Marlo Vernon, PhD

Associate Professor Augusta University

  • Augusta GA

Skilled in Program Evaluation, Grant Writing, Program Development, Public Health Research and Data Analysis.

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AU research team awarded $4.4 million American Heart Association grant

A research team at Augusta University, led by Jennifer C. Sullivan, PhD, has secured a $4.4 million grant from the American Heart Association to study the risk factors for cardiovascular and kidney diseases and how they impact women. Sullivan’s research center, “Disruptions in cardiorenal free fatty acid metabolism in Cardiovascular Kidney Metabolic Syndrome,” is part of a larger $15 million project titled “Strategically Focused Research Network on Cardiovascular Kidney Metabolic Syndrome: Heterogeneity in Women.” The overarching AHA project is aimed at learning why women may be more likely to develop cardiovascular and kidney diseases due to certain unique risk factors and life stages. Research teams from Massachusetts General Hospital and The Ohio State University were also chosen. “I think this is a huge step for Augusta University as we continue to distinguish ourselves and the research that we have here focused on the health of women,” said Sullivan, dean of The Graduate School. “This grant is particularly impactful as we look to advance and improve the health of women, not just in Georgia, but for the entire country.” According to the Healthy Georgia Report, produced by AU’s School of Public Health, Georgia has the 23rd highest rate of obesity in the United States. Among the women living in the state, 38.3% of them, as well as 37.5% of people living in rural areas, suffer from obesity. “It’s great that we are able to represent the state of Georgia because our state has such a high prevalence for obesity rates,” said Sullivan, who is the director of AU’s SCORE project “Improving awareness of women with hypertension: ROAR (Rural, Obese, At Risk).” “It’s important for us to understand that different populations have distinct needs. You can’t talk about a one-size-fits-all approach to health. This is really about trying to understand how different groups are impacted.” Each center is comprised of three teams, as well as a training component and an area partner. Together, they will explore obesity’s lifetime impact on CKM syndrome through three projects. CKM syndrome is a clinical term that describes the combined health effects of heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and obesity, which puts people at high risk for heart attack, stroke and heart failure. According to the American Heart Association’s 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, about 1 in 3 U.S. adults has at least three components of CKM syndrome, which include high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, high blood glucose (sugar), impaired kidney function and excess body weight. The first project is led by Daria Ilatovskaya, PhD, and Justine Abais-Battad, PhD, and will look at aging and Western diet-induced CKMS mechanisms in obesity. Ilatovskaya is an associate professor and the graduate program director for the Doctor of Philosophy in Physiology program, and Abais-Battad is an assistant professor in the Department of Physiology with the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. The second component, led by Jessica Faulkner, PhD, an assistant professor in MCG’s Physiology department, will study obesity-associated mechanisms of CKMS in pregnancy. The third project, led by Stephen Coughlin, PhD, with Marlo Vernon, PhD, is looking at CKMS epidemiology, associations with obesity, CVD/CKD. Coughlin is the program director for the Master of Science in Epidemiology and professor of epidemiology in the School of Public Health’s Department of Biostatistics, Data Science, and Epidemiology, while Vernon is an associate professor with MCG’s Georgia Prevention Institute and SPH’s Department of Community and Behavioral Health Sciences. Additionally, the team will talk to women and health care providers from a variety of backgrounds and experiences to assess current knowledge and interest levels in heart health and use that information to develop programs that may help treat and prevent disease. There is also a training director, Alison Kriegel, PhD, a professor in the Department of Physiology, and a core director, Guido Verbeck, PhD, chair and professor of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Science and Mathematics. “We have a strong blend of clinical epidemiology and basic science, as well as a training component, which we will fill with post-doctoral fellows,” Sullivan said. “Dr. Ilatovskaya, Dr. Faulkner, Dr. Abais-Battad and Dr. Vernon are all a part of our ROAR grant, and, while this isn’t directly related to that program, it allowed us to demonstrate how we are already well positioned to work together to amplify our ability and increase awareness about the importance of the health of women.” The team has over 50 collaborative papers and has secured more than $13 million in collaborative funding to advance the health of women. They also all have experience training fellows and students to continue to expand their reach. “We already have a lot of the infrastructure in place for this kind of cross-disciplinary project, so we leaned very heavily into our connections and the expertise we have here at Augusta University. It’s set up very similar to our ROAR program, so this is something that was really organic in nature,” Sullivan said. The American Heart Association has invested almost $300 million to establish 18 Strategically Focused Research Networks, each aimed at addressing a key strategic issue identified by the association’s volunteer Board of Directors. Prior networks have been studying a wide variety of important topics including, but not limited to, prevention, hypertension, the health of women, heart failure, obesity, vascular disease, atrial fibrillation, arrhythmias/sudden cardiac death, cardiometabolic health/type 2 diabetes, health technology, cardio-oncology, the biological impact of chronic psychosocial stress and the role of inflammation in cardiovascular health. Each network centers around scientific knowledge and knowledge gaps, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the key research topic. Three to six research centers make up each network, bringing together investigators with expertise in basic, clinical and population/behavioral health science to find new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent heart disease and stroke. Funding scientific research and discovery through initiatives like these awards is a cornerstone of the century-old American Heart Association’s lifesaving mission. The association has now funded more than $5.9 billion in cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and brain health research since 1949, making it the single largest non-government supporter of heart and brain health research in the United States. New knowledge resulting from this funding continues to save lives and directly impact millions of people in every corner of the U.S. and around the world. Looking to know more about the amazing research happening at Augusta? To connect with Dr. Sullivan, simply click on her icon to arrange an interview today.

Marlo Vernon, PhDJennifer Sullivan, PhD

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Biography

Experienced research scientist with a demonstrated history of working in higher education and public health. Skilled in Program Evaluation, Grant Writing, Program Development, Public Health Research and Data Analysis.

Areas of Expertise

Physical Activity
Childhood Obesity
Program Development
Program Evaluation
Public Health Research
Obesity Prevention
Body Composition

Accomplishments

Georgia Public Health Association, Student Poster Award

2017
Georgia Public Health Association
"Current patterns of emergency department utilization: patient characteristics of high frequency utilizations"

American Public Health Association Student Presentation Award

2017
American Public Health Association, Medical Care Section
"Costs and Trends of Emergency Department Utilization Pre- and Post-ACA: Evidence from a Rural Georgia Hospital"

The Anthony Shuker Scientific Poster Award

2016
GeorgiaBio Innovation Summit
"New Measures of Innovation Productivity in Bio Sciences"

Education

Augusta University

Ph.D.

Applied Health Sciences

2018

University of South Carolina

M.P.H.

Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Maternal and Child Health

2003

Franciscan University of Steubenville

B.A.

English Language and Literature/Letters

2001

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Affiliations

  • American Public Health Association
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science

Media Appearances

Saluting Our Heroes: Local professors working to fight food insecurity

WFXG  tv

2024-08-19

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WFXG) - Food insecurity plagues the nation and the CSRA. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 17 million households in the U.S. were food insecure at some point in 2022.

The public health concern greatly impacts expectant, pregnant, and postpartum individuals. Food insecurity during pregnancy has been linked with gestational diabetes, iron deficiency, pregnancy complications, and postpartum depression, according to Feeding America.

Two professors are working to combat the issue on the local level. Dr. Chad Ray, professor in the Medical College of Georgia‘s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Dr. Marlo Vernon, associate professor for the Georgia Prevention Institute at MCG, developed the Food Farmacy program. It is funded by the Georgia Department of Public Health and a cardio obstetrics grant Dr. Ray and Dr. Vernon have received.

The professors conducted a survey on food insecurity. According to Dr. Vernon, 50 percent of the participants stated they had concerns that they may not have enough food to last a week. She said the results weren't surprising, but they were a wake-up call.

“On top of food insecurity, you know we live in a food swamp or a food desert down here around the medical district. People don't have access to fresh fruits and vegetables as regularly as they might like," said Dr. Vernon.

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State and Local Leaders Met in Augusta to Address Opioid Crisis

WFXG  tv

2024-07-31

In a concerted effort to tackle the growing opioid crisis, state and local leaders gathered in Augusta on Wednesday to strategize on combating the epidemic, particularly focusing on the battle against fentanyl.

The opioid crisis was officially declared a national public health emergency by the Department of Health & Human Services in October 2017. The urgency of the situation was underscored as officials from across Georgia assembled this morning to discuss collaborative approaches for moving forward in the fight against this devastating issue.

According to the Georgia Department of Health, opioid-involved overdose deaths in Georgia surged by a staggering 302 percent from 2010 to 2022. This alarming increase has propelled state and local leaders into action, as they seek innovative and effective solutions to curb the crisis.
The statewide opioid task force is not only focused on tracking drug operations but also emphasizes recovery processes for individuals affected by substance abuse. Marlo Vernon, with Hope House, which supports women in recovery, underscored the importance of community support in overcoming addiction. "I think that’s a really big message that the community needs to hear that there is hope for people that struggle with substance abuse," Vernon said.

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Augusta food pharmacy teaches new moms about nutrition, resources

WRDW  tv

2024-06-18

A new food pharmacy is helping pregnant and postpartum mothers make sure they get the right resources for nutrition.

We spoke with a mom about how this is helping her and other moms in our area.

The National Institute of Health ranks Georgia as number two in the country for maternal mortality.

What’s the biggest issue they face here in Augusta? Access to healthy food and knowledge of how to take care of their body both before and after the baby is here.


Augusta University, the HUB and Augusta Locally Grown are all teaming up to find solutions and teaching moms to use food as medicine.

Pregnancy complications were never in the cards for first-time mom Sara Clark.

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Articles

Costs and Trends of Emergency Department Utilization Pre-ACA and Post-ACA

Medical Care

Marlo Vernon, Steven Goggans, Gianluca De Leo, Vahé Heboyan

2019

A high volume of emergency department (ED) visits in the rural United States may be the result of barriers to accessing primary care. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) increased the number of insured, which may improve patient access to primary care and therefore reduce ED utilization.

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Are university rankings useful to improve research? A systematic review

PloS one

Marlo M Vernon, E Andrew Balas, Shaher Momani

2018

Concerns about reproducibility and impact of research urge improvement initiatives. Current university ranking systems evaluate and compare universities on measures of academic and research performance. Although often useful for marketing purposes, the value of ranking systems when examining quality and outcomes is unclear.

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Respiratory therapy faculty perspectives on interprofessional education: Findings from a cross-sectional online survey

Journal of Interprofessional Care

Marlo M Vernon, Nicole Moore, Andrew Mazzoli, Gianluca De Leo

2018

Interprofessional education (IPE) improves collaboration and patient care through joint education between health professions. Respiratory therapy (RT) has not been previously evaluated as participants in IPE. A cross-sectional online survey was distributed to evaluate the opportunities and barriers towards IPE of 874 respiratory therapy faculty with both quantitative measures and open-ended questions.

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