Spit for Science is a growing data registry for researchers
Led by the School of Social Work’s Karen G. Chartier, Ph.D., associate professor, VCU’s Spit for Science initiative is collecting data for the first time since 2021 – one test tube (of spit) at a time.
Spit for Science is the nation’s largest genetic and environmental study of college students with more than 13,000 students having participated since 2011. The hope is to recruit another 1,000 during fall semester. VCU researchers collect DNA samples and survey students to understand what factors contribute to a range of issues, from development of problems linked to alcohol and other substance use to overall emotional health.
The database has resulted in hundreds of projects and studies, with numerous interdisciplinary working groups exploring topics such as protective factors that promote positive outcomes for LGBTQIA+ students, traumatic stress and mental health, and substance use disorder and recovery.
“What’s different about the Spit for Science program is that it’s part of a larger ecosystem at VCU and beyond,” says Chartier, who leads Spit for Science as director of VCU’s Institute for Research on Behavioral and Emotional Health.
“By making this data readily available, it feeds our undergraduate research programs, supports the interests of many VCU faculty and connects us with researchers across the country and the world. Studies of psychiatric conditions require very large samples, and our data is contributing a litany of studies combining data from many different sources.”
» See the full story at VCU News.
Categories Faculty and staff, Research