Mentoring

The Translational Research Institute’s (TRI) Pathfinder Committee is committed to ensuring that UAMS students, trainees and faculty consistently receive well-balanced educational opportunities and appropriate research mentorship and guidance. The Pathfinder Committee is comprised of UAMS faculty members who have a history of productive research, successful mentoring and proven leadership at the campus level.

Pathfinders can assist with:

Identifying appropriate mentors or collaborators
Developing research, training and career development plans
Selecting curriculum and identifying research rotations and other campus resources

Contact the Research Education, Training and Career Development program manager to connect with a pathfinder.

TRI Pathfinders

Mary Aitken	Bradley Martin	Nancy Rusch
Cornelia Beck	Robert McGehee Jr.	Delia Smith West
Lawrence Cornett	Jean McSweeney	Katharine Stewart
Laura James	Samuel Michael Owens

	Mary Aitken, M.D., M.P.H. \| Biography Professor, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine Director, Center for Applied Research and Evaluation Medical Director, Arkansas Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention Center Research Interests: Pediatric injury prevention, assessment of health status and outcomes following injury, particularly traumatic brain injury, and community-based health promotion

	Cornelia Beck, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N. \| Biography Professor, Department of Geriatrics, College of Medicine Director of Research, Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence Director, Alzheimer’s Disease Center Co-Director, Translational Research Institute (TRI) Research Interests: Strategies to improve best practices in long-term care settings and non-drug interventions to alleviate problem behavior and promote functional performance in persons with dementia

	Lawrence Cornett, Ph.D. \| Biography Professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine Executive Associate Dean for Research, College of Medicine UAMS Vice Chancellor for Research Co-Director, Translational Research Institute (TRI) Research Interests: Role of β2-adrenergic receptors in mediating airway responsiveness in asthma and hormonal regulation of stress responses at the level of the anterior pituitary gland

	Laura James, M.D. Professor, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine Research Interests: Mechanisms and pathways of recovery in the liver following acetaminophen toxicity in the mouse model; development of assays for measuring biomarkers of acetaminophen toxicity in clinical samples

	Bradley Martin, Pharm.D., Ph.D. \| Biography Professor and Director, Division of Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy, College of Pharmacy Research Interests: Retrospective population-based economic and epidemiologic studies using large administrative data sets and national health surveys

	Robert McGehee Jr., Ph.D. \| Biography Professor, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine Dean, UAMS Graduate School Director, Basic Science Research, Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Interests: Adipocyte development; regulation of adipogenesis by retinoblastoma proteins; the relationship between obesity and diabetes

	Jean McSweeney, Ph.D, R.N., F.A.H.A., F.A.A.N. Professor and Associate Dean for Research, College of Nursing Director, Tailored Biobehavioral Interventions Research Center Research Interests: Women and cardiovascular disease, focusing on early warning and acute symptoms of myocardial infarction

	Samuel Michael Owens, Ph.D. \| Biography Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine Director, Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Studies Research Interests: Development of antibody-based therapies for the treatment of substance abuse

	Nancy Rusch, Ph.D. Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine Research Interests: Role of ion channel abnormalities in systemic and pulmonary hypertension

	Delia Smith West, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, College of Public Health Director, Center for the Study of Obesity Research Interests: Causes and treatment of obesity and eating disorders; behavioral interventions for obesity-related medical conditions, particularly type II diabetes and hypertension; health issues among minority and underserved women

	Katharine Stewart, Ph.D., M.P.H. Associate Professor of Health Behavior & Health Education and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Public Health Research Interests: Behavioral interventions to reduce health risk behaviors, especially sexual risk behaviors among vulnerable communities and populations

	Mary Aitken, M.D., M.P.H. \| Biography Professor, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine Director, Center for Applied Research and Evaluation Medical Director, Arkansas Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention Center Research Interests: Pediatric injury prevention, assessment of health status and outcomes following injury, particularly traumatic brain injury, and community-based health promotion

	Cornelia Beck, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N. \| Biography Professor, Department of Geriatrics, College of Medicine Director of Research, Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence Director, Alzheimer’s Disease Center Co-Director, Translational Research Institute (TRI) Research Interests: Strategies to improve best practices in long-term care settings and non-drug interventions to alleviate problem behavior and promote functional performance in persons with dementia

	Lawrence Cornett, Ph.D. \| Biography Professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine Executive Associate Dean for Research, College of Medicine UAMS Vice Chancellor for Research Co-Director, Translational Research Institute (TRI) Research Interests: Role of β2-adrenergic receptors in mediating airway responsiveness in asthma and hormonal regulation of stress responses at the level of the anterior pituitary gland

	Laura James, M.D. Professor, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine Research Interests: Mechanisms and pathways of recovery in the liver following acetaminophen toxicity in the mouse model; development of assays for measuring biomarkers of acetaminophen toxicity in clinical samples

	Bradley Martin, Pharm.D., Ph.D. \| Biography Professor and Director, Division of Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy, College of Pharmacy Research Interests: Retrospective population-based economic and epidemiologic studies using large administrative data sets and national health surveys

	Robert McGehee Jr., Ph.D. \| Biography Professor, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine Dean, UAMS Graduate School Director, Basic Science Research, Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Interests: Adipocyte development; regulation of adipogenesis by retinoblastoma proteins; the relationship between obesity and diabetes

	Jean McSweeney, Ph.D, R.N., F.A.H.A., F.A.A.N. Professor and Associate Dean for Research, College of Nursing Director, Tailored Biobehavioral Interventions Research Center Research Interests: Women and cardiovascular disease, focusing on early warning and acute symptoms of myocardial infarction

	Samuel Michael Owens, Ph.D. \| Biography Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine Director, Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Studies Research Interests: Development of antibody-based therapies for the treatment of substance abuse

	Nancy Rusch, Ph.D. Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine Research Interests: Role of ion channel abnormalities in systemic and pulmonary hypertension

	Delia Smith West, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, College of Public Health Director, Center for the Study of Obesity Research Interests: Causes and treatment of obesity and eating disorders; behavioral interventions for obesity-related medical conditions, particularly type II diabetes and hypertension; health issues among minority and underserved women

	Katharine Stewart, Ph.D., M.P.H. Associate Professor of Health Behavior & Health Education and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Public Health Research Interests: Behavioral interventions to reduce health risk behaviors, especially sexual risk behaviors among vulnerable communities and populations