Why don’t pain treatments work? Naomi Carter hopes to find out
The VCU M.D.-Ph.D. student has advanced from the Wright Center’s T32 training grant to her own NIH fellowship, developing new ways to measure pain that could help close the gap between the lab and the clinic. Naomi Carter has a mission, and she’ll tell you exactly what it is. “My mission is to improve how […]
Nina Dashti-Gibson is researching pancreatic cancer and bringing science to the community
The M.D.-Ph.D. student believes combining medicine and research will help her make the largest impact. She was honored in the spring for her work on an art project that built cancer awareness in the Richmond area. Nina Dashti-Gibson came to cancer research by following a question with few clear answers. As an M.D.-Ph.D. student in […]
Gevick Safarians is building tiny worlds to fight a deadly cancer
The M.D.-Ph.D. student is using microfluidic chips to simulate the environments metastatic prostate cancer travels through — and to find the chinks in its armor. Gevick Safarians remembers the conversations. Patients dealing with cancer and other diseases with very poor prognoses, hoping not for years but for months — a little more time to settle […]
Hannah Stadtler completes her Ph.D. with a mission to understand HIV and the brain
Her research was propelled by a Wright Center biomedical sciences initiative, and her M.D. is next as she continues in VCU’s Medical Scientist Training Program.
Ultrasounds, glowing molecules and the brain: a summer in VCU’s research labs
Through the Honors Summer Undergraduate Research Program, co-hosted by the Wright Regional Center for Clinical and Translational Science and VCU Honors College, students from VCU, Old Dominion University and Virginia State University spend nine weeks immersed in scientific research. Madison Bivins didn’t expect to spend her summer studying ultrasound images of hip muscles. A rising […]
Wright Center Graduate Students Win Honors at VCU’s 20th Annual Women’s Health Research Day
Two graduate students from the VCU C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research were among the top honorees at the 20th Annual Women’s Health Research Day. The event, hosted by the VCU Institute for Women’s Health on April 28, 2026, centered on the theme “Midlife Matters: Integrating Menopause Research, Innovation, and […]
Celebrating Clinical Research Excellence: VCU Health CRC Internship Program Highlights Mentorship and Student Success
The Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research, in partnership with VCU Health, proudly celebrates the continued success of the Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) Internship Program. This immersive, service-learning experience is designed to introduce students from the VCU College of Health Professions to real-world clinical research practices and career pathways in the field. This spring, […]
Bridging Research and Career Readiness: VCU Launches Minor in Research Ecosystems
As the research landscape grows increasingly interdisciplinary and complex, Virginia Commonwealth University is taking bold steps to ensure its graduates are not only academically prepared but career-ready. A new undergraduate minor, Research Ecosystems, has been approved and will launch in Fall 2025, providing students with a comprehensive introduction to the operational, regulatory, and strategic aspects […]
Limited Submission Opportunity: Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority (VOAA) Funding – 2025 Cycle
The Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority (VOAA) is accepting proposals from state agencies for its 2025 funding cycle to support evidence-based initiatives addressing the opioid crisis. Eligible projects should align with VOAA’s priority areas, including mobile crisis services, overdose reduction, expanded treatment access, recovery supports, and workforce development. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) may submit one institutional […]
Bridging Research and Career Readiness: Launching a New Course in Translational Workforce Development
The ever-evolving landscape of clinical and translational research demands a workforce that is not only highly skilled but also adaptable to the interdisciplinary nature of modern science. Recognizing this need, the Wright Center, working closely with the VCU College of Health Professions, piloted a new course designed to enhance translational workforce development, aligning with the […]
