UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1339

Research Mentor Information
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Primary Research Mentor Name: Alayne (Laynie) Thompson
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns: she/her
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Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated): ajt24a@fsu.edu
Position Title: Graduate Student
Faculty Advisor Name: Robert Hickner
Faculty Advisor's FSU Email: rhickner@fsu.edu
FSU College (if applicable): Education, Health, and Human Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation: Health, Nutrition, and Food Sciences
Headshot (optional): https://cre.fsu.edu/system/files/webform/urop_project_proposal_portal/21291/Titan%20Headshot.jpeg

Additional Research Mentor(s)
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Overall Project Details
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Title of the Project: Impact of Exercise on Physiological and Psychological Indicators of Sleep Quality in Pre-Diabetic Postmenopausal Women. 
Project Keywords: Sleep, female, exercise
Are you currently looking for research assistants?: Yes
Number of Research Assistants Needed : 2
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s):
Open to all majors

Project Location:: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?: Yes
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s):: In-person
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work?: 5-8 hours
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work?: During business hours
Overall Research Project Description:
The objective of the study is to better understand the physiological and psychological effects of 6 weeks of either resistance or endurance training in postmenopausal women. Participants will engage in a six-week exercise program, attending three training sessions per week. Each participant will be assigned to either a resistance or endurance training group. Participants will receive an Oura Ring to track their sleep patterns, including time spent in REM, deep sleep, and light sleep. The Oura Ring will also track participants’ total sleep time, time in bed, efficiency of sleep, and sleep latency. These sleep measures will be taken during a baseline phase, as well as during the 6 weeks of training. During a baseline phase, cortisol and melatonin levels will be measured through saliva samples collected when participants first wake up in the morning and right before getting into bed. At the conclusion of the six-week period, saliva samples will be collected again in the morning and evening to assess changes in melatonin and cortisol levels. These samples will be analyzed using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kits in the laboratory. In addition to the sleep data and hormonal data, participants will complete the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) before and after the six-week exercise program to understand any changes in their vasomotor symptoms and possible discrepancies between their perceived sleep quality and the physiological sleep quality determined by the Oura Ring. There is still much to learn about women’s health, particularly during the menopausal years. The findings have the potential to inform effective symptom management strategies, ultimately improving sleep and overall quality of life for many individuals. 

Research Tasks:
Ideally, our UROP students would help with data collection, input, and analysis. This would include exporting survey data, helping transfer Oura data, as well as analyze the saliva samples. It would also be helpful if they could help with training of the participants. 

Skills that research assistant(s) may need::
Recommended skills: some Excel knowledge, familiarity with how ELISAs work 
Required: people skills 

Mentoring Philosophy:
My approach to research mentorship is centered on creating a lab environment where students feel supported, challenged, and genuinely part of the scientific process. I see active lab projects as the best way for students to learn—not just the technical skills, but how to think critically, troubleshoot, and see how small steps connect to larger research goals.

Because my own path has been shaped by the guidance of supportive mentors, I view mentorship as a reciprocal process: I learn as much from my students and colleagues as they do from me. I strive to provide individualized support by meeting students where they are, acknowledging diverse backgrounds and goals, and tailoring opportunities that align with their strengths and aspirations. Above all, as a mentor, I believe my role is to open doors, share resources, and model persistence.

In the lab, I emphasize hands-on involvement and make sure students understand why each step of a protocol matters. When experiments don’t go as planned, I encourage them to view it as part of the process rather than failure. Learning how to adapt, reflect, and problem-solve is just as important as generating clean data.

Above all, I want the lab to be an inclusive space where every student feels valued. By modeling persistence, curiosity, and integrity, I aim to help them leave with the confidence and skills to contribute meaningfully to science.


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Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable?: No
Roundtable times and Zoom links:
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UROP Program Elements
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Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication: Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation: Yes
Materials Grant: Yes
UROP Poster Presentation: Yes
Faculty Advisor Confirmation: Yes

Are you interested in attending in a UROP Research Mentor Workshop Series?: {Empty}
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Year: 2025
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