Research and Scholarship
The faculty in the Center for Bioethics and Social Justice are committed to research in a broad range of areas within bioethics. Below are recently funded projects that our faculty have been a part of. More information about current projects and other research is available on the MSU Bioethics Blog. Click the "project description" button for each project below to expand or collapse the project description and related publications.
Active Projects

National Network to Innovate for COVID-19 and Adult Vaccine Equity (NNICE)
Center Researchers: Karen Kelly-Blake, Sean Valles (key personnel); project PI: Debra Furr-Holden
Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
July 2021-July 2023
Research Topics: COVID-19, vaccination, public health, health disparities
Read more: $6M CDC Grant to Boost Confidence in COVID-19 and Other Adult Vaccines (Division of Public Health, August 11, 2021)

Improving Diabetic Patients’ Adherence to Treatment and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
Center Researcher: Karen Kelly-Blake (Co-I); project PI: Adesuwa Olomu
Funded by the National Institutes of Health
July 2020-April 2025
Research Topics: chronic illness, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, medication adherence, primary care, shared decision-making
Read more: Closing the health care gap through patient engagement, partnership (MSU Today, August 10, 2020)

MICHR Primary Care Screening Project (PCSP)
Center Researcher: Karen Kelly-Blake (Co-I); project PIs: Sherri Sheinfeld Gorin, Masahito Jimbo
Funded by the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR)
February 2020-October 2022
Research Topics: cancer screening, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, health disparities, primary care, rural health
Completed Projects

Buffers, Barriers, and Resiliency in Breastfeeding Behaviors of Asian American Mothers
Center Researcher: Libby Bogdan-Lovis (Co-I)
Funded by the Trifecta Initiative for Interdisciplinary Health Research
December 2018-November 2019
Research Topics: breastfeeding, cultural values, maternal/infant health, pregnancy, social stigma

Building Skills for End-of-Life Discussions in the Intensive Care Environment
Center Researchers: Devan Stahl (PI), Tom Tomlinson
Funded by the Norman Kagan Endowed Scholarship in Graduate and Professional Studies
July 2018-June 2019
Research Topics: Communication, end-of-life, education, goals of care, intensive care

Demonstration of a Community System of Care for Medicaid Insured Pregnant Women
PI: LeeAnne Roman; Center Researcher: Margaret Holmes-Rovner
Funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
August 2012-May 2018
Research Topics: system of care, Medicaid, pregnant women

Coworker Stigma Towards Lactating Mothers in the Workplace
Center Researcher: Libby Bogdan-Lovis
Funded by Science and Society at State
January 2017-December 2017
Research Topics: Breastfeeding, maternity leave, social stigma, workplace culture
Publications:
- Zhuang J, Bresnahan M, Zhu Y, Yan X, Bogdan-Lovis E, Goldbort J, Haider S. The impact of coworker support and stigma on breastfeeding after returning to work. Journal of Applied Communication Research. Available online July 19, 2018. doi.org/10.1080/00909882.2018.1498981
- Zhuang J, Bresnahan MJ, Yan X, Zhu Y, Goldbort J, Bogdan-Lovis E. Keep Doing the Good Work: Impact of Coworker and Community Support on Continuation of Breastfeeding. Health Communication. Available online May 17, 2018. doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2018.1476802
- From MSU Today: Here's Why It's Important to Support Your Breastfeeding Co-Workers
- From Quartz: Why it’s so crucial to support colleagues who pump breast milk at work
- From Moneyish: Why breastfeeding moms are trying to normalize pumping at work

Public Preferences for Addressing Donors' Moral Concerns about Biobank Research
Center Researchers: Tom Tomlinson (PI), Karen Kelly-Blake
Funded by the National Institutes of Health
September 2013-June 2017
Research Topics: Biobank, bioethics, public deliberation, biobank donor, informed consent
Publications:
- De Vries RG, Tomlinson T, Kim HM, Krenz C, Haggerty D, Ryan KA, et al. Understanding the Public’s Reservations about Broad Consent and Study-By-Study Consent for Donations to a Biobank: Results of a National Survey. PLoS ONE. July 14 2016; 11(7). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159113. PMC4944938.
- De Vries RG, Tomlinson T, Kim HM, et al. The moral concerns of biobank donors: the effect of non-welfare interests on willingness to donate. Life Sciences, Society and Policy. March 11 2016;12(3). doi: 10.1186/s40504-016-0036-4. PMC4788662.
- Tomlinson T, De Vries R, Ryan K, Kim HM, Lehpamer N, Kim SYH. Moral Concerns and the Willingness to Donate to a Research Biobank. Journal of the American Medical Association. January 27 2015;313(4):417-419. doi: 10.1001/jama.2014.16363. PMC4443895.

Men’s Health and Masculinity: Implications for Colorectal Cancer Screening
Center Researcher: Karen Kelly-Blake (PI)
Funded by the Norman Kagan Endowed Scholarship in Graduate and Professional Studies
July 2014-June 2015
Research Topics: Colorectal Cancer Screening, Male Health, African American

Clinical Communication Following a Decision Aid
Center Researcher: Margaret Holmes-Rovner (PI)
Funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
September 2012-February 2014
Research Topics: Physician communication, decision aids, shared decision-making, informed
decision-making, qualitative analysis, prostate cancer
In this study we will analyze previously audio-recorded encounters of 252 men with localized prostate cancer (PSA<20; Gleason 6 or 7) seen in outpatient urology clinics in four Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. Data collected from a randomized trial of two patient decision aids. Treating physicians were urology residents and fellows who received no intervention. Results will allow description of the state-of-the art of informed decision making and identify areas for improvement.

Decision Aid to Technologically Enhance Shared Decision Making (DATES)
Center Researcher: Karen Kelly-Blake (PI)
Funded by the National Institutes of Health
September 2012-September 2016
Research Topics: Colorectal cancer, clinician communication, shared decision making

Ethics and Public Attitudes Concerning the Use of Archived Biological Samples
Center Researcher: Tom Tomlinson (PI)
Funded by the National Institutes of Health
April 2010-September 2012
Research Topics: Bioethics; biobanks; research ethics; public attitudes; non-welfare interests
Publications:
- Tomlinson T, Kaplowitz SA, Faulkner M. Do People Care What’s Done with Their Biobanked Samples? IRB: Ethics & Human Research. July 2014;36(4):8-15. PMID: 25219068.
- Tomlinson T. Respecting Donors to Biobank Research. Hastings Center Report. Jan-Feb 2013;43(1):41-47. PMID: 23254911.