West Virginia University is one of 115 R1 institutions, which means we’re recognized for our groundbreaking research and innovation. Only the best research universities in the country achieve this status, and WVU is renowned for its research-based graduate programs and popular research-intensive programs.
Interested in knowing what the latest research is coming out of WVU? Read on to hear about five innovative research studies happening on campus right now!
Physical Activity Improves Academic Performance in Children
Researchers at the West Virginia Prevention Research Center at the WVU School of Public Health are teaming up with schools and families to give over 300 fifth graders more physical activity throughout the day. They’re discovering that physical activity not only improves physical wellness, but it also boosts academic performance. Teachers integrate physical activity into their lessons, and families are encouraged to continue their children’s active lifestyles at home.
Taking on Breast Cancer and the Side Effects of Chemotherapy
West Virginia has the third highest rate of cancer in the country. To address this widespread crisis, the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute (WVCTSI) has funded two new and innovative cancer treatment projects. The first project will study the efficacy of targeting the SHP2 enzyme in the treatment of curing HER2 breast cancer. Between 20 and 30 percent of all breast cancer cases are HER2, and some patients develop a resistance to current therapies. The SHP2 enzyme may stimulate the expression of potential cancer-causing genes.
The other project addresses Neutropenia, the most common clinical complication of chemotherapy, and seeks to replenish bone marrow cells so that patients can lower their risk of dangerous, and often fatal, infection.
New Opportunities for Neuroscience Research
At WVU, the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (BRNI) recently received $3 million to fund research in the quantitative neurosciences. Bioscientists, mathematicians, physicists, and engineers will come together and study the brain’s structure and function. These experts will research Alzheimer’s disease and other neuroscience fields – “taking aim at diseases of the brain that have an impact on thousands of families in West Virginia every year,” said George Spirou, Ph.D. and co-director of BRNI.
Studying West Virginia’s Opioid Epidemic
West Virginia has the highest rate of drug overdose deaths in the country. WVU’s Addiction Task Force and West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute (WVCTSI) have teamed up to fund two research projects that will study – and combat – the rampant use of opioids in West Virginia. The first study will address the challenges and practices of recovering addicts and patients. The second project will research women’s reproductive health in response to the medication they receive for opioid dependence.
Transforming Wasted Wood
Wild and wonderful West Virginia is filled with 12 million acres of beautiful forests. It’s no surprise that more than $4 billion flows into the state thanks to the timber industry. But timber is West Virginia’s only renewable natural resource, so researchers are considering how to make the most of this important resource.
WVU Davis College School of Natural Resources hosts the Hardwood Research Trust, a research initiative whose mission is to discover new ways on how to cash in on poor-quality hardwoods and waste products left behind after logging. This, in turn, will improve the timber industry’s economic impact in West Virginia.
These are just a few of the current research studies happening on campus right now. At WVU, all Ph.D. programs and most M.S. programs are research based, giving you the opportunity to make an impact on your chosen field.
Are you interested in learning more about graduate study and what a research-based program can offer you? We’ve compiled a resource— A Guide to Research-Based Graduate Programs at WVU — to help you in your search.
