Research

The obesity and metabolic diseases research agenda is augmented by WVU’s status as an NIH-funded Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). The department’s research infrastructure includes having positions for a Vice-Chair for Research, a Research Assistant Professor, and a Research Analyst, who can all assist Fellows with research when needed. The Medical Weight Management team has been active with publications, abstracts, and presentations. Fellows are also encouraged to participate in the Fellows Research Academy (FRA).

Dr. Haggerty is an NIH-funded investigator and has experience in mixed method study design, grant-writing, and practice-based research. She is on the Editorial Board for the Obesity Pillars Journal.

Medical Weight Management is a site for an ongoing clinical trial with Rhythm Pharmaceuticals: A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study: 5 Independent Substudies of Setmelanotide in Patients with POMC, PCSK1, LEPR, SRC1, SH2B1, and PCSK1 N221D Gene Defects in the Melanocortin-4 Receptor Pathway.

Publications:

• Davisson L, Moore K, Tabone L, Haggerty T. Building a medical-surgical obesity center: Updates and quality outcomes after five years. Bariatric Surgical Practice and Patient Care, 1/2025. PMID: 19396065.

• Haggerty T, Dekeseredy P, Bailey J, Cowher A, Baus A, Davisson L. Navigating Coverage: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Perceived Impact of an Insurance Company Policy to Discontinue Coverage of Anti-Obesity Medication. Obesity Pillars, 7/2024. PMID: 39161945.

• Anees A, Saeed Z, Kemper S, Haggerty T, Davisson L. Knowledge and Practices of Primary Care Residents in Managing Adult Patients with Obesity. J Gen Intern Med, 4/2024. PMID: 38671204.

• Haggerty T, Milligan S, Davisson L, Cavrak M, Imlay R, Sedney C. Significant Symptom Resolution of Spinal Lipomatosis with Weight Loss. Clin Case Rep. 2023;11:e7126. 9/8/2023.

• Davisson L, Haggerty TS, Tabone L, Imlay R, Eggleston E. Building a medical-surgical obesity center in an academic health system: Lessons learned*. Bariatric Surgical Practice and Patient Care. Epub 6/15/2023. Vol 18, number 2. Received Rosalind Franklin Society Award in Science.

• Haggerty TS, Sedney CL, Cowher A, Holland D, Davisson L, Dekeseredy P. Twitter and Communicating Stigma about Medications to Treat Obesity. Health Communication. Epub 11/13/2022. PMID: 36373192.

• Davisson L, Hernandez-Pachon MA, Haggerty TS. Primary care treatment of obesity in West Virginia: A needs assessment. Obesity Medicine. Volume 34. 9/2022.

• O’Kane CP, Avalon JC, Lacoste JL, Fang W, Bianco CM, Davisson L, Piechowski KL. Apixaban and rivaroxaban use for atrial fibrillation in patients with obesity and BMI ≥50 kg/m². Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy. 11/25/2021. PMID: 34820876. *2022-2023 Top 10 Cited Article

• Bays HE, McCarthy W, Burridge K, Tondt J, Karjoo S, Christensen S, Ng J, Golden A, Davisson L, Richardson L. Obesity Algorithm eBook, presented by the Obesity Medicine Association. 2021. www.obesityalgorithm.org.

• Davisson L, Hernandez-Pachon MA, Haggerty TS. Rural Obesity Medical Education for Primary Care in West Virginia: A Needs Assessment. WVMJ. Special issue 3/2021.

• Davisson L. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Metabolic Syndrome, & Obesity in Pregnancy, book chapter in Endocrine Diseases in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period. Dec 31, 2021, CRC Press.

• Bays HE, McCarthy W, Christensen S, Tondt J, Karjoo S, Davisson L, Ng J, Golden A, Burridge K, Conroy R, Wells S, Umashanker D, Afreen S, DeJesus R, Salter D, Shah N. Obesity Algorithm eBook, presented by the Obesity Medicine Association. 2020. www.obesityalgorithm.org.

• Davisson L, Sofka S. “Cleanse” detoxification diet program in Appalachia: Participant characteristics and perceived health effects. Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine. 2019 Sep 17. PMID: 31536033.

• Barr ML, Tabone L, Cox S, Brode C, Szoka N, Olfert IM, Davisson L, Olfert MD. Bariatric Surgery Outcomes in Appalachia Influenced by Surgery Type, Diabetes, and Depression. Obesity Surgery. 2019 Jan 6. PMID: 30613934.

• Grogg KA, Giacobbi Jr PR, Blair EK, Haggerty TS, Lilly CL, Winters CS, Kelley GA. Physical Activity Assessment and Promotion in Clinical Settings in the United States: A Scoping Review. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2022 Feb 27:08901171211051840.

• Haggerty t, Brabson L, Grogg KA, Herschell AD, Giacobbi P, Sedney C, Dino G. Usability Testing of an Electronic Health Application for Patient Activation on Weight Management. mHealth, 7/2021.

Presentations:

• Obesity Medicine Association National Meeting panel, Washington, D.C., Bridging the Gap: Building Seamless, Multidisciplinary Obesity Care Across the Lifespan, 2025
• Obesity Medicine Association National Meeting panel, Washington, D.C., Advocacy in Action: Real-Life Perspectives and Strategies Advocacy Panel, 2025
• ACP Annual Meeting lecture, New Orleans, LA, The Changing World of Obesity Management, 2025
• Society for General Internal Medicine workshop, Florida, Training Tomorrow’s Leaders: Building an Obesity Medicine Resident Track in Botoh Urban and Rural Settings, 2025
• Endocrinology Conference lecture, Morgantown, WV, Medical Management of Obesity, 2024
• Dr. Anthony DiBartolomeo Internal Medicine Conference lecture, Morgantown, WV, Medical Management of Obesity, 2024
• ACP IL Chapter educational webinar, Employer-sponsored insurance coverage of obesity treatment, 2024
• ACP WV Chapter Meeting Panel, Roanoke, WV, Obesity Medicine, 2023
• Obesity Medicine Association live webinar panel, Getting Obesity Medications Covered: A Primer in Patient Advocacy, 2023
• 2023 West Virginia Sleep Society Annual Conference | Organization: WV Sleep Society: Surgical and Medical Weight Loss for Sleep Apnea / Haggerty
• West Virginia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Conference & Expo (ACE) 2023 | Organization: West Virginia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Implementation of a Multidisciplinary Team Approach to Nutritional Counseling in a West Virginia Obesity Medicine Clinic | Haggerty, Shaw, DeChristopher, Haines
• University of Nevada Reno Medicine Grand Rounds (Virtual), Transforming Obesity Management, Sept. 2021
• Anthony DiBartolomeo Internal Medicine Conference, Morgantown, WV, Obesity Medicine: Facts vs. Fiction, Sept. 2018
• ACP WV Chapter Meeting, Roanoke, WV, Obesity Clinical Pearls, 2017
• Hal Wanger Family Medicine Conference, Morgantown, WV, Diets and Weight Loss Options, 2015
• Advance Practice Professional (APP) WVU Medicine Grand Rounds, Obesity Medicine, April 2022
• WVU Medicine Psychiatry Grand Rounds, Obesity Medicine, April 2022
• WVU WISH February Conference Series recognizing AHA’s Go Red for Women Initiative, Health effects of implicit weight bias & sleep quality: WVU Medical Weight Management’s role beyond weight loss, 2021
• WVU Internal Medicine Grand Rounds, Obesity Medicine: Building the Program During the COVID-19 Era, 2020
• WVU Culinary Medicine Summer Externship, WVU Eastern Campus, Obesity Medicine, 2019 and 2020

Abstracts:

• Surapaneni PK, Haggerty T, Davisson L. Recent Trends and Mortality Outcomes Among Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients with and without Severe Obesity. ACG. Oct 2022. Poster presentation
• Surapaneni PK, Elkins R, Davisson L. Bardet Biedl Syndrome: A rare genetic association with obesity. WV ACP. Nov 2022. Oral presentation
• Arvon J, Davisson L, Haggerty T. Inpatient management of obesity. WV ACP. Poster presentation (virtual Nov 2021) then selected for oral presentation (presented in person Jan 2022)
• Dekeseredy P, Haggerty T, Davisson L, Sedney CL. An Exploration of Twitter Discourse on Obesity Medicine. Thinking Qualitatively Conference (Virtual) July 2021. Poster presentation
• Cross A, Arvon J, Davisson L, Haggerty TS. Quality Improvement in Obesity Treatment: Visit Frequency as a Key Metric. WV ACP Nov 2020. (Virtual) Poster presentation
• Cross A, Arvon J, Davisson L, Haggerty TS. Describing the characteristics of patients who sought treatment in a multidisciplinary weight management clinic in West Virginia. Health meets Food: The Culinary Medicine Conference 2020. Poster presentation
• Hernandez-Pachon MA, Davisson L, Haggerty TS. Rural Obesity Medical Education for Primary Care in West Virginia: A Needs Assessment. Appalachian Translational Research Network’s Health Summit (Virtual). Sept 2020. Oral presentation
• Hernandez-Pachon MA, Davisson L, Haggerty TS. Rural Obesity Medical Education for Primary Care in West Virginia: A Needs Assessment. WV Nov ACP 2020. Poster presentation—1st place, advanced to national ACP
• Hernandez-Pachon MA, Davisson L, Haggerty TS. Rural Obesity Medical Education for Primary Care in West Virginia: A Needs Assessment. WV Rural Health Conference 2020. Poster presentation
• Davisson L, Yednock J, Harris B, Szoka N, Mcdonald M, Thompson J. Weight Bias Intervention in a Medicine Clerkship. AAIM Academic Internal Medicine Week, CDIM. April 2019. Poster presentation
• Kidd K, Davisson L, Murray P. Why do doctors object? Conscientious objection in reproductive medicine. NASPAG. April 2019. Poster presentation
• Kidd K, Jones KA, Davisson L, Murray P. Conscientious Objection by Primary Care Trainee & Faculty Physicians in an Appalachian Health Care System. SAHM. Mar 2019. Poster presentation