Research Areas
Advancing Knowledge, Collaboration and Service Through Research
The School of Pharmacy and Health Professions prioritizes research across all programs. Our faculty is committed to expanding scientific knowledge and offering students hands-on opportunities to grow through diverse projects. As a health science student, you can participate in studies as a subject or research assistant, gaining access to patient populations and faculty mentors focused on advancing research in clinical, biomedical sciences, rehabilitation, and health sciences.
Our mission is to grow research programs, foster collaborations within Creighton and beyond, and increase external funding for the school.
Notable Funded Areas of Research
- Patient safety
- Antiretroviral nanoparticles for treatment and prevention of HIV infections
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Lower extremities; hips, knees, and ankles
- Characteristics of Prion entry
- Discovery of novel TB agents
Over the past several years, we have received grants and contracts from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state, foundation and pharmaceutical industry sources to help advance scientific knowledge in the healthcare field
Our Goals
- Network with faculty, staff and students within the college and the university to build individual and team research.
- Mentor faculty, postdoctoral fellows and students to achieve their research objectives by proactively identifying and responding to funding opportunities.
Monitor research funding trends and scholarly productivity of each program by collecting, analyzing and storing relevant data and reports.
Clinical Research
Focus on the study of drugs, biologics or devices in human subjects with the intent to discover potential beneficial effects and/or determine its safety and efficacy. This is also referred to as clinical study and clinical investigation.
Biomedical Sciences Research
Pharmaceutical sciences research is diverse and includes pharmaceutics, pharmacology, toxicology, medicinal chemistry, health services research and administration, educational, behavioral and social and administrative sciences in pharmacy.
Educational Research
Focus on the systematic gathering of empirical information to answer questions related to education.
Rehabilitation Science Research
The Rehabilitation Science Research Laboratory is a multiuser collaborative lab that provides Creighton rehabilitation researchers a well-equipped space to investigate the mechanisms of movement dysfunctions and to pursue new therapeutic interventions. In addition to the multidisciplinary research focus, the lab provides a site to educate the next generation of healthcare professionals and scholars in movement science research while providing clinically relevant gait and movement analysis services to the community and region.
Health Services Research
Discover how social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technologies and personal behaviors affect outcomes, access to healthcare, the quality and cost of healthcare and ultimately, our health and well being. Research domains cover individuals, families, organizations, institutions, communities and populations.
The School of Pharmacy and Health Professions has a wide range of state-of-the-art instruments available to help you advance your research interests. Our facilities and resources provide opportunities to collaborate with and serve the greater Omaha community.
Student-Centered Research
Students in the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions are strongly encouraged to participate in research during their studies. The Office of Research, in collaboration with the School’s departments and other centers, provide opportunities for students to participate in innovative research. By participating in research, you’ll drive change and improve the lives of others in the Jesuit tradition of service, learning and care for the whole person.
Motivated students have unique opportunities to participate in research projects with faculty mentors in diverse research areas:
- Clinical and translational
- Pharmaceutical sciences
- Rehabilitation science
- Educational/scholarship of teaching
- Health services and patient safety
This program benefits students by allowing them to build the skills and habits of mind needed to engage in evidence-based practice and contribute to the scientific foundations of their chosen profession.
The Student Research Program provides stipend support for professional health students engaged in collaborative research initiatives with School of Pharmacy and Health Professions (SPAHP) faculty sponsors. The current Academic Year Program runs September through May.
To be eligible, a student must be a full-time student in the SPAHP, receive a nomination from a faculty member and be in good academic standing. For additional information, please contact Dawn E. Trojanowski, 402.280.2893 or dawntrojanowski@creighton.edu.
Research Opportunities in Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy students can find various opportunities to participate in research and scholarship activities in the Department of Occupational Therapy. By participating in research and scholarship activities, students can gain a thorough understanding of the professional inquiry process, sharpen their knowledge and skills in research and become critical research consumers and collaborative researchers.
Students will work in groups under the direct mentorship of a faculty member or clinician to implement a research project focused on a variety of topics. Along with enhanced research skills, students will become proficient in evidence-based practice learning to make informed clinical decisions as a student and a clinician. Through their experiences with research, students will be equipped to participate in future research studies, recognize the value of the OT researcher and develop skills to disseminate research outcomes.
Contact
Vanessa Jewell, OTR/L, PhD.
Assistant Professor
Vice Chair
402-280-5946
VanessaJewell@creighton.edu
Students have ample valuable opportunities to participate in research while in the program. Such valuable opportunities include conducting research projects, completing a capstone project, taking part in school’s student research program and serving as a research assistant.
The Student Research program provides the opportunity for students to work in groups under the mentorship of a faculty or clinician with an expert area of practice. Student projects vary from exploring the impact of therapeutic tools like the Interactive Metronome to pet therapy to the neonatal intensive care unit. Each project is carried from literature review to research design to data collection and dissemination of research outcomes.
Students in the entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at Creighton University develop individually designed culminating projects relating to their doctoral professional rotation experiences. These projects reflect application of theory to practice and synthesized advanced knowledge gained throughout the OTD curriculum. Students completed these projects as part of the requirements of the course OTD 601 Capstone.
Students selected projects based on identified needs at their professional rotation sites or professional research interests. Project formats included:
- A critically appraised topic
- A program proposal for a new service
- A case study
- Creation of a new tool related to management
- A space redesign plan
- A new assessment or intervention protocol
- A course syllabus for a new or redesigned course
- A website for therapists’ development
- An analysis of a policy or ethical issue
Research Opportunities in Pharmacy
Pharmacy students can find research opportunities with faculty members across the school and the university. Find more information on the types of research and how you can get involved below.
Contact
Dawn E. Trojanowski
Senior Administrative Assistant
Office of Research
Phone: 402.280.2893
DawnTrojanowski@creighton.edu
Students have unique opportunities to work on independent research projects with faculty mentors and build the skills and experience needed to become future researchers.
- Develop survey instrument skills and conduct interviews
- Gather data, code interviews and participate in the analysis process
- Prepare written abstracts and manuscripts for submission to professional meetings and peer-reviewed scientific journals
- Become a member of the team and an active participant in the overall research process
The Student Research program provides stipend support for professional health students engaged in collaborative research initiatives with School of Pharmacy and Health Professions (SPAHP) faculty sponsors. The current Academic Year Program runs September through May.
To be eligible, a student must be a full-time student in the SPAHP, receive a nomination from a faculty member and be in good academic standing.
Research Opportunities in Physical Therapy
Students and Residents can find opportunities to participate in faculty-driven research projects focusing on multiple areas of physical therapy and rehabilitation.
Contact
Joseph Threlkeld, PT, Ph.D.
402.280.5676
joethrelkeld@creighton.edu
Motivated students have opportunities to participate in faculty-driven research projects that span multiple areas of physical therapy and rehabilitation including mechanisms of injury, prevention and treatment of disability, health systems utilization, facilitation of clinical skill development and the optimization of curricula for DPT students and residents.
The Student Research program provides opportunities to participate with faculty in one or more of the following research agendas:
- Back pain during pregnancy
- Becoming a master clinician
- Cancer Survivorship
- Chest wall strength, mobility and pulmonary function
- Clinical Reasoning: teaching and assessment
- Fatigue in people with Parkinson’s disease
- Global perspectives of Physical Therapy care
- Hip pain and acetabular impingement
- Horse and rider interaction and injury
- Impact of insurance reimbursement on Physical Therapy care
- Knee dysfunction and strength loss in people with joint injuries or osteoarthritis
- Pain assessment
- Patient-reported outcome measures related to Cancer
- PT Residency education
