Rutgers School of Nursing Magazine - Summer 2026

Spotlight on Discovery Research at Rutgers School of Nursing spans a wide range of areas. Here, we focus on just a few of the faculty scholars advancing this work. Improving Virtual Care for People with Diabetes Helen Chen, PhD, RN, FNP , assistant professor, studies how health infor- mation technology can help reduce disparities and improve health out- comes. Supported by a K99/R00 award from the National Institute of Nursing Research, her current project aims to enhance virtual care for low-income adults with type 2 diabetes. Examining the feasibility of nurse- led, app-based behavioral interven- tions, Chen is developing a user- friendly manual to help patients better interpret online test results and manage their condition through medication, exer- cise, and diet. The study also includes patient focus groups and pilot test- ing at two local health clinics. “Few health technology interventions are designed for underserved popula- tions, who often have fewer resources, lower health literacy, and less access to technology,” Chen says. Lessons learned from this study, she says, could benefit all patients. Social Networks and Neighborhoods Can Promote Healthy Behaviors “Where you are born or live can have a long-lasting impact on your health,” says Cho-Hee Shrader, PhD, MPH, MSN, RN , assistant professor. She adds, “People whose networks include others with healthier behaviors tend to also engage in those healthier behaviors.” Shrader studies how social net- works, norms, and neighborhood environments influence substance use and HIV-related outcomes, particularly among racially, sexually, and gender minoritized populations. Her new pilot study, funded by the Center for Health Equity and Systems Research at Rutgers School of Nursing, examines social networks and neighborhoods in Newark. It comple- ments her New York City–based pilot study, funded by the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research at New York University. That study explores how in-person and social media networks— including TikTok, Instagram, and Grindr—shape substance use, mental health, and HIV risk. “I am also interested in implicit bias—specifically, implicit bias among healthcare workers and how this can affect clinical outcomes,” she says. Understanding the Complexities of Sickle Cell Pain Keesha Powell-Roach, PhD, RN, FAAN , assistant professor, focuses her sci- entific inquiry on understanding and addressing pain, primarily in individu- als with sickle cell disease (SCD). “By integrating biological markers, quan- titative sensory testing (QST), and psychosocial fac- tors, I examine how pain assessment can unintentionally perpetuate ineq- uitable care,” she reports. Her work developing and applying QST reference data across different populations with and without SCD has uncovered evidence that debunks persistent myths about pain tolerance in Black patients. Translating this work into education, policy, and practice, she says, “is promoting culturally responsive pain management and advancing equitable standards of care.” Powell-Roach’s consistent record of research funding includes her new R03 grant, “Proteomic Profiling and Neurocognitive Assessment to Uncover Stroke Mechanisms in Adults with Sickle Cell Disease,” supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Insti- tute (NHLBI). 6 RUTGERS NURSING • SUMMER 2026 R E S E ARCH