Active Projects
WECARE 3.0
NIH/NIA · 2025–2030 · $3,088,427
Role: PI
WECARE 3.0: Funded by National Institute on Aging (R01AG090610) · 2025–2030 · $3,088,427 · Role: PI
A randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a culturally tailored, AI-enabled social media intervention to enhance caregiving mastery and psychosocial wellbeing among Chinese American dementia caregivers.
Intergenerational AI Literacy through Digital Story telling. Funded by National Science Foundation (Award #2517316) · 2025–2028 · $661,478 · Role: Co-PI (Lead PI: Janice Zhang, William & Mary)
Develops and evaluates an interactive platform that allows older adults and youth to co-design digital storytelling experiences, strengthening AI literacy, social connectedness, and resilience.
DERA: Dementia Education Resources for Action: Funded by Virginia Geriatrics Training Institute · 2025–2026 · $24,954 · Role: PI
An online training program developed using generative AI and user-centered design to strengthen community health workers’ ADRD-related skills in serving underserved minority populations; currently in RCT evaluation.
Featured Completed Projects
WECARE 2.0: Funded by NIA Roybal Caregiving Center · 2023–2024 · $119,000 · Role: PI
Pilot of an improved WeChat-based personalized intervention for Chinese American dementia caregivers, focused on process evaluation and user engagement.
Stronger2: Stronger Partnership, Stronger Community: Funded by DHHS Office of Minority Health · 2021–2024 · $3,850,000 · Role: Subcontract PI for evaluation (Lead PI: Anthony Mingo, Fairfax County Health Department)
A community-academic partnership program improving health literacy, access to services, and resilience in underserved minority communities of the Greater Washington DC area.
ARICAA / WECARE 1.0: Alzheimer’s Research Inquiry and Care for Asian AmericansVirginia Center for Aging Alzheimer’s Research Award Fund · 2021–2022 · $45,000 · Role: PI
Protocol development for a culturally tailored social media-based program to promote awareness of and participation in Alzheimer’s research among Asian Americans; foundational stage of the WECARE program.
Southwest Rural Health Research Center: Digital Divide and Rural-Urban Health Disparities. Funded by HRSA (U1CRH30040) · 2016–2019 · $2,800,000 (center total) · Role: Co-Investigator and Project-PI (Lead PI: Jane Bolin, Texas A&M)
Examined eHealth behaviors, the digital divide, and rural-urban health disparities, and explored strategies for scaling evidence-based eHealth programs in underserved rural areas.
Run4Love: Funed by China NSFC + Rockefeller China Medical Boards · 2016–2020 · $180,000 (combined) · Role: Co-PI (Lead PI: Yan Guo, Sun Yat-sen University)
A WeChat-based mHealth intervention shown in a multi-site randomized controlled trial to reduce depressive symptoms among people living with HIV in China, with effects sustained at long-term follow-up.
iCanFit: Funded by Baylor Scott & White Foundation; National Library of Medicine; additional grants · 2011–2017 · $150,000 combined · Role: PI
A mobile-enabled web application developed using community-based participatory methods to promote physical activity and access to health information among older cancer survivors.
Selected Earlier Funded Projects
- EMBRACE — Mason ISE · 2023–2024 · $10,000 · PI
- EARBUD: Wearable Sensor System for Dietary Monitoring — GMU CPH Seed · 2021–2022 · $50,000 · PI
- eHealth Behaviors and Digital Divide in the U.S. — Informatics Education Fund · 2020–2021 · $10,000 · PI
- KakaoTalk-based HBV Screening Intervention — Potomac Health Foundation · 2020–2022 · $25,000 · mPI
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Patient-Provider Communication in the Digital Era — TAMU T3 + PESCA · 2017–2019 · ~$60,000 · PI
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Central Texas Cancer Prevention Center Research Network — CDC · 2009–2014 · $1,600,000 · Co-I
Full CV available upon request.