East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine continues to make an impact as a leader of biomedical research in Appalachia, securing more than $4.9 million in new funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to address key health challenges.

Among the half-dozen funded grants is research relating to addiction neuroscience, alcohol-associated liver disease, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the purchase of a new advanced imaging system.  

Together, these initiatives reflect ETSU and the Quillen College of Medicine’s growing research portfolio and commitment to improving health outcomes in Appalachia and beyond, reinforcing the university’s reputation as the Flagship of Appalachia.  

“At Quillen, our research is driven by purpose — to improve lives here in Appalachia and far beyond,” said Dr. Bill Block, dean of the Quillen College of Medicine and ETSU’s vice president for Clinical Affairs. “These projects demonstrate how our faculty translate science into solutions for addiction, chronic disease and health disparities that impact our communities every day.”

“This new funding highlights the outstanding quality of research being conducted in our department and the dedication of our faculty to advancing scientific knowledge and improving public health,” said Dr. Krishna Singh, chair of Quillen’s Department of Biomedical Sciences. “NIH support not only validates the impact of their work but also enables continued innovation and collaboration across disciplines.”  

Uncovering the Neurobiology of Substance Use Disorders

With support from the NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences and National Institute on Drug Abuse, Quillen’s Dr. Brooke Schmeichel is exploring how fentanyl and methamphetamine interact in the brain to drive compulsion and addiction.  

Dr. Brooke Schmeichel (right) is photographed in her lab.

Schmeichel is an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences.  

Through two complementary projects – one totaling $1.95 million in funding and the other more than $560,000 – Schmeichel and her team aim not only to better understand the nuerobiology behind addiction, but also to guide the development of new clinical treatments.  

One research project will study the effect of anti-neuroinflammatory drugs as a treatment for those with polysubstance use disorder, specifically fentanyl and methamphetamine addiction.  

Schmeichel’s other project will zero in on the impact of fentanyl and methamphetamine co-use on the brain’s neurocircuitry, and what role hypocretin – a neuropeptide that, among other things, plays a key role in regulating motivation and wakefulness – plays in drug addiction.  

Examining the Neural Circuits of Memory and Cognition

Another NIH-funded project, supported through the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), will investigate how the thalamus helps coordinate memory and cognition.  

Dr. Tatiana Viena

Dr. Tatiana Viena, an assistant professor in Biomedical Sciences, is the principal investigator on the project, which is funded by a three-year, $747,000 grant.  

Viena and her team will focus on the nucleus reuniens, a small but critical structure that connects the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, two regions essential for learning and memory.

By mapping how neurons in the nucleus reuniens regulate synchronized brain activity during sleep and wakefulness, the research aims to uncover fundamental mechanisms underlying memory formation and identify potential pathways disrupted in disorders such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy.

Advancing Research in Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease

With funding from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, another Quillen research team has received a three-year, $747,000 R00 award to study the biochemical mechanisms behind alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD).

Dr. Bryan Mackowiak, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, is the principal investigator on this project, which focuses on acetaldehyde (AcH), a toxic metabolite that forms when alcohol is processed in the body and binds to key proteins such as albumin, disrupting their normal function.  

AcH protein adducts have a higher prevalence in people with alcohol-use disorder, and have been linked to ALD-related inflammation, defects in cytoskeletal function and impaired liver metabolism.  

Mackowiak and his team hope to determine how these acetaldehyde-protein adducts drive inflammation, immune dysfunction and disease progression – with the goal of uncovering new therapeutic targets for patients suffering from ALD and severe alcoholic hepatitis.

Understanding How “Forever Chemicals” Affect the Kidneys

Dr. Aaron Polichnowski (back) supervises work in his lab.

Dr. Aaron Polichnowski, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, will lead a study on the impact that "forever chemicals," also known as PFAS, have on the human body – specifically as it relates to high blood pressure and kidney damage.  

Polichnowski is an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and was the 2025 recipient of ETSU’s Distinguished Faculty Award in Research, the highest honor bestowed by the university for excellence in research.  

His research is funded by a two-year, $416,000 grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.  

PFAS are synthetic compounds that accumulate in the environment and the human body and have been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure and kidney disease.  

Polichnowski and his co-investigators – Quillen’s Dr. George Youngberg and Rachel Grindstaff, a Ph.D. graduate student at Quillen – aim to determine how PFAS directly damage kidney tissue and why certain individuals are more susceptible to exposure. The findings will inform public health strategies to better protect communities from the harmful effects of environmental contaminants.

Strengthening Research Infrastructure with New Imaging Technology

Finally, a $481,800 Shared Instrumentation Grant from the NIH will enhance ETSU’s biomedical research capabilities through the acquisition of a Vevo F2 Ultrasound Imaging System.  

Led by Dr. Xiaohui Wang in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, this project will provide researchers across the Quillen College of Medicine, College of Public Health and College of Arts and Sciences with state-of-the-art imaging technology.

Wang’s co-contributors include Singh, Polichnowski and Drs. Chuanfu Li, David Williams, Eric Beaumont, Amy Gravitte, Cerrone Foster, Suman Dalal, Qian Xie, Shunbin Ning, and Aaron Polichnowski.  

The new Vevo F2 system offers AI-assisted image analysis, 4D imaging capabilities and advanced cardiac strain measurement tools, enabling investigators to capture more precise, dynamic data for studies in heart disease, vascular health and oncology.

To learn more about the Quillen College of Medicine, visit etsu.edu/com/.