UTA-backed research tackles health challenges across ages

(Press-News.org) Genevieve Graaf spent years as a mental health social worker specializing in children and youth with complex behavioral health needs. Many had to travel to other states or hundreds of miles from family to access adequate medical care. Drawing on her experience, Dr. Graaf, an assistant professor of social work at The University of Texas at Arlington, has continuously sought ways to improve community-based support programs and ease the burden on families.

She will build on that work with her latest research through UT Arlington’s Center for Innovation in Health Informatics (CIHI), which recently received funding from the Raj Nooyi Endowed Research Award Fund. Graaf’s project was one of two selected for inaugural seed grants from the award.

The other project, led by Salman Sohrabi, an assistant professor of bioengineering at UTA, focuses on healthy aging.

The seed grants were made possible by a $5 million gift from Raj Nooyi (’78 MS, Industrial Engineering) and his wife, Indra, to position UTA at the forefront of the growing health informatics field.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Raj Nooyi for his generous support,” said Marion Ball, executive director for CIHI and the Raj and Indra Nooyi Endowed Distinguished Chair in Bioengineering. “His funding for a seed grant initiative was instrumental in encouraging our researchers to refine their ideas and submit impactful proposals to national funding agencies and foundations, with a special focus on cancer, aging and pediatrics."

Graaf’s project will examine four distinct populations of children—those with physical disabilities, intellectual or developmental disabilities, complex behavioral health needs and complex medical needs. Over an eight-year period, the study will assess and compare child and family characteristics; health care and support service needs; and the social, community and educational challenges each group faces.

“Our study will aid state policymakers and administrators in monitoring performance, evaluating programs and designing more responsive community-support initiatives for these children and their families,” Graaf said.

Dr. Sohrabi will lead a study on healthy aging focusing “not merely on prolonging life, but on enhancing its quality.”

“I am passionate about translating discoveries in aging biology into meaningful interventions that improve health and quality of life,” Sohrabi said. “My work focuses on extending reproductive longevity, preventing neurodegeneration in conditions such as Alzheimer’s, and preserving muscle function with age. By targeting the underlying mechanisms of age-related decline, I aim to promote healthier aging.”

To uncover the molecular basis of healthy aging, Sohrabi said researchers must continuously and quantitatively study the progressive decline of various biological functions over time. The most effective way to do this is through short-lived, millimeter-sized model organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans)—a tiny transparent worm often used in research to study genetics, aging and disease—that allow real-time monitoring of age-related changes over just a few weeks.

“Our research aims to uncover the mechanisms that either compromise health or extend the health span by developing a novel approach to quantifying quality of life independently of lifespan,” Sohrabi said.

About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)

Located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive teaching, research, and public service institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through scholarship and creative work. With an enrollment of approximately 41,000 students, UT Arlington is the second-largest institution in the UT System. UTA’s combination of outstanding academics and innovative research contributes to its designation as a Carnegie R-1 “Very High Research Activity” institution, a significant milestone of excellence. The University is designated as a Hispanic Serving-Institution and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education and has earned the Seal of Excelencia for its commitment to accelerating Latino student success. The University ranks in the top five nationally for veterans and their families (Military Times, 2024), is No. 4 in Texas for advancing social mobility (U.S. News & World Report, 2025), and is No. 6 in the United States for its undergraduate ethnic diversity (U.S. News & World Report, 2025). UT Arlington’s approximately 270,000 alumni occupy leadership positions at many of the 21 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in North Texas and contribute to the University’s $28.8 billion annual economic impact on Texas.

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