Amy L. Salisbury, Ph.D., RN, FAAN
Pronouns: she/her
Associate Dean, Research, Scholarship and Innovation
Ann Steigleder Endowed Chair for Research
Professor
Office of Research, Scholarship and Innovation
Education
- Ph.D. (Biobehavioral Sciences: Developmental Psychobiology), University of Connecticut
- M.S. (Child & Family Psychiatric Nursing), University of Rhode Island
- B.A. (Psychology/Neuroscience), Clark University
- R.N. (Nursing Diploma), St. Vincent Hospital School of Nursing
Research/Scholarship Interests
Salisbury’s research at VCU centers around interprofessional collaborations for a shared vision of innovative, community-engaged research delivering and evaluating clinical programs and interventions to promote optimal and equitable intergenerational health. This includes research and care-delivery through the Mobile Health and Wellness Program.
Her main research interests include:
- The impact of prenatal substance use, maternal psychiatric conditions, and their treatments on women’s health and fetal-infant neurodevelopmental outcomes
- Fetal to infant sleep state development in the context of prenatal experiences
- Infant sleep development in preterm infants
- Fetal ultrasound as an intervention and touchpoint for improved outcomes
- Parent-fetal and parent-infant attachment
- Biological mechanisms for intergenerational transmission of risk for psychiatric conditions
- Co-located care delivery in underserved communities
- Developmental and family care in the NICU
- The impact of Long-COVID in children
Salisbury’s research to-date contributed to the evidence base for informed risk-benefit decisions for pregnant patients struggling with psychiatric and substance use disorder treatment options and informed intervention development for substance-exposed newborns.
Area of Current Clinical Practice
- Perinatal and infant mental health
Teaching
Salisbury teaches students at all levels about research methods and processes. She mentors doctoral students and faculty.
Select Publications
- Salisbury, AL & Kolberg, KS, Sleep and Arousal, In Developmental Care of Newborns and Infants: A Guide for Health Professionals, 3rd Edition, January, 2022
- Salisbury AL, Papandonatos GD, Stroud LR, Smith AK, Brennan PA. Prenatal antidepressant exposures and gastrointestinal complaints in childhood: A gut-brain axis connection? Dev Psychobiol. 2020 Sep;62(6):816-828. doi: 10.1002/dev.21966. PMID: 32167584; PMCID: PMC7709733.
- Salisbury AL, Wisner KL, Pearlstein T, Battle CL, Stroud L, Lester BM. Newborn neurobehavioral patterns are differentially related to prenatal maternal major depressive disorder and serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment. Depress Anxiety. 2011 Nov;28(11):1008-19. doi: 10.1002/da.20883. Epub 2011 Sep 2. PubMed PMID: 21898709; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3215845.
- Stroud, L.R., McCallum, M., & Salisbury, A.L. Impact of maternal prenatal smoking on fetal to infant neurobehavioral development. Developmental origins of psychopathology: Mechanisms, processes, and pathways linking the prenatal environment to postnatal outcomes, Development and Psychopathology, 2018, 30: 1087-1105. PMID: 30068428
- Salisbury AL, Coyle MG, O'Grady KE, Heil SH, Martin PR, Stine SM, Kaltenbach K, Weninger M, Jones HE. Fetal assessment before and after dosing with buprenorphine or methadone. Addiction. 2012 Nov;107 Suppl 1:36-44. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.04037.x. PubMed PMID: 23106925; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4277183.
Current Funded Grants
| Name of Grant | Role | Funding Agency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community-based fetal ultrasound and care navigation: An approach to engaging pregnant women with substance use disorder in prenatal care and substance use treatment | Lead PI | National Institute on Drug Abuse | 9/30/22 - 8/30/24 |
| Mobile Health and Wellness Program | Project Director | Health Resources and Services Administration | 7/1/22 - 6/30/26 |
| NIH RECOVER Study: Life-course examination of genomics, affect, and neurocognitive changes following COVID-19 Infection: the LEGACI cohort; A Multi-Center Observational Study: The RECOVER Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) Pediatric Cohort Study | Hub and Site PI | National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute/NIH: New York University | 10/1/21 - 5/31/25 |
| NIH RECOVER Study Supplement: Neurological Sequelae Associated with Post-Acute SARS-COV-2 Infection (NEURO-PASC) Research on Pathobiological Mechanisms Underpinning the Clinical Phenotypes, Symptomatic Manifestations, and Multi-Tissue/Organ Pathology of Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection | PI | National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute/NIH | 3/1/23 - 5/30/25 |
| Enhancing the science of infant sleep as a mechanism for the development of toddler behavior dysregulation | Co-I | National Institute of Mental Health | 9/01/23 - 6/30/28 |
| Prenatal opioids, infant sleep, and the gut microbiome | Site PI | Virginia Commonwealth University Presidential Research Quest Fund | 7/1/21 - 6/30/24 |
| Electronic Cigarettes During Pregnancy: Impact on Fetal Development | Multi PI | NIDA | 8/1/18 - 5/31/25 (NCE) |
| Prenatal Marijuana: Impact on Infant Neurobehavior, Stress, & Epigenetic Mechanisms |
Co-I | NIDA | 9/1/17 - 7/31/24 (NCE) |
Professional Service
- Research Director, VCU Institute for Women’s Health
- VCU HRCT-I, Strategy Subcommittee Co-Chair
- VCU Research Dean’s Advisory Council (REDAC), Vice-Chair
- VCU Strategic Research Priorities Plan Advisory Council, Co-Chair
- NIH Center for Scientific Review, Ad-hoc and study section reviewer since 2011
- PCORI Grant Reviewer
- Consensus Panel for the Standards and Competencies of Developmental Family Centered Integrative Care for Newborns and Families in the Intensive Care Unit
Links
- VCU School of Nursing leads research consortium to study long-term effects of COVID-19 in children, VCU Health News, 7/20/22
- Having a hand in science: Families join VCU project to study long COVID in children, VCU Nursing News, 8/9/23