Research Team
Tyra Pendergrass Boomer, MEM
Tyra Pendergrass Boomer, MEM
Deputy Director, play2PREVENT Lab; Research Project Director, Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Tyra Pendergrass Boomer brings diverse educational and unique work experiences to the Center for Technology and Behavioral Health. Her passion lies at the intersection of the environment and human health. She received her Bachelors of Science in Biology from Howard University and her Masters of Environmental Management from Yale University. Tyra has over 15 years of experience with building community partnerships with diverse stakeholders and designing and overseeing large-randomized controlled trials to evaluate digital interventions. She is a former CT Health Leaders Fellow and Yale Advance Science Health Research Fellow.
In her free time, she loves traveling, spending time with her family, attending the theater, and exploring the outdoors. Her favorite video game is The Sims!
Selected Publications
- Boomer TP, Larkin K, Duncan LR, Fernandes CF, Fiellin LE. A serious video game targeting HIV testing and counseling: A randomized controlled trial. J Adolesc Health. 2023 Oct 6:S1054-139X(23)00426-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.08.016. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37815773. View Source
- Patel SV, Cance JD, Bonar EE, Carter PM, Dickerson DL, Fiellin LE, Fernandes CSF, Palimaru AI, Boomer TMP, Saldana L, Singh RR, Tinius E, Walton MA, Youn S, Young S, Philbrick S, Lambdin BH. Accelerating solutions for the overdose crisis: An effectiveness-implementation hybrid protocol for the HEAL Prevention Cooperative. Prev Sci. 2023 Oct;24(Suppl 1):40-49. doi: 10.1007/s11121-022-01465-2. PMID: 36399222; PMCID: PMC9673891. View Source
- Pendergrass Boomer TM, Hoerner LA, Fernandes CF, Maslar A, Aiudi S, Kyriakides TC, Fiellin LE. A digital health game to prevent opioid misuse and promote mental health in adolescents in school-based health settings: Protocol for the PlaySmart game randomized controlled trial. PLoS One. 2023 Sep 8;18(9):e0291298. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291298. PMID: 37683047; PMCID: PMC10490848. View Source
- Hieftje KD, Fernandes CF, Lin IH, Fiellin LE. Effectiveness of a web-based tobacco product use prevention videogame intervention on young adolescents' beliefs and knowledge. Subst Abus. 2019 Dec 11:1-7. doi: 10.1080/08897077.2019.1691128. PMID: 31825759. View Source
- Pendergrass TM, Hieftje K, Fiellin LE. Improving health outcomes and quality of life for African adolescents: The role of digital and mobile games. In: Eloff I. Handbook of Quality of Life in African Societies. Springer, Inc. View Source
- Pentz MA, Hieftje KD, Pendergrass TM, Brito SA, Liu M, Arora T, Tindle HA, Krishnan-Sarin S, Fiellin LE. A videogame intervention for tobacco product use prevention in adolescents. Addict Behav. 2019 Apr; 91:188-192.doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.11.016. PMID: 30477819. View Source
- Camenga DR, Fiellin LE, Pendergrass T, Miller E, Pentz MA, Hieftje K. Adolescents' perceptions of flavored tobacco products, including E-cigarettes: A qualitative study to inform FDA tobacco education efforts through videogames. Addict Behav. 2018 Jul;82:189-194. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.03.021. PMID: 29573891; PMCID: PMC6699146. View Source
- Pendergrass TM, Hieftje KD, Duncan LR, Arora T, Fiellin LE. A pilot intervention to encourage HIV testing and counseling among minority adolescents. In TechMindSociety '18: Proceedings of the Technology, Mind, and Society. 2018 April: Article 30, p.1. View Source
- Duncan LR, Hieftje KD, Pendergrass TM, Sawyer BG, Fiellin LE. Preliminary investigation of a videogame prototype for cigarette and marijuana prevention in adolescents. Subst Abus. 2018 March;39(3):275-279. doi: 10.1080/08897077.2018.1437862. PMID: 29425481; PMCID: PMC6085155. View Source
- Fiellin LE, Hieftje KD, Pendergrass TM, Kyriakides TC, Duncan LR, Dziura JD, Sawyer BG, Mayes L, Crusto CA, Forsyth BW, Fiellin DA. Video game intervention for sexual risk reduction in minority adolescents: Randomized controlled trial. J Med Internet Res. 2017;19(9):e314. PMCID: PMC5625130. View Source
- Fiellin LE, Kyriakides TC, Hieftje KD, Pendergrass TM, Duncan LR, Dziura JD, Sawyer BG, Fiellin DA. The design and implementation of a randomized controlled trial of a risk reduction and human immunodeficiency virus prevention videogame intervention in minority adolescents: PlayForward: Elm City Stories. Clin Trials. 2016 Aug;13(4):400-8. doi: 10.1177/1740774516637871. PMID: 27013483; PMCID: PMC4942329. View Source
- Pendergrass TM, Hieftje K, Crusto CA, Montanaro E, Fiellin LE. If we build it, will they come? A qualitative study of key stakeholder opinions on the implementation of a videogame intervention for risk reduction in adolescents. Games Health J. 2016 Aug;5(4):279-85. doi: 10.1089/g4h.2015.0092. PMID: 27336205; PMCID: PMC4991582. View Source