Staff
Christina Davis -- Ms. Davis graduated from UNC-CH in May 2009 with a bachelor’s in Biology. As a clinical research assistant for Dr. Drossman, she will be involved with recruitment, clinical visits, data collection, and administrative activities for numerous ongoing and developing studies. She plans to attend graduate school in the future and in her spare time enjoys playing the piano and making jewelry.
Nicolette DeGroot -- Ms. DeGroot is the Media Coordinator for the UNC Program in Digestive Health. Splitting her time 75% for the Center for Functional Gastroenterology and Motility Disorders, and 25% of her time for the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, she handles all print and web design projects, including this site. For the Division and Center, Nicolette designs graphic illustrations, brochures, newsletters, including Digest, annual reports, flyers, conference posters and many other products. Nicolette also handles all photography for the entire Program in Digestive Health, and chairs the Center's Events Committee.
2006 Alumna of Appalachian State University, Nicolette received a Bachelor's of Science from the Graphic Arts and Imaging Technology Department, earning minors in Art and Sociology, and has an extensive background in print knowledge, creating award-winning graphics. In her spare time, Nicolette plays clarinet and is active in several performance art bands in Durham, NC, including the local favorite, the Scene of The Crime Rovers, volunteer for the Paperhand Puppet Intervention, Durham VA Hospital, and Family Violence Prevention Center of Orange County, works part-time as an Events Staff Member for the Scrap Exchange, is on the Carrboro Arts Committee, and is a free-lance graphic designer & artist.
Mark Duncan -- Mark is the server administrator and web applications developer for uncfunctionalgi.net, a server maintained to host the registry, multiple electronic data capture applications and video/audio supportive of the 'Evening with the Experts'. He has worked for the center since 2006 after having worked for several IT firms including IBM and Cisco Systems. Mark also works for CGIBD in a similar capacity.
Jane Hankins, MAT -- Jane Hankins is the study coordinator for Dr. Drossman’s clinical trials group working on the Atkins and the ElectroGastrogram (EGG) studies. She also assists Kim Meyer with clinical trials.
Yuming J.B. Hu, MA, PhD -- Dr. Hu is Assistant Director of the Biometry Core and is involved with data management and analysis of Dr. Drossman’s NIH treatment trial of functional bowel disorders (FBD). His data management responsibilities also includes the UNC pilot study of functional MRI of FBD, the Center’s master database of FBD patients, the IBS patient education (PEQ) study with Boston University, the Celiac study with Columbia University, and the new 5-year combined drug and CBT treatment trial of FBD at the University of Toronto.
Stefanie Jeremiah -- Ms. Jeremiah is a research assistant for Dr. Heymen working on a pilot study looking at patient characteristics that predict discharge to nursing homes. She is involved in many aspects of coordinating the study, such as consenting and interviewing patients, helping with data entry and data management, and helping PI’s wherever needed. She graduated with a degree in Psychology from North Carolina State University.
Lenore Keck, RN -- Ms. Keck is a Research Nurse with Dr. Whitehead’s group. She participates in all stages of clinical research studies, including study subject recruitment and screening, administering psychological and physiological tests, and data management.
Kim Meyer, CCRC -- Ms. Meyer is Dr. Drossman’s Project Director for clinical trials. Her primary research interests include the use of pharmaceuticals to treat constipation-predominant IBS, diarrhea-predominant IBS, and chronic constipation.
Ashley Messina -- Ms. Messina graduated from UNC-CH in May 2008 with a bachelor’s in Biology, She is a clinical research assistant for Drs. Drossman and Weinland. “My job here keeps me busy, as I am responsible for recruitment and the day-to-day running of the investigator initiated studies. In the future I plan to attend a Physician Assistant program and hope to specialize in women’s health or surgery. In my spare time I enjoy listening to music, arts and crafts, hanging out with my cat Mr.Magoo, and traveling.”
Linda Miller -- Ms. Miller is the IBS/Functional Bowel Clinic Scheduling Coordinator. She has an AD in Computer Information Systems, a diploma in Software Applications, and has completed the Medical Coding Certification Program (ICD-9, CPT-4) at Durham Tech. She will be attending NC Central University in fall 2006 to complete the Health Education Program.
Laverne Millikin -- Ms. Millikin is the Administrative Support for Dr. Whitehead’s research team. Her duties include checking for messages from patients for research; checking with Dr. Whitehead on what his plans are for that day, looks for articles, updating Dr. Whitehead’s “CV”, making flight arrangements, and checking with Marsha Turner, the research coordinator, to see if there are things that need special attention on that particular day.
Carolyn Morris, MPH -- Ms. Morris is the Biostatistician for for Dr. Drossman’s research group and the Biometry Core. She has been primarily involved with performing statistical analyses on data from the seven-year multi-center NIH study of treatment in FBD, but she also assists with analyses of data sets for other Center studies.
Kelly Moulton, M.Ed. -- Mrs. Moulton is the coordinator of recruitment efforts for Dr. Whitehead's group. She actively recruits for both investigator-initiated studies focusing on genetic and environmental causes of IBS, as well as industry-sponsored studies. She graduated magna cum laude from Mount Holyoke College in 2002, with a B.A. in Anthropology. She holds an M.Ed., in Psychology from Cambridge College. Her personal research interests include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy treatments for depression in the postpartum, as well as hoarding disorders.
Ceciel Rooker -- Mrs. Rooker has joined the Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders as the Director of Public Relations, Development and Clinical Services. Ceciel is also currently working for the Rome Foundation as a consultant for Marketing and Public Relations. She will be assisting Dr. Drossman with Sponsorship recruitment as well as development and marketing of our Center’s research and clinical programs.
Jane Tucker, RN -- Ms. Tucker is a Research Nurse with Dr. Whitehead’s group. For the Center’s biofeedback study, she performs anorectal motility testing and administers questionnaires to the study participants. Her other responsibilities include barostat procedures, lab procedures, recruiting/screening as well as scheduling participants for the studies. She works closely with the research pharmacy if studies require medication and monitors the participant’s response to the medication. And, she works closely with the Principal Investigators of each study and keeps them abreast of any concerns.
Marsha Turner, MS -- Ms. Turner is the Research Coordinator for Dr. Whitehead's research program. She is involved with the planning and preparation of new projects in the program, including NIH grant submissions and industry-sponsored outcomes research. She also manages all aspects of current studies and is responsible for correspondence with the Biomedical IRB and Clinical and Translational Research Center . Ms. Turner furthermore coordinates activities within the national and international research network of collaborating institutions affiliated with the Gastrointestinal Biopsychosocial Research Center .
Ms. Turner has a B.A. from the College of William and Mary in Psychology/Anthropology and a M.S. in Early Childhood Education Old Dominion University. She has extensive experience in psychophysiological testing, behavioral medicine research and biofeedback. In the past, she performed quantitative EEG, psychological and neuropsychological assessments, and neurofeedback training with children with ADHD. She recently co-authored a guided imagery program to treat children with chronic abdominal pain.
Ms Turner has also participated in the invention of new mind-body technologies and currently has a biofeedback patent pending in collaboration with scientists at NASA's Langley Research Center . She is a co-author on 11 journal articles and more than fifty research abstracts.
Jill Williams, CGRN -- Ms. Williams performs diagnostic tests in the GI Motility Lab on both pediatric and adult patients. These tests are inclusive of manometry testing, pH & pH/Impedance studies, and hydrogen breath tests.
Jill relocated from Sayre, Pennsylvania were she was employed at the Guthrie HealthCare System in the GI Endoscopy Unit, and has experience with endoscopy and motility procedures.