COPDGene Study Collaborations 

COPDGene is a multi-site, longitudinal, NIH-funded research study that started in 2007 to investigate genetic factors that underlie risk for COPD among smokers and to understand heterogeneity in the clinical presentation of COPD (James Crapo, MD and Ed Silverman, MD, PhD are the Co-Principal Investigators of the study).  COPDGene initially enrolled 10,000 current and former smokers at 21 sites across the United States, including the University of Iowa (Dr. Alejandro Comellas is the COPDGene clinical site PI for UIowa, and is a Co-Investigator on Dr. Hoth’s COPD and the Brain study). 

Dr. Hoth and Cari Linkenmeyer are overseeing the addition of a cognitive screening measure (the MINI-Cog) to the Phase 3 visit of COPDGene, which is administered at all study sites. Dr. Hoth also leads the Social and Behavioral Sciences Committee for COPDGene, a group of approximately 20 investigators focused on analyzing behavioral data (e.g., symptoms of depression and anxiety) from the Phase 2 and 3 waves of COPDGene data collection. 

This work is funded by a subcontract to the University of Iowa from NIH/NHLBI, U01 HL089897, Genetic Epidemiology of COPD (UIowa Site PI: Eric Hoffman, PhD).


Sleep Heart Aging Study

Dr. Chooza Moon, an Assistant Professor in Nursing, is the Principal Investigator of the Healthy Aging and Sleep Study, which seeks to understand the association between circadian rhythms and neural function and structures in health aging and in the context of coronary heart disease.  Dr. Hoth is a collaborator and mentor who oversees the administration of cognitive assessment measures and is involved with project development and interpretation of data with other members of Dr. Moon’s research team. 

Dr. Moon’s research is funded by the Alzheimer's Association, the University of Iowa Institute for Clinical and Translational Science KL2 Scholar Program and the University of Iowa Csomay Center for Gerontological Excellence.


Cognitive Difficulties in Sarcoidosis

Drs. Hoth and Nabeel Hamzeh collaborate on a project designed to identify clinical characteristics of sarcoidosis that are associated with cognitive dysfunction and changes to brain structure and function, utilizing cognitive testing, brain MRI, and patient-reported outcomes (e.g., symptoms and impact on daily activities). 


Covid-19 Collaboration

 Drs. Nick Mohr and David Talan, both professors in Emergency Medicine, are Multiple Principal Investigators on the project titled, PReventing Emerging infections through Vaccine EffectiveNess Testing (PREVENT).”  This project was awarded through emergency supplemental funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study the effect of COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers on transmission rates for COVID-19. Dr. Hoth collaborates on the study with an interest in better understanding the vaccination choices made by healthcare workers.