Emerging Findings in Digital Health and Technologies

2026 NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Festival Webinar Series
Date: July 20, 2026, 2:00–3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Virtual

Overview

This webinar panel highlighted two NIH-funded researchers and one NIH Intramural Research Program Senior Investigator whose work demonstrates how digital health technologies are transforming health care and outcomes. Digital health tools are being used to prevent, intervene, diagnose, manage, and treat illness and health risks. Examples include everything from wearables and mobile health to telehealth, AI-driven clinical decision systems, and data integration across platforms.

  • Teresa Hagan Thomas, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, will discuss findings from a digital intervention aimed at promoting self-advocacy among women with cancer.
  • Francis "Joe" Real, M.D., M.Ed., Associate Professor at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, will provide an overview of a virtual reality education platform aimed at improving provider communication and training across a range of areas to support uptake of effective prevention including secure storage of firearms. 
  • Tiffany Powell-Wiley, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, FABR, Stadtman Senior Investigator and Chief of the Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk Laboratory at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, will share emerging findings from the design and implementation of a community‑engaged digital health intervention aimed at increasing physical activity and improving cardiovascular health in resource‑limited urban settings.

This was the second of three webinars in the 2026 NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (BSSR) Festival Webinar Series.

2026 NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (BSSR) Festival Webinar Series

The 2026 NIH BSSR Festival Webinar Series is organized by OBSSR and the NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Coordinating Committee.

The three-part webinar series highlighted the latest NIH-funded BSSR and its impact on human health. Panelists presented on exciting research results, emerging areas of inquiry, and recent innovations in BSSR methods, digital health and technologies, and basic BSSR.