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.
Related: Raj and Indra Nooyi make $5 million gift to UTA
“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)
Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.
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