PEOPLE
Faculty
Jun Ma, MD, PhD
Professor of Academic Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Associate Head of Scholarly Activity, Department of MedicineBeth and George Vitoux Professor of Medicine and Director of Vitoux Program on Aging and Prevention
Biographical Info
Dr. Jun Ma has a broad background in preventive medicine, translational behavioral medicine, and experimental and implementation studies of lifestyle interventions. She specializes in clinical and translational lifestyle medicine research in primary care and nonmedical community settings. Dr. Ma’s research focuses on new delivery models and neurophysiological mechanisms of behavior change interventions addressing multiple major chronic conditions that are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States, including obesity, coronary heart disease, hypertension, prediabetes, metabolic syndrome, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and depression. She is particularly interested in effective prevention and control of these debilitating and costly chronic conditions through comprehensive, mechanism-driven lifestyle interventions that are individual patient-centered and, at the same time, scalable and sustainable for population health management through use of Internet and mobile technologies. She is strongly committed to lifestyle intervention research specifically targeting underserved populations, such as black/African Americans and Latinx.
Education History
Medical School: West China University of Medical Sciences (Preventive Medicine), P.R. China
Graduate Schools: University of Nebraska in Lincoln (MS – Nutritional Sciences), University of Nebraska in Lincoln (PhD – Major: Nutritional Sciences; Minor: Biometry)
Research Projects
“Engaging Self-Regulation Targets to Understand the Mechanisms of Behavior Change and Improve Mood and Weight Outcomes (ENGAGE-2)” aims to leverage a recent two-year randomized controlled trial of a first-ever integrated treatment for comorbid obesity and depression in primary care that uniquely combines two nationally recognized behavioral interventions. This project is funded by a NIH Common Fund UH3.
“Precision Lifestyle Medicine and Translation Research (PREMIER)” aims to provide postdoctoral fellows who aspire to be both independent investigators and team scientists in lifestyle medicine the opportunity to develop expertise in translational research for the prevention and control of cardiovascular and respiratory chronic conditions. This project is funded by a NIH T32.
“INtervention Study In overweiGHT patients with COPD (INSIGHT COPD)” aims to conduct a multicenter, patient-level randomized, pragmatic clinical trial to investigate the effectiveness of a self-directed lifestyle intervention targeting weight loss and increased physical activity among patients with obesity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This project is funded by a NIH U01.
“Culturally-Adapted DPP Intervention for Mexican Americans in Primary Care” aims to evaluate the effectiveness and potential generalizability of a culturally adapted, technology-supported intervention directed at weight management in primary care for overweight or obese Latinos at high risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This project is funded by an AHRQ R01.
“Randomized Control Trial on Co-management of Obesity, Depression, and Elevated CVD Risk in Primary Care” aims to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness, and the “real-world” implementation potential, of a novel intervention that integrates a behavioral weight-loss program and a collaborative stepped-care program for depression, incorporates conventional clinic- and home-based modes of care delivery and leverages low-cost, wide-reach health information technologies. This project is funded by a NIH R01.
Current Fellows
Jun Ma, MD, PhD
Professor of Academic Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Associate Head of Scholarly Activity, Department of MedicineBeth and George Vitoux Professor of Medicine and Director of Vitoux Program on Aging and Prevention
Biographical Info
Dr. Jun Ma has a broad background in preventive medicine, translational behavioral medicine, and experimental and implementation studies of lifestyle interventions. She specializes in clinical and translational lifestyle medicine research in primary care and nonmedical community settings. Dr. Ma’s research focuses on new delivery models and neurophysiological mechanisms of behavior change interventions addressing multiple major chronic conditions that are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States, including obesity, coronary heart disease, hypertension, prediabetes, metabolic syndrome, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and depression. She is particularly interested in effective prevention and control of these debilitating and costly chronic conditions through comprehensive, mechanism-driven lifestyle interventions that are individual patient-centered and, at the same time, scalable and sustainable for population health management through use of Internet and mobile technologies. She is strongly committed to lifestyle intervention research specifically targeting underserved populations, such as black/African Americans and Latinx.
Education History
Medical School: West China University of Medical Sciences (Preventive Medicine), P.R. China
Graduate Schools: University of Nebraska in Lincoln (MS – Nutritional Sciences), University of Nebraska in Lincoln (PhD – Major: Nutritional Sciences; Minor: Biometry)
Research Projects
“Engaging Self-Regulation Targets to Understand the Mechanisms of Behavior Change and Improve Mood and Weight Outcomes (ENGAGE-2)” aims to leverage a recent two-year randomized controlled trial of a first-ever integrated treatment for comorbid obesity and depression in primary care that uniquely combines two nationally recognized behavioral interventions. This project is funded by a NIH Common Fund UH3.
“Precision Lifestyle Medicine and Translation Research (PREMIER)” aims to provide postdoctoral fellows who aspire to be both independent investigators and team scientists in lifestyle medicine the opportunity to develop expertise in translational research for the prevention and control of cardiovascular and respiratory chronic conditions. This project is funded by a NIH T32.
“INtervention Study In overweiGHT patients with COPD (INSIGHT COPD)” aims to conduct a multicenter, patient-level randomized, pragmatic clinical trial to investigate the effectiveness of a self-directed lifestyle intervention targeting weight loss and increased physical activity among patients with obesity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This project is funded by a NIH U01.
“Culturally-Adapted DPP Intervention for Mexican Americans in Primary Care” aims to evaluate the effectiveness and potential generalizability of a culturally adapted, technology-supported intervention directed at weight management in primary care for overweight or obese Latinos at high risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This project is funded by an AHRQ R01.
“Randomized Control Trial on Co-management of Obesity, Depression, and Elevated CVD Risk in Primary Care” aims to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness, and the “real-world” implementation potential, of a novel intervention that integrates a behavioral weight-loss program and a collaborative stepped-care program for depression, incorporates conventional clinic- and home-based modes of care delivery and leverages low-cost, wide-reach health information technologies. This project is funded by a NIH R01.
Staff
Jun Ma, MD, PhD
Professor of Academic Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Associate Head of Scholarly Activity, Department of MedicineBeth and George Vitoux Professor of Medicine and Director of Vitoux Program on Aging and Prevention
Biographical Info
Dr. Jun Ma has a broad background in preventive medicine, translational behavioral medicine, and experimental and implementation studies of lifestyle interventions. She specializes in clinical and translational lifestyle medicine research in primary care and nonmedical community settings. Dr. Ma’s research focuses on new delivery models and neurophysiological mechanisms of behavior change interventions addressing multiple major chronic conditions that are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States, including obesity, coronary heart disease, hypertension, prediabetes, metabolic syndrome, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and depression. She is particularly interested in effective prevention and control of these debilitating and costly chronic conditions through comprehensive, mechanism-driven lifestyle interventions that are individual patient-centered and, at the same time, scalable and sustainable for population health management through use of Internet and mobile technologies. She is strongly committed to lifestyle intervention research specifically targeting underserved populations, such as black/African Americans and Latinx.
Education History
Medical School: West China University of Medical Sciences (Preventive Medicine), P.R. China
Graduate Schools: University of Nebraska in Lincoln (MS – Nutritional Sciences), University of Nebraska in Lincoln (PhD – Major: Nutritional Sciences; Minor: Biometry)
Research Projects
“Engaging Self-Regulation Targets to Understand the Mechanisms of Behavior Change and Improve Mood and Weight Outcomes (ENGAGE-2)” aims to leverage a recent two-year randomized controlled trial of a first-ever integrated treatment for comorbid obesity and depression in primary care that uniquely combines two nationally recognized behavioral interventions. This project is funded by a NIH Common Fund UH3.
“Precision Lifestyle Medicine and Translation Research (PREMIER)” aims to provide postdoctoral fellows who aspire to be both independent investigators and team scientists in lifestyle medicine the opportunity to develop expertise in translational research for the prevention and control of cardiovascular and respiratory chronic conditions. This project is funded by a NIH T32.
“INtervention Study In overweiGHT patients with COPD (INSIGHT COPD)” aims to conduct a multicenter, patient-level randomized, pragmatic clinical trial to investigate the effectiveness of a self-directed lifestyle intervention targeting weight loss and increased physical activity among patients with obesity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This project is funded by a NIH U01.
“Culturally-Adapted DPP Intervention for Mexican Americans in Primary Care” aims to evaluate the effectiveness and potential generalizability of a culturally adapted, technology-supported intervention directed at weight management in primary care for overweight or obese Latinos at high risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This project is funded by an AHRQ R01.
“Randomized Control Trial on Co-management of Obesity, Depression, and Elevated CVD Risk in Primary Care” aims to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness, and the “real-world” implementation potential, of a novel intervention that integrates a behavioral weight-loss program and a collaborative stepped-care program for depression, incorporates conventional clinic- and home-based modes of care delivery and leverages low-cost, wide-reach health information technologies. This project is funded by a NIH R01.
Affiliated Faculty
Jun Ma, MD, PhD
Professor of Academic Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Associate Head of Scholarly Activity, Department of MedicineBeth and George Vitoux Professor of Medicine and Director of Vitoux Program on Aging and Prevention
Biographical Info
Dr. Jun Ma has a broad background in preventive medicine, translational behavioral medicine, and experimental and implementation studies of lifestyle interventions. She specializes in clinical and translational lifestyle medicine research in primary care and nonmedical community settings. Dr. Ma’s research focuses on new delivery models and neurophysiological mechanisms of behavior change interventions addressing multiple major chronic conditions that are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States, including obesity, coronary heart disease, hypertension, prediabetes, metabolic syndrome, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and depression. She is particularly interested in effective prevention and control of these debilitating and costly chronic conditions through comprehensive, mechanism-driven lifestyle interventions that are individual patient-centered and, at the same time, scalable and sustainable for population health management through use of Internet and mobile technologies. She is strongly committed to lifestyle intervention research specifically targeting underserved populations, such as black/African Americans and Latinx.
Education History
Medical School: West China University of Medical Sciences (Preventive Medicine), P.R. China
Graduate Schools: University of Nebraska in Lincoln (MS – Nutritional Sciences), University of Nebraska in Lincoln (PhD – Major: Nutritional Sciences; Minor: Biometry)
Research Projects
“Engaging Self-Regulation Targets to Understand the Mechanisms of Behavior Change and Improve Mood and Weight Outcomes (ENGAGE-2)” aims to leverage a recent two-year randomized controlled trial of a first-ever integrated treatment for comorbid obesity and depression in primary care that uniquely combines two nationally recognized behavioral interventions. This project is funded by a NIH Common Fund UH3.
“Precision Lifestyle Medicine and Translation Research (PREMIER)” aims to provide postdoctoral fellows who aspire to be both independent investigators and team scientists in lifestyle medicine the opportunity to develop expertise in translational research for the prevention and control of cardiovascular and respiratory chronic conditions. This project is funded by a NIH T32.
“INtervention Study In overweiGHT patients with COPD (INSIGHT COPD)” aims to conduct a multicenter, patient-level randomized, pragmatic clinical trial to investigate the effectiveness of a self-directed lifestyle intervention targeting weight loss and increased physical activity among patients with obesity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This project is funded by a NIH U01.
“Culturally-Adapted DPP Intervention for Mexican Americans in Primary Care” aims to evaluate the effectiveness and potential generalizability of a culturally adapted, technology-supported intervention directed at weight management in primary care for overweight or obese Latinos at high risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This project is funded by an AHRQ R01.
“Randomized Control Trial on Co-management of Obesity, Depression, and Elevated CVD Risk in Primary Care” aims to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness, and the “real-world” implementation potential, of a novel intervention that integrates a behavioral weight-loss program and a collaborative stepped-care program for depression, incorporates conventional clinic- and home-based modes of care delivery and leverages low-cost, wide-reach health information technologies. This project is funded by a NIH R01.