Scholars
NBOC Scholars are scientists with complementary expertise who collaborate on research grant proposals, scientific presentations, and peer-reviewed scientific publications. Since the inception of NBOC in 2009, the scholarship team has established an extensive portfolio of externally funded research, developed successful mentorship models and maintained a robust output of peer-reviewed publications and regional, national and international recognition of their work.
Dr. Martha Sajatovic, MD, NBOC Director, is a neuropsychiatrist and health services researcher with over 3 decades of experience in health promotion research focusing on disorders of the brain and nervous system. She is a full professor of psychiatry and neurology and holds the Willard Brown Chair in Neurological Outcomes Research and the Rocco L. Motto Professorship in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. She has a strong record of science/multi-disciplinary team leadership and has been awarded extensive research funding from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), and the Patients Centered Outcomes Institute (PCORI).
Dr. Siran Koroukian, PhD is an epidemiologist and health services researcher with extensive experience in population based databases. She is an associate professor of the Center for Community Health Integration and the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences. She is the Director of the Population Health and Outcomes Research Core at the CWRU CTSC, Director of the Population Cancer Analytics Shared Resource of Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, and has received funding from the CDC, AHRQ, American Cancer Society, and the Ohio Department of Health.
Dr. Jennifer Levin, PhD is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry with expertise in health promotion in those with serious mental illness and comorbid chronic health conditions. Dr. Levin is working on a series of studies aimed at treatment adherence enhancement in poorly adherent individuals using technology assisted and digital interventions that target salient adherent barriers. These studies are supported by NIH grants including NHLBI and NIMH.
Dr. Angela Ridgel, PhD is a Full Professor in Exercise Science/Physiology in the School of Health Sciences, Kent State University. Her work includes a focus on aging and neurological disorders that limit movement and cognition in humans. A current research project funded by NIH examines how exercise can be used for neuro-rehabilitation in elderly individuals and those with Parkinson's disease.
Dr. Carol Blixen, PhD is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University. She is an expert in qualitative methodologies and employs both qualitative and quantitative approaches (mixed methods) to examine the personal, behavioral, and sociocultural issues that impact patient medical decision-making and adherence to treatment.
Dr. Molly McVoy, MD is an Assistant Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UHCMC with emerging expertise in the area of biomarkers in children and adolescents with mental illness, and stigma amongst health professionals treating mental illness. Her NBOC Scholar initiative is collaboratively supported by the Department of Psychiatry.
Dr. Christopher Burant, PhD is an Associate Professor, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University and Director of the Geriatric Research, Education Clinical Center (GRECC) Statistics Resource Center at the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Administration Medical Center.
Dr. Farren Briggs, PhD is an epidemiologist with extensive quantitative experience investigating genetic and non-genetic factors influencing risk, presentation, and disability accrual of complex neurological conditions, including clinician-reported and patient-reported outcomes. He is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences.