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amy salisbury

Amy L. Salisbury, Ph.D., RN, FAAN

Pronouns: she/her

Professor

Senior Associate Dean, Research, Scholarship and Innovation
Ann Steigleder Endowed Chair for Research

(804) 828-2095

Box 980567, Richmond, VA 23298-0567

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.

View full publication list

Current Funded Grants

Name of Grant Role Funding Agency Period
Mobile Health and Wellness Program Project Director Health Resources and Services Administration 7/1/22 - 6/30/26
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

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

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