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Katherine Scafide, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAAFS

911��’s Injury Analytics Lab receives patent for AI bruise detection system

Heather Carroll — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 14:11:25 +0000

911��’s Injury Analytics Lab receives patent for AI bruise detection system Heather Carroll Mon, 08/10/2026 - 10:11

Newly patented AI technology helps get bruise detection tools into the hands of clinicians, law enforcement, and researchers

Can new technology make it easier to understand bruises? That's the question researchers at 911��'s Injury Analytics Lab (IAL) are answering with a patented technology that combines artificial intelligence, advanced imaging, and clinical data to give clinicians, forensic professionals, and researchers better information about skin injuries.

This technology reflects years of collaboration among experts in nursing, health informatics, and engineering, who worked together to transform research into a practical tool for injury assessment.

How the technology works

Image by College of Public Health.

The newly patented technology addresses current challenges in injury assessment by analyzing images of the skin alongside relevant clinical and demographic information from electronic health records. Similar to popular plant identification apps that combine image data with location information, the system uses AI to detect and assess bruise lesions.

"Documenting injuries accurately is essential for both medical treatment and seeking justice for victims of violence," said Associate Professor of Nursing and IAL Co-Director Katherine Scafide. "This patent recognizes our innovative approach that combines artificial intelligence, advanced imaging, and clinical data to help professionals make more informed decisions."

The patented artificial intelligence technology is built on a dedicated injury platform, which includes a large repository of injury images used by computer vision systems, and data from electronic health records that work together to support accurate injury assessment and real-world use. Development of the platform that hosts the data and systems, and related software is led by Professor of Health Informatics and IAL Co-Director Janusz Wojtusiak, while Professor of Engineering and IAL Co-Director David Lattanzi leads development of the computer vision systems and user-centered design.

One of the most innovative aspects of the patented technology is its ability to tailor imaging conditions such as light wavelength and camera filter to each individual.

Rather than relying on a standard lighting setup, the system can determine a person's skin color and select the most effective light wavelengths, filters, and imaging conditions for capturing injury evidence. By optimizing imaging for each person, the technology can improve injury detection and assessment across a wide range of skin tones, especially for people with darker skin tones, whose injuries can be harder to identify with traditional imaging.

But the technology goes beyond simply determining whether a bruise is present.

The system can estimate characteristics such as a bruise's age, size, color, and shape while also providing information about the confidence of its predictions. By combining visual data with information such as medical history, medications, demographics, and skin color, the technology can account for factors that influence how injuries appear, resulting in more accurate and reliable assessments than images alone.

Why the technology matters

Janusz Wojtusiak and Katherine Scafide in the Injury Analytics Lab. Photo provided

Bruises and other skin injuries have traditionally been difficult to identify and assess. Factors such as skin tone, lighting conditions, and the age of an injury can affect how visible an injury appears, creating challenges for clinicians, forensic professionals, and researchers.

This patented technology helps address those challenges by providing more objective, consistent injury assessments. More accurate documentation can help clinicians make informed treatment decisions, strengthen forensic evidence, support investigations, and give researchers better data to improve future care. By improving injury detection across diverse skin tones, the technology also has the potential to reduce disparities in how injuries are documented and evaluated.

It was also shaped by the needs of the professionals who will use it in real-world settings. “This technology is the result of a user-centric research process that included countless hours of interviews and workshops with health care providers and forensic professionals,” explains Lattanzi. “These groups told us that they need easy-to-use tools that make documentation faster and more reliable. So that’s exactly what we’re building.”

Built on years of research

The patented technology is supported by a library of more than 100,000 images of bruises and other skin characteristics collected through years of interdisciplinary research and collaboration.

The technology identifies and analyzes a wide range of skin features, including bruises, burns, scars, birthmarks, rashes, eczema, psoriasis, and other conditions. This extensive dataset helps train the system's deep-learning models and enables it to recognize patterns that may be difficult for the human eye to detect consistently.

Moving research into practice

The patent marks an important milestone in IAL's broader effort to develop evidence-based technologies that can improve injury assessment and documentation.

Beyond protecting the intellectual property behind the innovation, the patent creates opportunities for new partnerships, commercialization, and broader adoption of the technology. Researchers envision future applications that support health care providers, forensic specialists, law enforcement professionals, researchers, and patients through interfaces tailored to their specific needs.

As the technology continues to advance, the goal remains clear: transforming cutting-edge research into practical tools that improve accuracy, support equity, and help professionals make better-informed decisions when injury documentation matters most.

About the Injury Analytics Lab

Launched in 2026, 911��’s IAL brings together researchers from clinical science, engineering, and health informatics to advance ongoing research focused on injury detection, assessment, and documentation. The lab serves as a hub for interdisciplinary projects that build on years of research to improve patient care, investigations, and legal proceedings.

IAL is directed by an interdisciplinary team including Katherine Scafide (School of Nursing, College of Public Health [CPH]), who leads the lab’s clinical research; Janusz Wojtusiak (Department of Health Administration, Policy, and Informatics, CPH), who leads development of the injury platform and software systems; and David Lattanzi (Volgenau School of Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing), who leads development of the computer vision systems and user-centered design.

Key Takeaways

911�� researchers received a U.S. patent for technology that helps identify, document, and assess bruises and other skin injuries.
The technology tailors imaging to each individual, helping improve injury detection across a wide range of skin tones, particularly for people with darker skin tones.
The patented technology is the result of interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers in nursing, engineering, and health informatics, demonstrating how expertise across multiple fields can advance injury assessment and documentation.
The patent creates opportunities to bring the technology into healthcare, forensic, and research settings, supporting better clinical care, investigations, and future innovation.

In This Story

Janusz Wojtusiak, PhD

David Lattanzi

Topics

injury analytics lab

Bruise Visibility

Artificial Intelligence

patent

College of Public Health

GCI-Digital

Rebuilding after trauma: 911�� psychologist hopes to improve early care for survivors of violently acquired spinal cord injuries

sholla4 — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:52:46 +0000

Rebuilding after trauma: 911�� psychologist hopes to improve early care for survivors of violently acquired spinal cord injuries sholla4 Mon, 08/10/2026 - 09:52

A fall from a ladder, a car crash, a gunshot: In the blink of an eye, a spinal cord injury can change someone’s life forever. Adapting to these new circumstances can take some patients years. Leah M. Adams, associate professor of clinical psychology in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, is hoping to discover what might make that process easier.

Leah Adams. Photo provided.

Alongside colleagues Renee Madathil from University of Rochester and Chris Hilderbrant of the Rochester Spinal Association, Adams, a clinical rehabilitation psychologist, is researching early psychosocial adaptation in survivors of violently acquired spinal cord injuries to determine what and when interventions are most beneficial. This spring, they received $285,000 from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation to support their research.

Violently acquired spinal cord injuries refer to a subset of spinal cord injuries that are caused by interpersonal violence, such as gunshot wounds, stabbing, or other person-to-person contact. These injuries commonly affect a different demographic than nonviolently acquired spinal cord injuries.

“Violence is the second leading cause for Latinx folks and one of the top two causes for Black folks. Long-term trends suggest that young Black men make up nearly half of all people with violently acquired spinal cord injuries,” said Adams. “They’re also younger, on average, and may be less traditionally established than their counterparts without violently acquired injuries.” Adams also noted that people with violently acquired injuries are more likely to have greater social vulnerabilities due to systemic factors like poverty and the criminal/legal system.

Adams describes that, with violently acquired injuries, "there's a different buzzing in the atmosphere of the care team." There can be increased safety risks to the patient and the healthcare team even while in the hospital, as well as additional risks to the patient once discharged, that can impact how a patient receives care.

"Our hope is to narrow down what's helpful and what's not for these patients, so providers can offer optimal care at the right time," said Adams.

Using the National Spinal Cord Injury Database, Adams, her doctoral students, and collaborators will look at patients from 2016 to present with violently acquired spinal cord injuries and their progression over the first five years living with the injury.

"We're looking at difference trajectories of adaptation and seeing if we can identify which kinds of factors put people in positions to have better outcomes or potentially worse outcomes," she said. "With that baseline, we can start identifying risk factors and create pathways for earlier and more effective interventions."

This quantitative data will be combined with qualitative data from patient and spinal cord injury specialist mental health provider interviews, the latter of which is a unique addition to the project. Their direct experience in caring for patients over multiple sessions and years means they understand what works well, what kinds of gaps exist, and how health care delivery could be improved.

"We wanted to make sure we got multiple perspectives on the project, which is why we have multiple collaborators," said Adams, “including folks with lived experience with spinal cord injuries as part of the study team.”

This multi-method approach is one that Adams sees as essential. For individuals who have undergone a traumatic and life-altering injury, these varied perspectives help paint a fuller, more vibrant picture of the varied pathways patients might take in their healing journey, she said.

"This population is so important. They face unique stressors and barriers, and they’re deserving of focused attention and support," said Adams. “I'm really hopeful that our work can spotlight some of the strengths and resources and ideas that they have, as well as help medical teams make decisions about where to put their valuable resources.”

This intersectionality is part of Adams' overall research philosophy, reflected in her role as core faculty for the Women and Gender Studies Program. And as a two-time 911�� alum—MA Psychology ’10, PhD Psychology ’14—it's a methodology she's refined through her time at 911�� as both student and faculty in the Department of Psychology.

"Both the tangible and intangible resources have made 911�� a really phenomenal place to study and work," said Adams. "This community respects and invests in research all across the continuum, from basic science to translational."

Learn more about the College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Topics

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Psychology

Learn more about 911��'s Grand Challenge Initiative

911�� licenses cancer imaging technology to biotech company

ckearney — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:54:52 +0000

911�� licenses cancer imaging technology to biotech company ckearney Fri, 07/31/2026 - 10:54

SonoVanta™, a patent-pending contrast agent that improves the precision of cancer margin imaging, is the second technology from 911�� to be licensed through the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation’s (VIPC) Lab-to-Launch (L2L) Program, which accelerates the commercialization of promising research breakthroughs emerging from Virginia’s universities.

From left, John Hart, president and CEO of NanOptical; Amy Adams, executive director of Nexus234 Innovation District; Remi Veneziano, associate professor, bioengineering, 911��; and Helena Kondow-McConaghy, business development manager, PWCDEDT. Photo provided

SonoVanta™ originated from research conducted at 911�� bioengineering researchers Parag Chitnis and Remi Veneziano. NanOptical Biomedical Inc., a biotechnology company working on next-generation contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging, has licensed the technology. Photoacoustic imaging combines laser light and ultrasound to produce high-resolution views of tissue. The effectiveness of the technology depends in part on contrast agents that enhance the visibility of diseased tissue.

Successful commercialization of contrast agents depends on biocompatibility and scalable manufacturing. NanOptical Biomedical's platform addresses these challenges.

“SonoVanta™ was created to address one of the biggest barriers to the broader adoption of photoacoustic imaging,” said Chitnis. “By using an FDA-approved near-infrared dye, we devised a platform that enables disease-specific targeting and makes manufacturing and implementation easier.”

The company anticipates commercial availability this fall as an advanced tool for cell, tissue, and organ imaging, with applications across numerous areas of biomedical research and development. They hope to expand the technology's use in surgical oncology, with the goal of optimizing visualization of breast tumor margins during cancer procedures.

The L2L initiative, developed through a collaboration between VIPC and the state’s six R1 research university partners, aims to significantly increase the number of start-ups emerging from Virginia’s universities and help move technological breakthroughs to the marketplace, through a “fast track license.” Instead of taking months, a licensing agreement can now take weeks.

911�� bioengineering researchers Parag Chitnis and Remi Veneziano. Photo provided

NanOptical Biomedical's arrival represents an important milestone in bringing university-developed technology into research and clinical imaging.

“NanOptical Biomedical was formed to translate a strong university innovation into a commercially viable platform with meaningful market potential,” said John Hart, president and CEO of NanOptical Biomedical. “Our initial focus is to serve research customers in academia, biotech, and the pharmaceutical sector, while also pursuing the regulatory pathway for future clinical applications in surgical oncology. We believe SonoVanta™ offers a valuable solution to deliver more precise imaging and address a critical need in cancer care.”

"Eight years ago, Dr. Chitnis and I were standing in front of a whiteboard tossing ideas back and forth," said Veneziano. "We’re excited to watch this technology grow from an idea into a new biotechnology company."

NanOptical Biomedical began operations at the Endeavor life science incubator in the Nexus234 Innovation District in Prince William County, Virginia. Hart said the company chose Prince William County as its first operating location to stay close to 911�� and the region's thriving life sciences industry. The company is joining Nexus234, Northern Virginia's first innovation district, which Real FDI named one of the Top 10 Life Sciences Projects globally in March 2026.

“NanOptical Biomedical is exactly the kind of company Nexus234 was created to attract and empower,” said Christina Winn, executive director of the Prince William County Department of Economic Development and Tourism. "This achievement reflects the strength of the region's entrepreneurial ecosystem and the environment Prince William County has built for start-ups, research commercialization, and the life sciences industry."

NanOptical Biomedical's establishment in Nexus234 reinforces the region's commitment to cultivating an ecosystem that helps translate research and entrepreneurship into company success and job creation.

Earlier this year, 911�� was Virginia’s first R1 research institution to commercialize a product under the L2L initiative. In January, the 911�� Research Foundation entered into a license agreement with serial entrepreneur Anthony Fung and his company Valorlox LLC for the patented technology Dynamic Low Visibility Pneumatic Cofferdam, a coastal resilience system designed to protect against flooding.

Topics

Learn more about 911��'s Grand Challenge Initiative

911�� researcher develops an affordable helping hand for stroke recovery

Nathan Kahl — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:25:34 +0000

911�� researcher develops an affordable helping hand for stroke recovery Nathan Kahl Tue, 07/14/2026 - 15:25

For millions of stroke survivors, something as simple as picking up a glass of water or holding a sandwich is a daily challenge. Quentin Sanders wants to make those moments easier through wearable robotic technology designed to restore hand function.

The 911�� assistant professor is developing a new generation of hand exoskeletons that may help people regain independence after stroke. His lab is testing wearable devices that amplify a user's remaining muscle activity, allowing them to open and close their hand more effectively while remaining affordable enough for broader use.

Sanders' prior work focused on lower-limb prosthetics. Photo by Ron Aria/Office of University Branding

The latest prototype resembles a lightweight glove that fits over the hand and upper arm. As users attempt to move their hand, the device detects their remaining muscle activity and assists the motion.

"We instruct them to try to open their hand," Sanders explained. "When they try to open their hand, we sense whatever residual activity they have, and then the exoskeleton amplifies that."

One version of the device seeks to use wearable ultrasound technology developed in collaboration with 911�� researcher Siddhartha Sikdar, a professor in the Department of Bioengineering and director of the Center for Medtech Innovation. The system will use wearable ultrasound sensors to monitor how muscles deform as they contract, translating those signals into movement. Another simpler version uses a button embedded in the glove that users press to control the device.

While brain-controlled devices remain the long-term aspiration for many in the field, Sanders is focused on a more practical solution that builds on the muscle activity people retain after a stroke. "I would say brain-controlled systems is kind of the holy grail. In my lab, we're going one level lower to see if we can use muscle activity to control it."

The need for better rehabilitation tools is growing. Sanders noted that roughly 800,000 people experience a stroke each year in the United States, while millions more live with its long-term effects. Advances in medicine mean more people survive strokes, but many struggle to access the lengthy rehabilitation needed to regain function.

"We're at this point where you're living a long life, but you have this need for rehab," Sanders said. "You need either consistent opportunities for movement or some type of device that can help improve your quality of life."

Commercial hand exoskeletons remain scarce in the United States, and many existing systems cost tens of thousands of dollars. Making the technology more affordable and accessible has become one of the driving goals of his research.

"You've got this large population of people who need these devices who aren't getting them," Sanders said. "I'm hoping we can make this kind of low-cost, accessible version that people can use to improve some aspect of their life."

Sanders is also working to broaden who can benefit from rehabilitation technologies. Many research studies enroll only patients who meet narrow eligibility criteria, leaving others without solutions tailored to their needs.

"I think that's the other breakthrough people are working on that my lab is working on," he said. "How can we make these devices work for a larger population?"

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In This Story

Quentin Sanders

Siddhartha Sikdar

Topics

Prosthetic Arm

Bioengineering

mechanical engineering

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911�� and Phase Inc. receive NSF grant to advance 3D-printed microfluidic technology

Martha Bushong — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:37:20 +0000

911�� and Phase Inc. receive NSF grant to advance 3D-printed microfluidic technology Martha Bushong Wed, 07/01/2026 - 14:37

911�� and Phase Inc. have received a National Science Foundation (NSF) STTR grant to advance a new generation of 3D-printed microfluidic devices that could help move the technologies from the research lab toward broader commercial and scientific use.

Ramin M. Hakami and Remi Veneziano. Photo provided

The project combines the expertise of College of Science Professor Ramin M. Hakami’s group in extracellular vesicle (EV) biology, and that of College of Engineering and Computing Associate Professor Remi Veneziano’s group in bioengineering and materials characterization, at 911�� with Phase’s vision to create an end-to-end, automated microfluidic platform that brings together custom device design, scalable 3D-printed polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chip manufacturing, and automated fluid handling. Specifically, this project leverages the microfluidic EV platform jointly developed and published by the Veneziano and Hakami groups.

Microfluidic devices use tiny channels to control small amounts of fluid and recreate environments on a cellular scale. They model human biology more realistically than flat cell cultures, making them important for drug discovery, disease research, and toxicology. Microfluidics are especially timely as the FDA has announced plans to phase out some animal testing requirements and encourage more human-relevant methods.

Today, producing complex PDMS microfluidic devices often requires cleanrooms, manual optimization, and repeated trial-and-error. The NSF-supported work is designed to reduce that bottleneck by using thermal and curing models to predict how PDMS will behave during printing, then optimize print parameters before a device is manufactured.

Photo provided

“This partnership helps us move one step closer to a fully automated, scalable microfluidic platform,” said Jeff Schultz, principal investigator and co-founder of Phase, which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Our goal is to make microfluidic technology more reproducible and more accessible to researchers and companies working to develop better human-relevant models.”

911�� researchers will help characterize the printed devices for dimensional accuracy, surface quality, batch-to-batch consistency, and biological function. The team will also test a device designed to study EV function. EVs are nanoparticles that are released by cells and play critical roles in intercellular communication. They have been shown to carry important regulatory functions in various human diseases, such as cancer, infectious disease, and neurological disorders, and are also highly advantageous for use in drug delivery.

“Being able to rapidly and cost‑effectively prototype and fabricate custom microfluidic devices will significantly enhance our capacity to design relevant microphysiological systems and will help broaden access to this technology to many research laboratories” said Veneziano.

“Our microfluidic device empowers researchers to conduct functional EV studies with ease and under physiologically relevant conditions. Through our partnership with Phase to 3D print the chips, we will be able to deliver more reliable, cost-effective, and commercially viable tools to the EV scientific community,” said Hakami, co-director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research at 911��.

For Phase, the NSF grant builds on a growing base of support from federal and private sources. The company has already received more than $3.5 million in nondilutive funding, including support from the National Institutes of Health, the One North Carolina Small Business Program, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, NSF, and private-sector partners. Previous research partners include Harvard Medical School, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech.

By pairing 911��’s biological and engineering strengths with Phase’s manufacturing platform, the project is positioned to advance both scientific discovery and commercialization. The result could be a more reliable path for producing the microfluidic tools needed to support the next wave of biomedical research, organ-on-a-chip development, and human-centered bio-innovation.

This research supports the Grand Challenge Initiative's goal of improving human health, well-being, and preparedness

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In This Story

Remi Veneziano

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National Science Foundation

Creating joyful new—and therapeutic—connections through dance

Katarina Benson — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 18:27:30 +0000

Creating joyful new—and therapeutic—connections through dance Katarina Benson Thu, 06/25/2026 - 14:27

“Being in class with our participants reminds me of the pure joy of dance,” said School of Dance senior Emma Simons of her time interning with Dance for PD®.

Dance for PD is a national program providing movement-based classes for people with Parkinson’s disease. Photo provided

Dance for PD is a movement-based class for people with Parkinson’s disease, which offers physical benefits to the participants and helps reduce the social isolation associated with the neurological disease. 911��’s School of Dance has offered the national program, administered by 911�� arts partner Mark Morris Dance Group, in Northern Virginia since 2021.

When Simons and fellow dance major Asiah Moore interned with Dance for PD, each took a different approach to her work, a practice encouraged by 911�� adjunct Elizabeth Spatz, a certified Dance for PD teaching artist.

Moore concentrated on increasing internal awareness of Dance for PD at 911��, creating strategic social media content and encouraging her peers in the School of Dance to engage more robustly with the program.

She recruited fellow students to attend the classes and perform brief dance selections for class participants. After these showings, participants had the opportunity to ask the students questions about the pieces and their experiences overall.

“I wanted to combine these worlds and give the community a chance to see inside the work we do,” said Moore. “When [the participants] have a chance to see pieces beforehand, they might come to a performance, [then] they come in feeling like they’re already part of this world because they know us.”

Dancers participating in Dance for PD®. Photo provided

In her work, Simons focused on external communications, building on previous interns’ research into local medical practices, retirement communities, and businesses where patients and caregivers might be looking for the resource that Dance for PD provides.

Simons made cold calls and sent out emails, aiming to bring more people to 911��’s Fairfax Campus. But as she spent more time in class, she noticed that people’s hesitation melted inside the studio, and she decided to pivot in her approach.

“It’s so much joy to be in the room with the participants, and I knew words can’t bring people in as much as the movement itself could,” said Simons.

Simons and Moore joined forces and started reaching out to administrators at various retirement communities to organize in-person trial classes on-site. The class they offered with Westminster at Lake Ridge was very well attended.

“There were staff members who said ‘We’re just here to watch’ at the beginning of the session, but within five minutes, they were dancing and smiling and moving. It has this power for connecting people,” said School of Dance Associate Professor and 911�� alumna Shaun Boyle D’Arcy, MFA Dance '21, who helped bring the program to 911��.

Simons and Moore graduated from 911�� in May with BFAs in dance and look forward to building on their experiences with Dance for PD. They both plan to perform professionally and are looking for companies that value community engagement and service.

Spatz said these internships can lead to jobs. “One of our former interns was hired by a company that was impressed with her [Dance for PD] experience,” said Spatz. “It’s so valuable for our students to see the different ways dance applies to people’s lives.”

This research supports the Grand Challenge Initiative's goal of improving human health, well-being, and preparedness.

Discover more GCI human health, wellness, and preparedness research >>

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Students

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

Community Engagement

Michael S. Bloom, PhD, MS, FACE

internships

Maternal obesity linked to 64% increase in childhood obesity risk

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:16:36 +0000

Maternal obesity linked to 64% increase in childhood obesity risk Mary Cunningham Mon, 06/22/2026 - 11:16

The roots of childhood obesity may begin in the womb.

New research led by the 911�� College of Public Health found that children whose mothers entered pregnancy with obesity were 64% more likely to become overweight or obese by age 3. Excessive weight gain during pregnancy was associated with a 39% increase in that risk.

Participant in 911��'s cohort of NIH's Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO). Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“Our findings suggest that childhood obesity risk may not develop in a single, uniform way, but maternal health before and during pregnancy may play a larger role than many people realize,” said study lead author Hua Min, associate professor in the Department of Health Administration and Policy.

Different pregnancy-related weight factors appeared to matter at different stages, with excess pregnancy weight gain more closely linked to infant weight and maternal obesity more strongly associated with weight later in toddlerhood.

Researchers also found that excess pregnancy weight gain was common, affecting about four in 10 mothers in the study.

Published in the International Journal of Obesity, the research is among the largest and most ethnically diverse U.S. longitudinal studies to examine how maternal weight may influence obesity risk in early childhood. Researchers tracked nearly 3,000 mother-child pairs, using data from a Northern Virginia birth cohort participating in the National Institutes of Health’s Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program.

The 911�� research team included Michael S. Bloom of the Department of Global and Community Health, and Grace Lawrence, Alma Fuller and Kathi C. Huddleston of the School of Nursing.

Why this matters

Researchers in 911��'s cohort of NIH's Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO). Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Childhood obesity remains one of the most pressing health challenges in the United States. The study notes that nearly 90% of children with obesity at age 3 will continue to be overweight or obese into early adulthood. Those early patterns can carry long-term consequences, increasing risks for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic health problems.

Researchers say the findings reinforce the importance of maternal health before and during pregnancy—not just for pregnancy outcomes, but also for a child’s long-term health trajectory. The findings also suggest that obesity risk may develop differently across populations, with patterns varying among demographic groups.

Study details

Findings were based on the First Thousand Days of Life Study, a Northern Virginia birth cohort participating in the ECHO Program, which examines how early-life experiences affect child health. 911�� was selected as an ECHO research site in 2019.

Researchers enrolled 2,899 mother-child pairs in Northern Virginia between 2012 and 2019, following families from pregnancy through age 3.

Key findings include:

Children whose mothers were obese before pregnancy were 64% more likely to be overweight or obese by age 3.

For every one-point increase in maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), childhood overweight/obesity risk increased by about 4%.

Children whose mothers gained excessive weight during pregnancy were about 39% more likely to be overweight or obese by age 3.

About 41% of mothers in the study gained more weight during pregnancy than recommended by national guidelines.

Excess weight gain during pregnancy showed stronger links to higher weight earlier in infancy, while maternal weight before pregnancy became more strongly associated with higher child weight later in early childhood.

The associations between maternal weight factors and childhood obesity differed between Hispanic and non-Hispanic families, suggesting that obesity risk may develop differently across populations.

Key Takeaways

Maternal obesity and excessive pregnancy weight gain were both linked to higher childhood obesity risk.
Researchers found obesity risk patterns varied across developmental stages and demographic groups.
An NIH-supported 911�� study followed nearly 3,000 Northern Virginia mother-child pairs from pregnancy through age 3.

In This Story

Dr. Kathi Huddleston, PhD, MSN

Topics

Maternal Health

Child Health

Maternal Child Health

National Institutes of Health

Learn more about 911��'s Grand Challenge Initiative

911�� funds seven GCI catalyst research projects driving bold solutions for a prosperous future

ckearney — Wed, 06 May 2026 00:53:09 +0000

911�� funds seven GCI catalyst research projects driving bold solutions for a prosperous future ckearney Tue, 05/05/2026 - 20:53

As the university’s Grand Challenge Initiative (GCI) enters its second year, 911�� today announced funding for seven catalyst research projects and the launch of the Grand Challenge Research Exchange—quarterly convenings for all GCI-related research to accelerate solutions to the grand challenge of our time.

“We have placed our first bets on building a better future for humanity,” said President Gregory Washington. “These awards represent the very best of 911�� faculty research. They sit at a crossroads where the world’s greatest problems meet our faculty’s greatest research strengths to solve them. At a time when the world’s greatest challenges can appear to be winning, today the smart money is on 911�� professors.”

Washington launched the Grand Challenge Initiative in 2025 to focus faculty expertise on tackling world’s most pressing interdisciplinary threats to solve the ultimate grand challenge of sustaining humanity’s ability to forge a peaceful and prosperous future, rather than merely a life endured.

Spanning artificial and aerial intelligence to quantum and space infrastructure development, the seven catalyst projects will also strengthen talent and workforce development across interconnected industries. The catalyst projects are:

911��’s Quantum Leap

Photo provided

This project will expand position 911�� as a leader in the next generation of computing. Quantum computers can tackle problems beyond the reach of today’s technology, opening new possibilities in health, climate research, and national security. This initiative will grow the university’s expertise in quantum hardware and algorithms, expand degree and training programs, and bring industry partners into the classroom and lab. By building talent, research capacity, and real‑world collaborations, Quantum Leap will help drive Virginia’s emerging quantum economy and prepare students for high‑demand careers.

Leadership Team: Patrick Vora, COS (PI); Harbir Antil, COS; Andre Clayborne, COS; John Cressman, COS; Maria Emelianenko, COS; Nadine Kabbani, COS; Jessica Rosenberg, COS; Ming Tian, COS; Giorgio Ascoli, COS/College of Engineering and Computing (CEC); Michael Jarret, COS/CEC; Ethan Ahn, CEC; Kris Gaj, CEC; Weiwen Jiang, CEC; Fei Li, CEC; Jill Nelson, CEC; Marc Sasseville, Patriot Labs/CEC; Nancy Holincheck, College of Education and Human Development (CEHD); Laurence Bray, Graduate Division; Terry Clower, Schar School of Policy and Government; and Jiasun Li, Costello College of Business.

Grand Solutions: Advancing 21st-Century Education for All, Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure, Improving Human Health, Well-being, and Preparedness

Participating Colleges: College of Science, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Education and Human Development, Schar School of Policy and Government, and Costello College of Business

911�� Space Center

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

This project will position the university as a leader in using space technology to solve real‑world problems. By designing and launching small satellites, the project will generate data that improve climate forecasting, disaster preparation, infrastructure protection, and scientific discovery. The new center will also expand degree programs, train students through hands‑on missions, and build partnerships with industry and government. Together, these efforts will strengthen Virginia’s space economy and prepare a diverse workforce for a rapidly growing sector.

Leadership Team: Anamaria Berea, COS (PI); Ferah Munshi, COS (PI); JK Aier, Costello; Gabriele Belle, COS; Zafer Boybeyi, COS; Phillip Cunio, CEC; Jules Goldspiel, COS; Hina Kazmi, Schar; Tracy Mason, COS; Leigh McCue, CEC; Jeffrey Moran, CEC; Piotr Pachowicz, CEC; Rob Parks, COS; Peter Plavchan, COS; Ali K. Raz, CEC; Laura Aileen Sauls, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS); Michael Summers, COS; Kun Sun, CEC; Daniel Tong, COS; Chaowei Phil Yang, COS; and Jie Zhang, COS.

Grand Solution: Pioneering Space Exploration, Research, and Collaboration

Participating Colleges: College of Science, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Schar School of Policy and Government, and Costello College of Business

Teaching Initiative for Digital Education through AI (Teaching IDE-AI)

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

This project creates a model for responsible and ethical AI integration in the classroom to help prepare teachers who will then shape AI‑ready PK–12 students across Virginia and the nation. By bringing together experts in education and technology, the initiative will create practical tools, develop training for faculty, and design easy‑to‑use AI literacy resources that help educators guide students in a rapidly changing world.

Leadership Team: Jennifer Suh, CEHD (PI); Thema Monroe‑White, Schar/CEC; Ziyu Yao, CEC; Jered Borup, CEHD; Audra Parker, CEHD; and Seth Hunter, CEHD.

Grand Solutions: Advancing 21st-Century Education for All, Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure

Participating Colleges: College of Education and Human Development, College of Engineering and Computing, and Schar School of Policy and Government

Toward a Center for Aerial Intelligence and Digital Earth Histories

Photo courtesy of 911�� Libraries

With partners like the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, this project will digitize and analyze unclassified historical aerial archives into usable digital data resources for research, education, and societal impact. The project will demonstrate how this work can reveal environmental change, urban growth, and infrastructure shifts while laying the groundwork for a future full‑scale center.

Leadership Team: Dieter Pfoser, COS (PI); Jana Kosecka, CEC; Sarah Campbell, Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact; and Allan Williams, National Collection of Aerial Photography/COS.

Grand Solutions: Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure, Strengthening Peace, Trust, and Engagement in Democracy, Building a Climate-Resilient Society, Advancing 21st-Century Education for All

Participating Colleges: College of Science and College of Engineering and Computing

Industry-University Working Group on Climate Change and Physical Risks

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This project brings together industry leaders and university researchers to advance understanding of shifting climate hazards and develop practical tools that strengthen physical‑risk assessment and decision-making in the insurance, reinsurance, and finance sectors of the economy. By identifying urgent research needs and developing practical tools for insurers and financial institutions, the project will improve how physical risks are assessed and managed, strengthen climate‑risk science, support decision‑making, and help communities and industries adapt.

Leadership Team: Luis E. Ortiz, COS (PI); Natalie Burls, COS; Edward Oughton, COS; Fengxiu Zhang, Schar; and James Kinter, COS.

Grand Solutions: Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure, Building a Climate-Resilient Society

Participating Colleges: College of Science and Schar School of Policy and Government

Humanitarian Forensics and Peacebuilding

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

This project will build a multidisciplinary program that improves how human remains are located, identified, and reunified with families after war, disaster, or violence. Bringing together experts in forensic science, public health, peacebuilding, and international law, the project will launch a needs assessment and summer training program in the South Caucasus, along with a new course at 911��. By integrating scientific precision with community‑centered practices, the initiative will strengthen global capacity for recovery and identification work that supports families and communities.

Leadership Team: Joseph DiZinno, COS (PI); Margarita Tadevosyan, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution (PI); Katherine Scafide, College of Public Health; and Arthur R. Traldi, Scalia Law School/Lexpat Global Services.

Grand Solutions: Strengthening Peace, Trust, and Engagement in Democracy, Advancing 21st-Century Education for All, Improving Human Health, Well-being, and Preparedness

Participating Colleges: College of Science, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, College of Public Health, and Scalia Law School.

AI-Powered Human Rights Education for All

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

This project will create an AI‑driven virtual human rights classroom prototype that gives people everywhere access to practical, personalized tools to learn and apply human rights principles in daily life. Using the built‑in toolkit, users will explore interactive scenarios and receive personalized guidance to help them navigate real‑world dilemmas and assess the human rights impact of policies and technologies.

Leadership Team: Cher Weixia Chen, CHSS (PI); Graziella Pagliarulo McCarron, CHSS; Lei Gao, Costello; Ziwei Zhu, CEC; Antonios Anastasopoulos, CEC; and Sungsoo Ray Hong, CEC.

Grand Solutions: Advancing 21st-Century Education for All, Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure, Strengthening Peace, Trust, and Engagement in Democracy

Participating Colleges: College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Engineering and Computing, and Costello College of Business

“Spanning multiple disciplines, colleges, campuses, and the region, GCI is designed to launch new research efforts, scale promising programs, enhance faculty expertise, and build the shared infrastructure required for sustained collaboration,” said Ajay Vinzé, interim provost and executive vice president.

With $5 million supporting this first round of funding, the seven catalyst projects were selected from 41 proposals, with more than 75 PIs, submitted across every college and school at 911��, including Mason Korea. More than 35 external partner organizations were represented across submissions; 38 were transdisciplinary, and six involved five or more colleges working together.

“911��'s institutional investment underscores our commitment to high-impact, interdisciplinary mission-driven research,” said Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation, and economic impact. “GCI positions research to build our enterprise and engage additional funders to deliver real-world change.”

To support all GCI-related research, including the 41-proposal cohort, through stages of development, 911�� is launching new quarterly convenings called the Grand Challenge Research Exchange. The first convening will launch this fall. Designed in partnership with the three Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact (ORIEI) Institutes and Mason Now team, these exchanges will feature industry keynotes, expert guest lecturers, and professional development workshops about leadership development, strategic planning, financial and program management, funding support, proposal and partnership development, and community engagements models.

What Our Industry Partners Are Saying

“Northern Virginia’s long-term economic strength, environmental resilience, and quality of life depend on meaningful collaboration with its research and educational institutions. For more than 30 years, the partnership between the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) and 911�� has demonstrated how place-based, applied research can address complex regional challenges. Through work that aligns closely with 911��’s Grand Challenge Initiative, our collaboration has delivered tangible outcomes—from mapping solar energy potential to advancing stormwater management models, promoting purposeful cross-national transfer of policy and technical innovations, and revitalizing stressed watersheds. These efforts have produced measurable benefits for communities throughout Northern Virginia, and NVRC looks forward to sustaining and expanding this impactful partnership.”

—Dale Medearis, Senior Environmental Planner, Northern Virginia Regional Commission

“Partnering with 911��’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth has enabled our team to expand our conservation work in innovative ways. By collaborating with 911�� faculty whose interdisciplinary expertise complements our own, we are addressing complex environmental challenges with both scientific rigor and practical application. This partnership aligns closely with the Grand Challenge Initiative, translating research into actionable insights that advance effective conservation, community resilience, and sustainable decision-making.”

—Philip Loring, Global Director of Human Dimensions Science, The Nature Conservancy

“Cybersecurity and critical infrastructure risks have reached the scale of true grand challenges, particularly in an era shaped by artificial intelligence. What distinguishes 911��’s Grand Challenge Initiative is its broad, interdisciplinary approach and its top‑down investment in bold, unconventional ideas that span academic disciplines and engage industry and policymakers. These problems cannot be solved in isolation, and the initiative is built for the kind of collaboration our economic and security future depends on.”

—Jeremy Epstein, Co-Director, Institute for Cybersecurity and Resilient Infrastructure Studies Center; Adjunct professor, Georgia Tech School of Cybersecurity and Privacy; Member of 911��'s Institute for Digital Innovation Industry Advisory Board

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$1 million U.S. Department of Justice grant will support virtual reality training for domestic violence response

Taylor Thomas — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:05:16 +0000

$1 million U.S. Department of Justice grant will support virtual reality training for domestic violence response Taylor Thomas Mon, 04/13/2026 - 10:05

Domestic violence 911 calls often place first responders in the midst of crisis and confusion. The scene may involve conflicting stories, visible injuries, frightened children, and little clarity about what just happened.

At 911��, researchers have secured more than $1 million in federal funding to help frontline professionals prepare for these complex moments. The grant from the U.S. Department of Justice will help fund a novel virtual reality (VR) training program to strengthen interprofessional responses to domestic violence.

Social work professors Denise Hines and Holly Matto will co-lead the one-year project in the College of Public Health, partnering with local law enforcement, domestic violence organizations, and health care providers in Northern Virginia to design and pilot the training. The team also includes social work assistant professors Michelle Hand and Anna Parisi as co-investigators, and Bethany Cieslowski, chief innovation officer for immersive technologies.

The faculty members, as well as College of Public Health Dean Melissa J. Perry, expressed gratitude to U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia for their support of the congressional funding, and to the Department of Justice for administering the $1,026,029 award through its Byrne Justice Assistance Grants program.

VR headsets in the college's Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation.

“We’re thankful for the leadership and support to bring the power of virtual reality to improve health and safety,” Perry said. “Virginia will lead the way in coordinated, prevention-focused responses to domestic violence. Looking ahead, the model developed here can one day help communities across the country.”

Using technology and resources in the College of Public Health’s Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation, the project team will build VR case scenarios that reflect the complexities of domestic violence calls. The simulations will allow frontline professionals to practice coordinated responses and experiment with different approaches before facing similar situations in real life.

“The innovation here is bringing together professionals like law enforcement, social workers, and health care providers to co-design new VR cases that are relevant to challenges on the ground,” Matto said.

Domestic violence remains a public health and safety crisis. In Virginia alone, the statewide domestic and sexual violence hotline received more than 70,000 calls in 2023. Family and intimate partner violence accounts for roughly one-third of all homicides in the state annually. And for first responders, these calls can also be among the most volatile and unpredictable situations they encounter.

“Domestic violence calls are some of the toughest calls, but also some of the most common calls that law enforcement will come across,” said Hines, the Elisabeth Shirley Enochs Endowed Professor of Social Work. “They're often coming in at a precarious and dangerous moment.”

Thumbnail photo via Pexels.

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Intimate Partner Violence

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