulatory Science (TCORS), which focuses on understanding the impact of vaping prevention ads among youth and young adults.
PM: Victoria Triana
- Submit IRB and Clinical Trials protocols and modifications
- Provide informal supervision and support for RAs
- Coordinate progress reports
- Manage budget expenditures
PI: Clara Lee, MD, MPP, FACS
Professor, Surgery
Dr. Lee’s research focuses on improving how patients and surgeons make decisions about cancer surgery. Dr. Lee leads an R01 that seeks to broaden access beyond the clinical setting to an internet-based tool to support decision making for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. She also leads a related R21 to adapt and test the tool for Spanish-speaking breast cancer survivors.
PM: Victoria Triana
- Provide informal supervision and support for research coordinators
- Support timely implementation of study activities
- Develop and maintain progress tracking and collaboration strategies
- Help foster a positive, productive team culture
PI: Sarah Nyante, PhD, MSPH
Assistant Professor, Radiology
Dr. Nyante is director of the Carolina Mammography Registry and a cancer epidemiologist focused on identifying biologic factors that predict breast cancer risk and/or prognosis. Her research is related to breast composition and breast imaging findings and has an interest in developing efficient methods to re-purpose clinical data for research.
PM: Dina Alabsew
- Coordinate project meetings
- Support and track data collection and analysis
- Onboard and train staff
- Support budget management
- Manage IRB
PI: Emily Ray, MD, MPH
Associate Professor, Oncology
Emily Ray, MD, MPH, is a medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer with a research focus in evaluating cancer outcomes and improving cancer care delivery. She has a particular interest in improving outcomes for patients with advanced cancer through better treatment decision-making and increased access to high-quality end-of-life (EOL) care.
PM: Ana Jafarinia
- Manage IRB submissions
- Facilitate team meetings
- Provide financial review
- Maintain lab website
- Support new grant proposals
PI: Daniel Richardson, MD, MSc, MA
Assistant Professor, Medicine
Dr. Richardson’s research seeks to better align care delivery with what matters most to cancer patients. His research group is developing methods to assess patient values, goals, and preferences at the point of care delivery and to evaluate how quantitative value elicitation instruments can increase patient engagement and knowledge to improve shared decision-making regarding chemotherapy.
PM: Cason Whitcomb
- Coordinate study implementation across portfolio
- coordinate regular lab meetings
- support budget management
- assist in drafting finance reports
- provide HR assistance
- support manuscript development and submissions
- Support data analysis efforts.
PI: Megan Roberts, PhD
Associate Professor, Pharmacy; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Health Policy and Management
Dr. Roberts’ research focuses on evaluating and improving the implementation of genomic medicine. Her research seeks to understand how precision medicine technologies can be implemented to improve access to high-quality cancer care and prevention.
PM: Cason Whitcomb and Becca Bosch
- Provide overall coordination across research portfolio
- Oversee IRB and PRC modifications
- Draft data collection materials
- Assist with qualitative analysis activities
- Support manuscript development
PI: Mya L. Roberson, MSPH, PhD
Assistant Professor, Health Policy and Management
Dr. Roberson’s research bridges patient engagement with approaches using large healthcare data to improve cancer outcomes. She studies population-level trends in cancer treatment, survivorship care for people living with metastatic breast cancer, and how to improve access to genetic and genomic services delivery for populations with limited access to opportunities.
PM: Cason Whitcomb
- Coordinate study implementation across research portfolio
- Coordinate lab meetings
- Manage budgets and assist in drafting finance reports
- Support data analysis efforts
- Develop communications materials
- Support manuscript development and submissions
- Liaise with community members and collaborators
- Support pre-award activities
PI: Sheila Santacroce, PhD, RN, CPNP, FAAN
Distinguished Professor, Nursing
Dr. Santacroce’s research focuses on children diagnosed with cancer and their families. Specific areas of interest include financial toxicity, illness uncertainty, survivorship care, improving inclusiveness in pediatric clinical trials, addressing family needs to optimize pediatric cancer clinical and quality of life outcomes, developing theory-based interventions, and treatment fidelity.
PM: Becca Bosch
- Provide overall study coordination
- Develop data collection measures and protocols
- Manage IRB and OnCore
- Support manuscript development and submission
PI: Natalicio Serrano, PhD
Assistant Professor, Health Behavior
Dr. Serrano’s research focuses on creating sustainable environment and policy strategies for physical activity and disease prevention. He uses a systems approach to study inter-related factors and sectors (Transportation, Planning, Housing) that may impact physical activity, and to address issues related to neighborhood development, economic segregation, and displacement.
PM: Becca Bosch
- Provide overall coordination
- Provide financial management support (e.g., budget review, annual reports, study purchases)
- Support IRB submissions
- Assist in study recruitment
- Develop grant materials
FY25 Projects
PI: Renée Ferrari, PhD, MPH
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Maternal and Child Health
Dr. Ferrari leads the North Carolina Partnerships to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening (NC PICCS), a CDC-funded program aimed at increasing colorectal cancer screening in NC FQHCs. Partnering with NC DHHS and the American Cancer Society, the project strengthens FQHC capacity through quality improvement, training, and evaluation. UNC leads the evaluation.
PM: Dina Alabsew
- Provide overall coordination
- Support organizational development of study team
- Develop grant materials
- Support data analysis (especially qualitative methods)
- Assist with budget management
- Draft annual and progress reports
PI: Adam Goldstein, MD, MPH
Distinguished Professor, Family Medicine
Dr. Goldstein leads the Tobacco Treatment Program (TTP), which conducts research and helps disseminate findings on how to improve patient satisfaction, streamline efficiency, and advance the science of tobacco treatment. The TTP provides tobacco treatment services across the UNC healthcare system to help patients achieve their goal of smoking cessation.
PM: Ana Jafarinia
- Develop manuscripts and prepare for journal submission
- Facilitate strategic planning to support organizational development of study team
- Present research at conferences
- Assist with data analysis
PI: Shelley Golden, PhD
Associate Professor, Health Behavior
PI: Adam Goldstein, MD, MPH
Distinguished Professor, Family Medicine
Drs. Golden and Goldstein lead the Career Core for the UNC TCORS, a P01 that provides scientific studies that inform FDA’s regulatory authority for tobacco products. The Career Core builds trainees’ capacity to contribute to the field of tobacco regulatory science through training, mentorship, and pilot funding.
PM: Ana Jafarinia
- Track trainee onboarding, involvement and outcomes
- Assist with annual reports
- Coordinate staff meetings
- Manage speaker series, including payments and travel
PI: Rachel Hirschey, PhD, RN, FAAN
Assistant Professor, Nursing
Dr. Hirschey’s research focuses on improving cancer outcomes in collaboration with non-scientist community members, cancer survivors, and patient advocates. Her work emphasizes creating scalable behavioral interventions in oncology practice. She also serves as MPI of the NCI/CDC-funded Comprehensive Cancer Center Control Collaborative, which aims to improve research dissemination and implementation.
PM: Dina Alabsew
- Support overall coordination of the study team
- Oversee research assistant training
- Monitor adherence to study protocols
- Oversee IRB and PRC modifications and annual reviews
PI: Laura Linnan, ScD
Professor, Health Behavior
Dr. Linnan directs the Carolina Center for Healthy Work Design and Worker Well-Being, a NIOSH-funded Center of Excellence in Total Worker Health®, which engages in research and educational efforts to improve the safety, health and well-being of workers.
PM: Dina Alabsew
- Assist with annual reports
- Schedule monthly meetings
- Solicit content for monthly newsletters and webinar series
- Edit content for clarity and brevity
PI: Sarah Mills, PhD
Assistant Professor, Health Behavior
PI: Kristen Hassmiller-Lich, PhD
Associate Professor, Health Policy and Management
Drs. Mills and Hassmiller-Lich lead Project 3 in the UNC TCORS, which is a P01 that provides scientific studies that inform FDA’s regulatory authority for tobacco products. Project 3 is building a micro-simulation model to estimate the public health impact of a federal flavored cigar ban on tobacco use and mortality.
PM: Ana Jafarinia
- Manage progress reports
- Coordinate team meetings
- Support manuscript development and submission
- Assist with financial management
PI: Kurt M. Ribisl, PhD
Distinguished Professor, Health Behavior
Dr. Ribisl is MPI of the federally funded Advancing Science & Practice in the Retail Environment (ASPiRE) Center. ASPiRE’s goal is to build a strong scientific evidence base for effective policies in the retail environment to help reduce tobacco use, tobacco-related disparities, and the public health burden of tobacco, including cancer.
PM: Ana Jafarinia
- Coordinate agendas for internal and external meetings
- Manage IRB
- Manage study relationships with external collaborators
- Facilitate annual report submission
PI: Daniel Richardson, MD, MSc, MA
Assistant Professor, Medicine
Dr. Richardson’s research seeks to better align care delivery with what matters most to cancer patients. His research group is developing methods to assess patient values, goals, and preferences at the point of care delivery and to evaluate how quantitative value elicitation instruments can increase patient engagement and knowledge to improve shared decision-making regarding chemotherapy.
PMs: Cason Whitcomb and Becca Bosch
- Coordinate study implementation across portfolio
- Coordinate regular lab meetings
- Support budget management
- Assist in drafting finance reports
- Provide HR assistance
- Support manuscript development and submissions
- Support data analysis efforts
PI: Megan Roberts, PhD
Associate Professor, Pharmacy; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Health Policy and Management
Dr. Roberts’ research focuses on evaluating and improving the implementation of genomic medicine. Her research seeks to understand how precision medicine technologies can be implemented to improve access to and reduce disparities in high-quality care and prevention.
PM: Cason Whitcomb and Becca Bosch
- Support efforts across research portfolio
- Assist in maintaining and modifying IRBs
- Draft data collection materials
- Support qualitative analysis activities
- Coordinate research team meetings
- Support manuscript development
PI: Mya L. Roberson, MSPH, PhD
Assistant Professor, Health Policy and Management
Dr. Roberson’s research bridges patient engagement with approaches using large healthcare data to improve cancer outcomes. She studies population-level trends in cancer treatment, survivorship care for people living with metastatic breast cancer, and how to improve access to genetic and genomic services delivery for populations with limited access to opportunities.
PMs: Dina Alabsew and Cason Whitcomb
- Coordinate study implementation across research portfolio
- Coordinate lab meetings
- Manage budgets and assist in drafting finance reports
- Support data analysis efforts
- Develop communications materials
- Support manuscript development and submissions
PI: Sheila Santacroce, PhD, RN, CPNP, FAAN
Distinguished Professor, Nursing
Dr. Santacroce’s research focuses on children diagnosed with cancer and their families. Specific areas of interest include financial toxicity, illness uncertainty, survivorship care, improving inclusiveness in pediatric clinical trials, addressing family needs, developing theory-based interventions, and treatment fidelity.
PM: Becca Bosch
- Manage team communications
- Coordinate meetings
- Build data collection measures in REDCap
- Support IRB submissions
- Support hiring personnel
- Draft data collection protocols
- Manage study subjects in OnCore
- Manage participant payments
PI: Natalicio Serrano, PhD
Assistant Professor, Health Behavior
Dr. Serrano’s research focuses on creating sustainable environment and policy strategies for physical activity and disease prevention. He uses a systems approach to study inter-related factors and sectors (Transportation, Planning, Housing) that may impact physical activity, and to address issues related to neighborhood development, economic segregation, and displacement.
PMs: Caroline Ritchie and Becca Bosch
- Provide overall coordination
- Provide financial management support (e.g., budget review, annual reports, study purchases)
- Support hiring
- Support IRB submissions
- Assist in study recruitment
- Communicate with study participants and stakeholders
FY24 Projects
PI: Rachel Hirschey, PhD, RN, FAAN
Assistant Professor, Nursing
Dr. Hirschey’s research focuses on improving cancer outcomes in collaboration with non-scientist community members, cancer survivors, and patient advocates. Her work emphasizes creating scalable behavioral interventions in oncology practice. She also serves as MPI of the NCI/CDC-funded Comprehensive Cancer Center Control Collaborative, which aims to improve research dissemination and implementation.
PM: Cason Whitcomb
- Support overall coordination of the study team
- Oversee research assistant training
- Monitor adherence to study protocols
- Oversee IRB and PRC modifications and annual reviews
PI: Erin Kent, PhD, MS, FSBM
Associate Professor, Health Policy and Management
Dr. Kent’s research examines the psychosocial and financial impact of cancer and other serious illnesses on patients and their caregivers.
Due to the conclusion of grant funding, Dr. Kent was not able to continue with MaTRIC in FY25.
PM: Cason Whitcomb
- Developed system for tracking expenditures on grant-funded projects
- Created monthly expense reports
- Assisted with proposal budgeting
PI: Megan Roberts, PhD
Associate Professor, Pharmacy; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Health Policy and Management
Dr. Roberts’ research focuses on evaluating and improving the implementation of genomic medicine. Her research seeks to understand how precision medicine technologies can be implemented to improve access to and reduce disparities in high-quality care and prevention.
PM: Cason Whitcomb
- Managed implementation of an R13 Conference Grant, including marketing campaign
- Managed compensation for speakers
- Completed study progress reports
- Assisted with IRBs
- Coordinated meetings
- Supported manuscript development