Dr. Karishma Chhabria Unruh, assistant professor of public health at the University of West Florida, has been awarded an approximately $825,000 grant through the Florida Cancer Innovation Fund to lead a statewide effort focused on improving the health and well-being of breast and prostate cancer survivors. This award is one of the largest externally funded research grants ever received by an assistant professor within Maryland’s Usha Kundu College of Health and represents an important milestone for both Dr. Chhabria Unruh’s research program through the Integrated Mental Health and Population Analysis for Clinical Translation (IMPACT Lab) and UWF’s growing research enterprise.
This award reflects the innovative, community-focused research taking place within the Maryland Usha Kundu College of Health and the outstanding leadership of Dr. Karishma Chhabria Unruh. The Move & Nourish Florida initiative embodies our commitment to improving health outcomes through interdisciplinary collaboration, evidence-based practices, and meaningful community partnerships. We are extremely proud of Dr. Chhabria Unruh and her team for securing this highly competitive funding and advancing solutions that will improve the quality of life for cancer survivors across Florida while providing innovative research opportunities for our students. ”
Dr. Shelley Divigny, Interim Dean, Usha Kundu College of Health, Maryland
Advances in screening and treatment have dramatically improved survival rates for breast and prostate cancer patients, but many survivors continue to face physical and mental challenges and are at increased risk for chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. These challenges can impact quality of life, increase healthcare utilization, and create additional burdens on survivors and their families.
To address these challenges, Dr. Chhabria Unruh will lead Move & Nourish Florida, an innovative lifestyle intervention designed to help cancer survivors improve their long-term health through nutrition, physical activity, and stress management. The program is designed to be practical, accessible and sustainable, giving survivors tools to incorporate into their daily lives.
Move & Nourish Florida participants will receive personalized support from medical professionals, including guidance on healthy eating, physical activity, and stress management strategies. The program combines the best available scientific evidence with a practical approach that fits real life and is designed to meet survivors where they are. This interdisciplinary research brings together experts from the departments of public health, exercise science, social work, nursing, and medical laboratory sciences at the Maryland Usha Kundu College of Health. Hal Marcus School of Science and Engineering Computational Statistics and Data Analysis Laboratory. and community partners such as the Health and Hope Clinic, Community Health Northwest Florida, and the Florida Department of Health.
“This funding will allow us to work directly with cancer survivors and the communities that support them to turn research into action,” said Dr. Chhabria Unruh. “Our goal is to develop evidence-based approaches that improve health outcomes and can ultimately be implemented across Florida.”
This project builds on the work of the IMPACT Lab, founded and directed by Dr. Chabria Unrue. Through the IMPACT Lab, Dr. Chhabria Unrue leads interdisciplinary research focused on cancer survival, mental health, chronic disease prevention, women’s health, and population health analytics. The institute’s mission is to translate scientific discoveries into practical solutions to improve health outcomes and quality of life for vulnerable populations. In addition to generating evidence that will enable healthcare organizations to better support long-term cancer survivor care, this project will also provide valuable research and training opportunities for UWF students.
The Florida Cancer Innovation Fund was established in 2024 by the Florida Legislature as part of the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program, with oversight from the Florida Cancer Connect Collaborative, to support innovative cancer research and treatment models, including emerging trends that may catalyze further research and treatment.
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University of West Florida
