PCOM Enters a New Era of Research Growth and Innovation
Field Notes
August 25, 2026
By Kristen Hopf
PCOM’s research efforts are expanding through inter-disciplinary collaboration, clinical innovation and student engagement—advancing discoveries that strengthen patient-centered, whole-person care.
Michelle Lent, PhD, has stepped into a permanent leadership role at PCOM as chief research and science officer. For Dr. Lent, the appointment comes as the College’s research enterprise continues to expand in scope and visibility.
Her path to the role reflects a longstanding interest in the connection between behavior and health. Before academia, Dr. Lent worked in pharmaceutical communications and later built a career in behavioral medicine and obesity research. She joined PCOM in 2017 as an associate professor in the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) program, attracted by opportunities to help expand research alongside students and faculty investigators.
Since then, research at PCOM has grown through interdisciplinary collaboration, grant-supported projects and increasing student involvement.
“I see this as a pivotal moment for PCOM research,” Dr. Lent said. “We have the opportunity to broaden the scope, visibility and impact of our work while translating discoveries into meaningful improvements in care.”
Dr. Lent’s priorities include strengthening research infrastructure, expanding external funding opportunities and increasing participation in high-impact research. She also highlighted the role of PCOM’s library in supporting publication efforts and evidence-based patient care.
Several specialized research centers are helping drive that growth. The Pathobiome Research Center brings together investigators studying how microbes may contribute to chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s. PCOM’s Memory Center combines expertise across neuroscience, medicine and psychology to advance patient care and dementia-related research.
Over $20 Million in external research funding supports PCOM investigators and advances discoveries that strengthen patient care and research training.
She also sees significant growth potential through clinical research conducted within PCOM’s Healthcare Centers as trials increasingly move into community-based clinical settings. Expanding these trials at PCOM could increase patient access to emerging therapies while creating new research opportunities for clinician-scientists, students and residents.
Among the areas of particular excitement for Dr. Lent is PCOM’s medical cannabis research program. Through partnerships in Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Research Program, PCOM faculty and students have participated in studies examining medical cannabis on patient functioning. Recent federal reclassification efforts could further expand biomedical and clinical research opportunities.
Students and residents remain central to PCOM’s research. In addition to contributing to faculty-led projects, many present findings at conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Lent hopes continued growth in funding and infrastructure will create more opportunities for students to move beyond case studies and participate in original research that helps shape clinical practice.
“Research is central to our mission,” Dr. Lent said. “Everything we teach and everything we do as clinicians is grounded in evidence-based care. I want our students to be not only consumers of research, but producers of it as well.”