Lisa F. Brown, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FNAP
Pronouns: she/her
Associate Professor
Department of Adult Health and Nursing Systems
Education
- B.S. (Nursing), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- M.S.N. (Nursing, Child-Rearing Childbearing Families), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- Ph.D. (Nursing, Minor in Child and Family Studies), University of Wisconsin-Madison
- T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship (Nursing), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Research/Scholarship Interests
Lisa Brown's program of research focuses on improving maternal and infant health by examining the behavioral, psychosocial and biological factors that influence maternal caregiving, perinatal mental health and infant development. Her current research integrates behavioral science, maternal mental health, substance use and developmental science to improve outcomes for mothers and infants across the perinatal period. Her work centers on prenatal cannabis use and its effects on maternal, fetal and infant outcomes, including fetal growth, birth outcomes, breastfeeding, maternal mood and early caregiving. She is particularly interested in developing innovative approaches to measuring prenatal cannabis exposure through repeated self-report and biological measures to better characterize patterns of cannabis use during pregnancy.
Brown's earlier research established a program of work focused on mother-preterm infant feeding interactions, maternal sensitivity and responsiveness, and infant self-regulation during feeding. Using observational methods and sequential analysis, she investigated factors influencing feeding interactions, including maternal stress, anxiety, depression, confidence, visual attention, internal working models of feeding and infant medical complexity. This work continues to inform her broader interest in maternal caregiving, parent-infant relationships and infant developmental outcomes.
Across her research program, Brown employs qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods approaches to investigate maternal mental health, caregiving, infant development and interventions designed to improve outcomes for mothers and infants. She advises Ph.D. students and mentors undergraduate students, providing research experiences that span the responsible conduct of research, study design and implementation, participant recruitment, data collection, and dissemination of findings.
Teaching
Brown has taught across the nursing curriculum. She currently teaches primarily in the D.N.P. and Ph.D. programs, where her courses focus on scholarship, evidence-based practice, scientific integrity, leadership and knowledge synthesis for advanced nursing practice.
Select Publications
- Brown, L.F., Jallo, N., Pridham, K.F., and Salisbury, A.L. (in press). The Stress-Feeding Model: An Integrated Biopsychosocial Model of Reciprocal Regulation Following Preterm Birth. Advances in Nursing Science.
- Rinaldi, K., Brown, L.F., and McGuire, D. (2023). Evaluating Maternal-Infant Feeding Interactions and Perceived Stress in Dyads with Opioid Exposure. Journal of Neonatal Nursing.
- Shah, L., Chung, J., Diallo, A., Mohanraj, L., Sargent, L., Ameringer, S., Brown, L., Jallo, N., Pretzer-Aboff, I., Robins, J., Swift-Scanlan, T., Jones, T., Parsons, P., Salisbury, A., and Kinser, P. (2023). Challenges and opportunities faced by nurse scientists in integrating data and technology in research to promote health equity. Nursing Outlook, 71(3), 101958.
- Shadowen, C., Jallo, N., Parlier-Ahmad, A., Brown, L., Kinser, P., Svikis, D., and Martin, C. (2022). What recovery means to postpartum women in treatment for opioid use disorder. Women's Health Reports, 3(1), 93-103.PMID: 24417766
Current Funded Grants
| Name of Grant | Role | Funding Agency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannabinoids in Breast Milk (U MATTeR 2) | Co-I | NIDA P30 Center Grant | No-Cost Extension |
Professional Service
Brown provides professional service at the national, university, health system and school levels. She serves as a manuscript reviewer for journals in neonatal, maternal-child and nursing research and has contributed as an abstract and grant reviewer for professional organizations, including the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau International, the Southern Nursing Research Society and the Society of Behavioral Medicine. Her national service includes leadership roles within the National Association of Neonatal Nurses and the National Black Nurses Association, where she has contributed to research, education, mentorship and peer-review activities.
At Virginia Commonwealth University, Brown serves as chair of the School of Nursing Appointment, Promotion and Tenure Committee and co-chair of the Nursing and Allied Health Professional Research Oversight Committee (PROC). She also contributes to doctoral education through Ph.D. admissions and curriculum development and serves as a reviewer for the School of Nursing Intramural Grant Program.
Links
- School of Nursing researcher Lisa Brown selected as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, VCU School of Nursing news, 10/17/2025