Chloe Hery, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Division of Population Science at The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (The James Comprehensive Cancer Center). She applied for a Spark Award in November 2024, to support her research on sleep patterns and related biological factors in newly diagnosed stage I-III breast cancer patients, with a focus on underserved groups.
“The overall goal of my project is to evaluate longitudinal sleep duration and sleep quality among diverse breast cancer patients from diagnosis through treatment completion. I will also collect biomarkers of accelerated aging, stress markers and inflammation to improve quality of life, lessen disease burden and enhance sleep quality,” says Hery. “This study examines cancer health disparities in Ohio by combining self-reported sleep quality and social conditions, wearable devices for objective sleep measurement, and non-invasive biological specimen collection throughout the cancer care continuum.”
Hery plans to use her Spark Award funding to develop a REDCap database to track participant recruitment, consent and survey completion. “This will ensure smooth distribution of surveys to participants, seamless reminders and alerts for incomplete surveys and comprehensive tracking systems to support study completion.”
Congratulations to Chloe on receiving a Spark Award and using it to make participation in her study more accessible for patients. If you are interested in applying for a Spark Award, applications are being accepted on a rolling basis until April 15, 2025, or until funds are exhausted. For more information, visit go.osu.edu/spark2025.
Julie Johnson, PharmD, is the Director and Principal Investigator at The Ohio State University Clinical and Translational Science Institute.