Each summer, a portion of the Dean’s Fund awards first-year faculty to work on research over the summer. Here is what professor Jennifer Wilhelm in the Department of Psychology will be working on:
Title: “Effects of Estrogen on Axon Regeneration After Peripheral Nerve Injury”
Abstract: The Center for Disease Control reports hundreds of thousands of peripheral nerve injuries occur each year. Unlike in the central nervous system, cells in the peripheral nervous system have the ability to regenerate. However, regeneration is slow and functional recovery is generally incomplete. Patients often are left with some form of long-term disability. Exercise has been shown to promote peripheral nerve regeneration and improve the recovery of function. Treadmill training for injured patients is now a central part of rehabilitation therapy. Recent research has shown that the sex of the patient may be a critical aspect in the effectiveness of treadmill training. The mechanisms that underlie sex differences in exercise-mediated regeneration are unknown. One possibility is that differences in expression of gonadal steroids may cause males and females to respond differently to treadmill training. Gonadal steroids, such as testosterone, are known to enhance axon regeneration in peripheral nerves, but the effects of estrogen are relatively unknown. In this study, we propose to examine the role of estrogen in promoting regeneration after peripheral nerve injury. Following sciatic nerve cut, adult mice will be treated with estrogen or saline, and regeneration will be assessed. We predict that mice treated with estrogen will show enhanced regeneration compared to control saline-treated mice. Better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the sex-dependent response of patients to exercise will lead to more effective rehabilitative therapies to treat patients sustaining peripheral nerve injury.
If you would like to support the School of Humanities and Social Sciences by making a contribution to the Dean’s Fund, please visit the online giving page.
Each summer, a portion of the 
friends who shared her love of gardening. One friend, Diarmuid Russell, was her literary agent in New York; the other, John Robinson, was a high school classmate and an aspiring writer who served in the Army in WWII, and long the focus of Welty’s affection.
Summer Research Funded By HSS
Title: “The Google effect: Extending communication channel behavior in diffusion of innovations theory”
Abstract: This study employed qualitative methods, conducting 44 in-depth interviews with biological mothers of newborns to understand women’s perceptions and use of new media, mass media and interpersonal communication channels in relation to health issues. Findings contribute to theoretical and practical understandings of the role of communication channels in diffusion of innovations theory. This study provides a foundation for the use of qualitative research to advance applications of diffusion of innovations theory. Results suggest that new media is a new communication channel with new rules. In particular, pregnancy and the post-partum period emerged as a time when campaign planners can access women in new ways online. As a result, campaign planners could benefit from introducing new ideas online and capitalizing on the strength of weak ties favored in new media. These findings offer an opportunity to better understand patient-information seeking through the lens of diffusion of innovations theory.
If you would like to support the School of Humanities and Social Sciences by making a contribution to the Dean’s Fund, please visit the online giving page.