A NEW ADDITION TO OUR PSYCHOLOGY FACULTY TEAM!

Dr. Katherine Kane joined the Roanoke College Psychology department in 2025 and we can’t wait to see how she excels our program!

Educational Journey/Interest in Psych/Research Interests:

Dr. Kane completed her undergraduate education at the University of Virginia (UVA), where she had the opportunity to take a course on the Psychology of Aging taught by Dr. Tim Salthouse. Dr. Salthouse is known for his research on cognitive changes associated with aging, particularly in processing speed. This course ignited Dr. Kane’s interest in geropsychology and inspired her to pursue research in the field. During class, Dr. Salthouse invited students to volunteer, which led Dr. Kane to work in his Cognitive Aging Lab for a couple of years.

She earned a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Boston College, where she completed a practicum in Neuropsychology at the Boston VA Healthcare System (VAHCS). Dr. Kane realized she wanted to specialize in testing, so she shifted her focus to Clinical Psychology and obtained her doctorate from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), where she combined her interests in geropsychology and neuropsychology.

Dr. Kane completed her internship in Neuropsychology, followed by a two-year fellowship in the same field. She has independently practiced in various VA settings for over 11 years and is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist. Since 2017, she has also been teaching primarily at the undergraduate level as a side gig.

Courses She Is Interested In Teaching:

INQ260 (Psychology in Media), Abnormal Psych, Geropsychology, and Neuropsychology, and she hopes to teach other courses!

Her Outside Interests Include:

Dr. Kane’s interests include keeping up with my family, sports photography (primarily of my kids’ sports), running, reading, and volunteering at school events, community organizations, and the firehouse.

When you see her, don’t be shy, say hi!

Get Connected!

Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

Instagram: rcpsychology

NEW RESEARCH PUBLISHED!

We are excited to share the news- our very own, Dr. Kennedy-Metz, has contributed to research in a newly published academic journal. The collaborative work is entitled, “Delivery of oxygen during cardiopulmonary bypass and associated clinical outcomes among adult cardiac surgery patients: A systematic review”. We are so proud to have her on our team! You can read her publication on Sage Journals, here is the link to access it, or read the abstract below.

Abstract

Purpose

Oxygen delivery (DO2) during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is critical in preventing postoperative complications in adult cardiac surgery. This systematic review aimed to assess the relationship between intraoperative DO2 during CPB, particularly within Goal-directed Perfusion (GDP) strategies, and associated clinical outcomes.

Methods

A systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, PROSPERO, and Cochrane was conducted from database inception through December 2024, adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Studies reported intraoperative DO2 measurements and their relationship with clinical outcomes among adults undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers.

Results

Thirty-nine studies (71,050 patients) were included, with acute kidney injury (AKI) being the most frequently studied outcome (84.6% of studies). A consistent association was found between lower intraoperative DO2 and increased risk of AKI, intraoperative lactate elevations, and prolonged mechanical ventilation. Five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrated that maintaining DO2 levels, indexed to body surface area (iDO2), above a threshold of 270–300 mL/min/m2 significantly reduced the risk of postoperative AKI. However, evidence linking DO2 management directly to reductions in mortality or neurologic complications remains limited, as well as studies reporting compliance with GDP strategies.

Conclusion

Maintaining adequate iDO2 during CPB significantly reduces postoperative complications, especially AKI. These findings underscore the clinical relevance of GDP strategies, highlighting the importance of individualized perfusion management to optimize outcomes. Further large-scale RCTs are needed to confirm these benefits, standardize specific iDO2 threshold levels that are beneficial, and to explore strategies that impact mortality and neurologic outcomes, as well as investigate the role that temperature management plays in DO2 threshold determination.

Get Connected!

Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

Instagram: rcpsychology