Lisa Shah

Lisa Shah, Ph.D., RN, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Health Nursing at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Nursing. Her work focuses on enhancing family communication of genetic and health information to improve outcomes for heritable cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. She holds a B.S. in Biology from Iowa State University, a B.S.N. from Creighton University, an M.S.N. from the University of Iowa, and a Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Iowa. Her post-doctoral training was at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing.

Dr. Shah’s research emphasizes the critical role of familial networks in managing genetic risks, particularly in under-resourced populations. She investigates barriers to effective communication of genetic risks for conditions like hereditary cardiomyopathies and type 2 diabetes. Her work bridges clinical practice and public health, aiming to develop scalable interventions for familial health management.

Teaching priorities include fostering inclusive learning environments and mentorship of nursing students across undergraduate and graduate programs. She is affiliated with the Biobehavioral Research Laboratory and Langston Center for Innovation in Quality and Safety at VCU, contributing to interdisciplinary projects.

Her funded grants include studies on genetic risk communication for hereditary breast-ovarian cancer (European Oncology Nursing Society, $43K) and sudden cardiac death (NINR F31 grant, $66K). Dr. Shah is an active member of professional societies such as the International Society of Nurses in Genetics and the American Heart Association.