(inspirational music)
-: Good afternoon.
I am Dr. Jennifer Larsen,
the Vice Chancellor for Research at UNMC.
Welcome to the 2021 Distinguished Scientist Award ceremony.
I know we are now in 2022
but the ceremony is named and the awards are considered
based on the last academic year, in this case 2021.
As you can see, we have a full program for you today
as we gather to celebrate research
and our researchers' achievements. But first I'll provide
an overview of our research enterprise
including the highlights of the last year.
I always like to start with our mission statement.
"To lead the word in transforming lives
to create a healthy future for all individuals
and communities through premier educational programs,
innovative research and extraordinary patient care."
At UNMC, like most academic health centers,
education, research and clinical care
are equally important and often intertwined.
Researchers are actively involved in teaching
the next generation of researchers
as well as our future health-care providers.
So they are prepared to understand
or even participate in research as many do.
To provide the best health care of the future.
UNMC's three overarching goals for research
are to lead globally-recognized research programs,
to improve the health of Nebraska and beyond
and to drive the Nebraska economy with jobs,
new revenues and by attracting businesses
and new people to the state.
But we do not work alone.
UNMC has many partners.
Nebraska Medicine being our primary clinical partner
as well as Children's Hospital & Medical Center
and Nebraska-Western Iowa VA Health System.
We are part of the State of Nebraska
but also work with many state departments
in many ways as well and we collaborate
with many, many individuals and groups,
industries, universities and organizations in Nebraska,
across the country and around the world.
Our strategic research planning areas
are shown on this figure.
They are intentionally drawn to show
how they often overlap from cancer to infectious diseases,
transplantation, heart and vascular diseases
including their contributing risk factors like diabetes
and high blood pressure and neuroscience.
Drug discovery and biotechnology development
overlap with all these categories and so does our work
to promote health and reduce health disparities
of all kinds.
One way we look at how we are doing
is the strength of our research funding.
As you can see we set a new record
for sponsored project awards at $228 million
which is mostly research but also includes
some public health projects
which are not always classified as research
but often lead to research nonetheless,
and research awards were the second-highest ever
at $163.9 million despite the pandemic.
This graph also shows the steady increase in funding
all of us have received over the last 10 years
and particularly the last five.
But we have even more things to celebrate.
Some rankings are based on research expenditures
where we also set a new record at $178 million.
And certain grants are signature grants for our campus.
We were scheduled and did renew
our three largest grants this last year.
The Great Plains IDeA-CTR led by Dr. Matt Rizzo
that develops clinical translational research
and researchers.
The Cancer Center Support Grant
led by Dr. Ken Cowan that increased 14%
during this last cycle and the INBRE grant
led by Dr. Paul Sorgen that supports the infrastructure
and the development of undergraduates from across the state
and to the next generation of biomedical researchers
and health-related careers.
Together, UNMC faculty and students published many papers
including many in the highest-profile journals
this last year as well.
As we celebrated earlier this month
at this year's Innovation Award ceremony,
innovation and research go hand-in-hand.
This last year we grew our intellectual property
with 105 new invention notices,
159 patents were filed and 81 were issued.
We have 19 licenses and 117 active licenses.
40 products are on the market and seven new startups
started this last year.
To show you how much research and innovation
go hand-in-hand,
you will see this UNeMed logo on the slides
introducing awardees who have collaborated in
one or more new invention notice, patent,
license or business startup.
We're also excited for UNeMed and UNeTech's new digs,
perhaps just a hole in the ground right now
but their new headquarters will help grow
regional small businesses as well as UNMC technologies.
Other important accomplishments of this last year were that
using safety protocols,
we were able to keep people safe
while they were conducting their research.
Whether in laboratories or the clinic
or the hospital and we responded quickly
to create a space to conduct outpatient COVID treatment
and vaccine trials.
We also expanded our bio-safety level three space
to be able to study SARS-CoV-2,
that's the virus that causes COVID.
And UNMC was among the largest recruiters into COVID trials
because research was prioritized alongside clinical care.
Our landscape is always changing
and one of those new features is the new MMI building,
the Munroe-Meyer Institute,
which includes a virtual reality research suite.
Williams Science Hall got a facelift
as well as providing a hub for student services
and a needed renovation of the laboratories inside.
Some of the initiatives that are in progress
include streamlining the startup of clinical trials,
collaborating to expand diverse participation
in clinical trials,
expanding the pipeline for research jobs of the future,
improving strategies to test and launch
mobile and e-health technologies to address rural
and other health disparities
and creating a portfolio of training videos
describing research principles, strategies and resources
on Canvas.
Throughout everything that is going on,
we all need to remember that diversity is our strength.
Diverse perspectives and approaches
are needed to solve many complex problems.
Diversity is our goal,
we already represent many races, ethnicities,
cultures and countries.
We come from rural and urban settings
and in research it's important
that our workforce continues to match
the diversity of our communities.
And all of us are needed to create an environment
that is welcoming to all, to listen and learn
and help each other.
And now Dr. Gold, Chancellor of UNMC,
please if you would give your welcome and your remarks.
-: Thank you Dr. Larsen for the opportunity
to congratulate not only our award winners
but also all who have contributed
to the ongoing success of our research programs
here at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
The work that each of you do is changing lives every day
in Nebraska and across the world.
Every new medicine,
every new procedure or new tool in healthcare
is a product of discovery and innovation
in a medical research lab or as a result of a clinical trial
and we are making our mark as significant players.
Whether it's the myriad of trials and new devices,
technology, tests, et cetera, in the area of COVID
or it's the far-leading research that we have
in pancreatic cancer, Parkinson's disease
and so many other areas.
I am especially proud of the accomplishments
that we've had since the start of this pandemic
in multiple areas.
These include, of course, record research expenditures,
the renewal of significant grants
and the growth in the transfer of our intellectual property
and commercialization.
And I am unquestionably optimistic
about the future of research and innovation
here at the Med Center.
Take Project NExT for instance.
The largest public-private project ever under consideration
by the state of Nebraska.
That will not only transform
the clinical enterprises that serve us,
the education and the research programs
but be a foundational element for a new generation
of health security.
So now it is my pleasure
to turn the program back to Dr. Jennifer Larsen
to introduce our 2021 honorees.
-: Thank you Dr. Gold as aways for your insights.
And now for the awards.
Today we'll be presenting five types of awards,
the Community Service to Research award
recognizes members of our community
who have made important contributions to research.
The New Investigator award recognizes researchers
who are not new to research
but received their first major independent,
national research funding during this last year.
Distinguished Scientists are selected by the Deans
and Directors from those nominated
based on their body of work including funding,
publications and collaborations.
The Research Leadership award
also has to be nominated from past Distinguished Scientists
and selected based on their metrics
of sustained research and leadership roles.
Finally the Scientist Laureate award.
This award is UNMC's highest award for research.
Nominees must have been on faculty
for at least the last five years,
highly funded and nationally
and internationally recognized.
We're going to start
with the Community Service to Research awards.
Community members are essential to research
in many ways as supporters, promoters, recruiters,
disseminators, facilitators, reviewers and collaborators.
They often validate the importance of the project
and the research as a whole to the community.
Because of the pandemic we did not present this award
last year so today we will present two.
I will now bring in our two awardees and their nominators
to join us for this portion of the program.
Our first awardee, in alphabetical order,
is Reverend Portia Cavitt,
pastor of Clair Memorial United Methodist Church.
She is well-known to many
and her nominators Dr. Jasmine Marcelin
and Dr. Keyonna King will be speaking of her contributions,
both to research and public health.
First, Dr. King.
-: Thank you.
Affectionately known as Pastor P in the community
she has led efforts to have COVID testing
and vaccine sites placed in North Omaha,
in partnership with Douglas County Health Department
and she has also been a stellar example of a servant leader
as she continues her ministry
through service of her Clair's Cares Food Pantry
and her vegetable garden, among other activities.
Pastor P has also collaborated
with other community partners on an R01 grant
to address obesity in Black residents during the pandemic.
She has also secured CARES funding
from the Douglas County Health Department
to distribute masks, hand sanitizers, grocery items,
community resources, and collect survey data
to further understand the needs during the pandemic.
I cannot think of a better person
and more deserving of this recognition than Pastor P.
Her dedication to her community
and collaboration with UNMC is unparalleled
and she has been a pivotal stakeholder
in bringing other important community members
into collaboration with UNMC.
-: Dr. Marcelin.
-: Thank you, I am pleased to see Pastor Portia Cavitt
receive this award.
So this award honors community members
or health practitioners, public leaders
who've demonstrated this record of service
to UNMC's research mission,
and Pastor Portia has this record
of collaboration with investigators at our center
for reducing health disparities
and also the work that she's doing in the community.
I first met Pastor Cavitt last summer.
We served on a search committee
for the inaugural Associate Dean
for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Together
and she immediately struck me as a person
who was unapologetically authentic,
fiercely protective of the people of North Omaha
who she serves
and her input in that committee was so valuable.
We made a lot of great ground and decisions
based on input that she had
and it was very clear to me that she had a vision
for how this collaboration between the community
and the university would make it better
for all of those of us
who live and work in this community.
She's been co-leading this collaborative
of health-care workers and community members
with myself since March 2021 and you know,
my fondest memory of Pastor Cavitt
was watching her at the Board of Health meeting
back in March, February, March 2021 when she was asking,
"Where are the vaccines for the members
of the North Omaha community?"
And it was this advocacy that led to these collaborations
that we developed
to be able to bring vaccines to the community.
So when I think about who is at,
who is most deserving of this award,
Pastor Cavitt, Pastor P, Pastor Portia,
you are the person and I am so proud to be
even rotating in your orbit at this time
and thank you for the time that I have had a chance
to be with you.
-: Well truly I am honored and touched for this nomination.
It has meant so much to me to be able to partner with
the University of Nebraska Med Center
and especially the doctors that nominated me.
But as a community,
as a whole, in the midst of this pandemic
and other pandemics that we have faced,
being a minority community that we have to make sure
that we are taking care of the people and to be seen
for the work that I've done,
just speaking on behalf of the people,
being a prophetic leader at this time
to raise awareness and to make sure
that we are taking care of all people.
I am in deeply honored and research can't go on
unless you hear from the people.
We have to make sure that we are listening
and meeting their needs
and not just doing what we think is best for people.
So I am truly grateful
for the University of Nebraska Medical Center
for listening and hearing and wanting to collaborate
and work together to meet the needs
of the residents of metropolitan Omaha.
-: Thank you very much
to both nominators and you, Reverend Portia.
Our second awardee is Kathy Karsting.
She's the Program Director
for Maternal, Child, Adolescent and School Health
for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
She was nominated by Dr. Dejun Su
in the College of Public Health who will speak now
to how she was actively involved in research
with the College of Public Health over the last 10 years.
Dr. Su.
-: Thank you Dr. Larsen.
It was my honor to nominate our long-term community partner,
Miss Kathy Karsting, for this year's
UNMC Community Service to Research Award.
Miss Karsting currently serves as the Program Manager
from Lifespan Health Services Unit
at the Division of Public Health
at Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
During the past decade,
I have worked closely with Miss Karsting
in two federal grants
including the Nebraska Partnership
for Mental Healthcare Access in Pediatrics
and the Nebraska Maternal and Child Health Services
Title V Block Grant.
Based on the rich data collected from these projects,
Miss Karsting and our team
at the Center for Reducing Health Disparities
at the College of Public Health at UNMC
worked closely with each other to develop
and release a series of impactful,
widely circulated health reports.
Miss Karsting is a visionary and committed leader.
Her partnership with us has made it possible
for us to adopt a data-driven approach
empowering health agencies, communities, families,
schools and Nebraska data chairs
to develop evidence-based strategies
for promoting maternal and child health in our state.
We're also very impressed by Miss Karsting's commanding use
of a health equity lens in guiding the projects
in which we have collaborated over the years.
Her emphasis on purposeful engagement with
and oversampling of healthcare providers,
communities and their families
from underserved and underrepresented communities
as well as her expertise in developing culturally,
linguistically and age-appropriate programs
serving diverse groups of children
has played a key role of the whole project team
to address inequities in mental healthcare access
for children in Nebraska during this very tough time
as we know.
So in recognition of these successes I'm really grateful
that UNMC has decided to give
this year's Community Service to Research Award
to Miss Kathy Karsting.
Congratulations again Kathy, well-deserved award
and thank you for your years of trust,
guidance and support to our Center
and the work we are doing here.
We look forward to working with you the years ahead.
-: Thank you so much Dr. Su for the honor
and others, of course, for this wonderful honor.
It is truly a wonderful award
and shall I say somewhat out of my usual wheelhouse
in the respect
that so often I am in pubic health practice circles
and maternal child health circles.
However, I agree with Dr. Su
that one of the more fruitful areas
of my professional experience over the past decade
has been in the work that we've done together.
As I contemplated this award,
truly it returned to me a time and again
that the award is not about me
but about the work products that Dr. Su has developed
and produced out of his office.
Yes, through our partnership
but more perhaps even the synergy in the sense
that from the start I think Dr. Su and I recognized
a common purpose and passion for maternal and child health
and recognizing that our future lies
in the well-being of women, children and families.
We also share a recognition that racism
and hate hurt every child
and diminish the future for all of us
and that if maternal and child health professionals
are truly equipped to address these topics
that we must address for once and for all,
we must have the right information.
The information that really helps honor the lived experience
of all people and it's not selective about the lens.
So in working with Dr. Su, I just have valued so much
his willingness,
not only to authentically seek out the voices of families
who perhaps are among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable,
helping inform our understanding of them.
Also respectfully lifting up their lived experience
and also bringing the scientifically sound framework
to this work that makes it credible and relevant
and valid and actionable to so many partners.
I particularly want to commend Dr. Su for his willingness
in some of our most recent work,
trying to describe the perspective of families
about the mental well-being of their children
during the pandemic and Dr. Su's willingness
not only to seek out the voices of diverse families
but to welcome families in even developing the survey
and also in seeking out diverse families to be a part of it.
It's really been quite a wonderful experience
to work with the Center for Reducing Health Disparities
and with Dr. Su's leadership.
Again, I look forward to years ahead
of continuing to really discover
how we may best bring public health to the fore
to address disparities and lift up all families.
So thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity
and again the honor of this terrific award, thank you.
-: Yes, and thank you, Dr. Su, for nominating her
and thank you Kathy Karsting.
And now if Dr. Su and others,
if you want to raise your hands with me
to congratulate both of these outstanding award recipients.
We really thank you both, thank you.
(group applauds)
We will now present the New Investigator Awards
in alphabetical order.
On the slides of all the awardees as we mentioned earlier,
you'll see the emblem of UNeMed on their slide
if they have contributed to a new invention notice,
patent, licensed technology or startup.
The first New Investigator is Jana Broadhurst.
Assistant Professor at College of Medicine,
Department of Pathology and Microbiology
who received DOD funding to verify and validate
COVID-related testing.
Note the UNeMed symbol on her slide.
Liliana Bronner,
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine.
Miss Bronner received an NIH award
to support the development of the Native American research.
Shannon Buckley,
Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy.
Dr. Buckley was funded to study
how specific mutations may lead
to the initiation of lymphoma.
John Dickinson, Internal Medicine,
Pulmonary and Critical Care.
Dr. Dickinson's R01 grant
is focused on what mechanisms regulate
the secretion of mucus.
It's important for our normal airways
and altered in some diseases like cystic fibrosis.
Separately, he's part of a team working to evaluate
and understand Long COVID Syndrome.
Diane Ehlers, Department of Neurologic Sciences.
Dr. Ehlers' R01 studies the role and importance
of physical activity that might enhance cognitive function
of breast cancer survivors.
Palsamy Periyasamy, Pharmacology
and Experimental Neuroscience.
Dr. Periyasamy received an R01 to study how drugs of abuse
might affect or impact the role of inflammation
in the development of HIV-associated neurologic disease.
Abbie Raikes, College of Public Health,
Department of Health Promotion.
Dr. Raikes, NSF, National Science Foundation award
will test a sensor-based system
to remotely evaluate childcare settings
without compromising privacy.
Karuna Rasineni.
College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine GI.
Dr. Rasineni's R01 is focused on how alcohol directs signals
that promote the development of fatty liver.
Chris Shaffer, Associate Professor
and Associate Dean in College of Pharmacy
and Director of Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology program.
Dr. Shaffer's NIH award proposes to study
the pharmacology of intranasal oxytocin
and how it impacts youth with known irritability.
Susmita Sil, College of Medicine,
Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.
Dr. Sil's R01 grant
will study a potential therapeutic target
for the Alzheimer's-like features
of HIV-associated neurologic disease.
And Michael Wiley, College of Public Health,
Department of Environmental, Agricultural
and Occupational Health.
Dr. Wiley's CDC grant is focused on studying the evolution
of SARS-CoV-2 and its spread
through Nebraska and surroundings states.
Next I will present this year's Distinguished Scientists.
In alphabetical order.
Again, with innovations noted with the UNeMed symbol.
First Laura Bilek, Associate Professor
and Associate Dean for Research,
College of Allied Health.
Dr. Bilek studies exercise and how it improves health
and healthy aging.
Rebekah Gundry, Professor and Vice Chair,
Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology
in the College of Medicine.
Studies the proteins and other molecules in heart muscle
and how they change,
particularly with heart failure.
Peter Mannon, Professor in Chief,
GI, Hepatology and the Department of Internal Medicine.
Dr. Mannon's research is focused on the role
of the gut microbiome and health and disease
with a particular focus on inflammatory bowel disease.
Roslyn Mannon,
Professor and Vice Chair in
the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology.
Dr. Mannon's research is focused on mechanisms of
and strategies to prevent failure of kidney transplant
as well as how to best monitor the function of the graft.
Russell McCullough, Department of Pediatrics,
Division of Hospital Medicine.
Dr. McCullough is the Site Director
for the NIH-funded Nebraska Pediatric Clinical Trial Unit
which is part of the NIH-funded
Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes,
sometimes called ECHO for short.
Pediatric Clinical Trials Network
and conducts a broad portfolio of infectious disease
and other trials in children and adults.
DJ Murry, College of Pharmacy,
Department of Pharmacy Practice.
Dr. Murry is focused on understanding
the metabolism of drugs,
particularly the therapeutics focused on infectious diseases
or cancer.
Aimin Peng, Associate Professor College of Dentistry,
Department of Oral Biology.
Dr. Peng's research is focused on
understanding how cells respond to DNA damage
as well as the repair mechanism
and what then may lead to new cancers.
Moorthy Ponnusamy, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Dr. Ponnusamy's research focuses on the role
of cancer stem cells in cancer metastasis,
particularly pancreatic cancer.
Prakash Radhakrishnan,
Dr. Radhakrishnan studies pancreatic cancer.
Including what drives it and trying to identify
potential new therapeutics that can block it.
Josh Santarpia, Professor and Research Director
for the University of Nebraska's DOD-funded
National Strategic Research Institute, NSRI.
And in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology,
College of Medicine.
His largely DOD-funded research concerns how viral
and other aerosols cause disease like COVID-19
as well as developing effective countermeasures.
Paul Trippier, Associate Professor
in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
College of Pharmacy.
Dr. Trippier hunts for new small molecules
to be developed into drugs
that are even more effective against cancer,
neurologic diseases or other diseases.
And our last distinguished scientist
is Matthew, Matt Zimmerman.
Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology.
Dr. Zimmerman measures and conducts studies
on how free radicals that are generated
by heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure
contribute to heart or vascular disease.
Including how to modify them before they do.
And the next category of awards
are the Research Leadership Awards.
We have two this year in alphabetical order.
First Risto Rautiainen, Professor College of Public Health
in the Department of Environmental, Agricultural
and Occupational Health.
Dr. R for short established and administers
the NIOSH-funded Central States Center
for Agricultural Safety in Health
working collaboratively with rural businesses
and community groups across seven states,
in addition to his own research aimed at strategies
to prevent injuries and improve safety
for agricultural workers.
Polina Scherbakova, Professor Eppley Institute.
Dr. Scherbakova has had a longterm focus
on how DNA mutations can cause cells to go rogue
in a way that leads to cancer.
As well as being an active research mentor
and collaborator.
And today we're presenting a special award.
An Honorary Scientist Laureate Award
to Dr. Courtney Fletcher.
Former Dean, College of Pharmacy.
Although many of our Deans and Directors
have active research programs,
they are ineligible for UNMC's research awards
since they help select the awardees.
Now that Dr. Fletcher has stepped down
from his leadership position,
we are presenting this honorary award
to recognize his national stature
in pediatric pharmacogenomics.
Dr. Fletcher has been continually funded by NIH since 1987,
receiving more than $14 million as a principal investigator
and nearly $62 million as a co-investigator.
Quoting Dean Keith Olsen,
"In my estimation,
"Dr. Fletcher is considered among the top pharmacist
"HIV scientists in the world
"and one of five top research funded pharmacists
"over the last 50 years.
"He has pioneered our understanding
"of the clinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetics
"and pharmacogenomics of HIV antiviral therapies.
Dr. Fletcher, please accept
this Honorary Scientist Laureate Award in recognition,
not only of your own research contributions
but the role you played while Dean
in growing research in the College of Pharmacy as well.
While this may sound a little bit
like a lifetime achievement award,
this does not mean that we expect you
to stop doing research any time soon. Congratulations.
And before we introduce this year's Scientist Laureate,
each of the Deans and Directors will say a few words.
-: Good afternoon, my name is Juliann Sebastian.
I have the great privilege of serving as the Dean
of the College of Nursing here at UNMC
and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate
each of the UNMC Research Award recipients.
The New Investigators, Distinguished Scientist,
Scientist Laureate and Research Leadership Awards
and prestigious recognitions of the critical work
UNMC scientists are doing.
We could only meet our mission of transforming lives
by generating impactful and insightful new science
to inform our educational programs, clinical care,
public health and health service delivery.
Understanding how socia determinants of health
influence health and how they can be changed
to create environments in which good health is fostered
in an equitable way for all is critical to the future.
Optimizing our knowledge of the biologic
and psychologic bases of health, illness, symptoms
and risk for injury is part of the contributions
that scientists make to ensure a healthy future.
Scientists in the College of Nursing
focus heavily on building a better understanding
of self-management and symptom science
and on promoting health and managing chronic illness.
I am so proud of the work each of them is doing as well.
Thank you to each of you and congratulations
for your creative and novel work
and the amazing scientific teams you have built.
And I want to thank all of the scientists
who may not be recognized today
but whose work is moving the frontiers of knowledge forward.
-: Good afternoon.
I want to offer my congratulations
to all of the 2021 Distinguished Scientist awardees.
Thank you for your scientific leadership
and your breakthrough research.
Not just for our communities
but for the nation and the world.
You showcase our commitment to lead the world
in everything we do.
I am Dean Khan of the College of Public Health.
I also want to personally congratulate
three of our own college's scientists
amongst this illustrious group.
Your achievements are a testament to ambition
and perseverance despite a global pandemic
and if I may say, your drive and passion
are quite infectious.
Congratulations to all of the awardees
on your service and I wish you many more years
of a productive research career.
-: I'm Ken Cowan, Director of the Eppley Institute
and Director and Physician in Chief
of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.
UNMC is a vibrant institution
strengthened by its commitment to research in many areas,
including cancer research.
Fostered by strong interdisciplinary collaborations
across the university and with many other institutions.
The Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer,
established at UNMC in 1960
under the leadership of its founding director,
Dr. Henry Lemon,
first led the effort
to achieve NCI Cancer Center designation in 1984.
The recent successful renewal of our Cancer Center grant
results in 40 years of continuous funding
for the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.
The only NCI-designated cancer center in Nebraska.
The 28 faculty members in the Eppley Institute
are actively engaged in research to better understand
the drivers of cancer, to improve methods of diagnosis
and early detection of cancer
and to develop innovative therapies
for the treatment and prevention of cancer.
The Eppley Institute is also home
to the NIH-funded Nebraska Center
for Molecular Target Discovery and Development,
the NCI-funded Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium
and the UNMC Cancer Research Doctoral Program.
This graduate program which is currently training
45 students to become the future leaders of cancer research
is supported by two federally-funded training grants
led by Eppley faculty.
The NCI-funded Cancer Biology Training Program
and the Graduate Training Program
in Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics
funded by DOE.
I want to extend my sincere congratulations
and deepest gratitude to two important faculty members
in the Eppley Institute
who are receiving special recognition today.
Dr. Prakash Radhakrishnan,
Associate Professor in the Eppley Institute,
is receiving the UNMC Distinguished Scientist Award
for his outstanding research
in pancreatic cancer initiation and metastasis.
And Dr. Polina Scherbakova,
Professor in the Eppley Institute
and an internationally-recognized leader
in DNA replication and genome instability in cancer.
Is receiving the UNMC Research Leadership Award.
Prakash and Polina have extremely
impressive research careers,
work collegially and collaboratively
with many investigators across the university
and with many other institutions
and are actively training the next generation leaders
in cancer research.
They both bring passion, dedication and innovation
to the Eppley Institute and to UNMC every day,
even during the pandemic.
Thank you very much.
-: I am Janet Guthmiller,
Dean of the College of Dentistry.
Today is an important celebration
to honor the many people across our campus
for their remarkable work in research innovation
and discovery.
Research is a cornerstone of our university
and it is fundamental to our programs and to our future.
Our research helps us better understand
the diseases we encounter
and ultimately use that knowledge
to provide better care to our patients.
I congratulate all of the awardees today
and I'd like to give special recognition
to Dr. Aimin Peng in our college
who is a recipient of a Distinguished Scientist Award
for his crucial work in DNA damage
and cancer therapy and finding therapies
to improve cancer treatment.
I also want to recognize all of our faculty,
staff and students
who are conducting innovative oral health research
and educational research at the College of Dentistry.
We are looking forward to celebrating your important work
and discoveries at our research day later this month.
-: Hi, my name is Karoly Mirnics
and I have the pleasure and privilege
to serve as the Director of the Monroe-Meyer Institute.
Research advances the world
and ultimately changes the lives of our patients.
The quest for knowledge is essential
and this is what makes us one of the premier universities
of the country and the world.
We have a group of amazing scientists at UNMC
and we celebrate the best of the best today.
Congratulation to all of you
on this very much deserved award
and thank you for your hard work,
visionary approaches and remarkable achievements.
-: Hello I'm Kyle Meyer,
Dean of the College of Allied Health Professions.
It's my privilege to join you today
to honor UNMC's Distinguished Scientists.
Our College's research enterprises continue to expand
in collaboration with researchers across UNMC
and the University system.
Broadly, our researchers are studying the application
of team science to group healthcare delivery.
The impact of exercise and nutrition
on musculoskeletal health and cancer outcomes
and the use of mobile technology to assess physical function
and activities in individuals living
with chronic health conditions.
We are also working to strengthen
our research infrastructure.
We're about to embark on a total renovation
of the Clinical Research Space
in the Student Life Center
and also looking forward to welcoming
a new Assistant Dean for Research,
a nationally-known expert in the prevention
and treatment of osteoarthritis.
These current accomplishments
and the vision for research development are the result
of the dedication and commitment
of the tremendous group of researchers in our college.
Led by our Associate Dean for Research, Dr. Laura Bilek,
who is being recognized today
as one of UNMC's Distinguished Scientists.
On behalf of the College of Allied Health Professions,
I extend my congratulations to Dr. Bilek,
the other Distinguished Scientists and new investigators
and Scientist Laureate, Dr. Kalil.
Lastly my thanks and congratulations
to Dr. Jennifer Larsen for her outstanding tenure
as Vice Chancellor for Research.
-: Good afternoon.
I am Keith Olsen, Dean and Professor
of the College of Pharmacy.
Research is one of the core values in our college.
We seek life-changing pharmacotherapies
with our basic translational and clinical research.
Our faculty, research personnel and graduate students
have helped us achieve,
to be one of the top-ranked pharmacy schools
in research funding in the United States
as well as the number of drug discoveries on this campus.
On behalf of the College,
I wish to congratulate our honored investigators.
Dr. Shaffer, Dr. Trippier, Dr. Murry and Dr. Fletcher.
These individuals represent the excellence
in research that this college strives to achieve.
Thank you.
-: Robust research programs are one of the major pillars
of successful colleges of medicine
and academic medical centers.
For the last several decades,
the quantity and quality of research at UNMC
and in the College of Medicine has grown dramatically.
This success in the College of Medicine is reflected
by the number of its faculty who again comprise
this year's list of UNMC Distinguished Scientist Awardees.
I would like to congratulate all the recipients,
but particularly those who are College of Medicine Faculty.
I will not list them all by name
but I would like to congratulate Dr. Andre Kalil,
this year's Scientist Laureate.
Dr. Kalil's selection as the 2021 Scientist Laureate
is a source of great pride to the College of Medicine
whose longstanding commitment to research
has positively impacted thousands of patients
and whose work during the COVID-19 pandemic,
may prove ultimately to be the most impactful
of his career.
He is the epitome of what
a physician scientist can accomplish through creativity
and hard work.
Let me close by asking you to join me
in congratulating each of this year's recipients.
(group applauds)
-: Last but not least
is this year's Scientist Laureate, Andre Kalil.
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine,
Division of Infectious Diseases.
Dr. Kalil finished medical school and residency in Brazil
before completing another residency at University of Miami.
Then he went to a critical care fellowship at NIH
and completed an ID,
infectious disease fellowship at Harvard.
Then went back to NIH for a research fellowship,
then back to Brazil to be on faculty
before returning to the United States
to work at Eli Lilly with a volunteer faculty appointment
at University of Indiana before joining the UNMC faculty
in 2003.
He has published over 200 papers,
including two of UNMC's top six cited papers
in the last year.
His NIH, DOD, Department of Defense
and commercially sponsored research are focused
on identifying, understanding, preventing and treating
the infectious diseased in immunocompromised patients,
particularly transplant patients.
With the pandemic,
he became integral to a series
of NIH-sponsored trials at UNMC
and Nebraska Medicine to determine the effectiveness,
risks and role of the new COVID-19 therapeutics
like remdesivir that were lifesaving to so many.
He also led a national discussion
on the importance of conducting randomized controlled trials
of potential new therapies, even during a pandemic
because until we do,
we won't know whether those drugs have benefit
or additional risks as some of the proposed COVID therapies
that were prescribed outside of trials
were later found to have.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Andre Kalil,
this year's Scientist Laureate.
-: First of all I want to,
I'm very honored and humbled by this award
and I want to thank Dr. Larsen and the committee
for the selection
and also I want to congratulate all the award winners
that are coming along with this year.
So it's fantastic to see so many people involved
in different aspects of research.
I think that it always remind us of the importance
of research in the progression and the progress
of medical science as we are here today
and probably alive here today because of so much progress
that has been made in the last 100 to 100 years
in terms of medical research.
As you can imagine, you know,
100 years ago people didn't have even means to fight
very mundane infections that we have nowadays.
People would die from all kinds of diseases.
For instance, a disease that had no cure until 1940s,
tuberculosis.
There was no medication, no treatment, no nothing.
Came out in mid 1940s
because of the very first clinical trial,
the very first randomized clinical trial,
controlled trial that actually brought the first medication
to be tested and to be determined to be effective
against the tuberculosis, streptomycin.
This is, again, the very first type of clinical research
that changed the world in terms of bringing new therapies
and this is why this is so important nowadays
in the middle of this pandemic,
that in the only way for us to move forward,
save lives and bring in new therapies, new treatments,
new diagnostics is through medical research
and clinical research is what I do for life.
This is what I've done for almost 20 years
here at University of Nebraska.
I take care of my patients in a daily basis
and that where all the inspiration I have
for clinical research comes from.
When I'm taking care of my patients,
I always ask myself,
"What else can I do to improve the care of my patients?"
So we have what you call a standard of care.
We have all the things that we know that works.
We have all the things that we know
that can help our patients but there are always limits.
Medicine has limits and will always have limits.
So we have to really keep looking forward
for better ways to improve the lives of our patients
and clinical research is basically to me,
it's a consequence of my thought process.
When I'm taking care of my patients I ask myself,
"What else can I do?"
If the standard of care is not doing
what I want it to do for my patients,
it's the time for me to think,
"Okay, beyond the standard of care,
"what can I do for my patients?"
And that's a situation where really motivates me
to ask the questions and to actually, from that question,
I go back to my office
and I start to write a protocol, a design,
a clinical research project in which
we're going to try to answer that question,
"How can I really go beyond the standard of care?"
And that has been my motivation for almost 20 years
because while I'm taking care of patients,
I'm never satisfied with everything we have.
We have to do better, we have to do more
and during this pandemic is what really,
that almost 20 years behind really made me realize
that's more important than ever.
Well I'm proud to tell you that as a consequence
of our very strong clinical research program
at the University of Nebraska Medical Center,
we were the first ones in the world in February 21st of 2020
to enroll the very first patient
in the very first randomized placebo-controlled trial that,
during the entire pandemic and the whole planet.
Right here in the University of Nebraska in February 21st.
In 58 days we finished the trial with over 1,000 patients
and we end up with discovering the very first treatment
effective against SARS-CoV-2, against COVID-19,
approved by the FDA.
So that is the lesson that I want to make sure
that everyone understands,
that clinical research is a, is connected,
is really highly connected with clinical care.
We have to provide the best clinical care
and at the same time, provide the best clinical research
in order to go beyond the standard of care
and that's what we've done here
at the University of Nebraska.
I'm very proud to be here.
I'm very honored and humbled by this prize
and I hope that more and more people get excited
and motivated to do what we do
because that's the way to move forward
for the betterment of the entire humanity.
Thank you very much.
-: Thank you Dr. Kalil.
Let's give one more round of applause
for all of our awardees.
(group applauds)
And since this is likely the last time
I officiate the Distinguished Scientists ceremony,
I want to give my thanks to all of you
one last time as well.
I have had the great pleasure
of helping to recruit many of you and watch
as you grew your research
or grew into new leadership positions.
One of the most enjoyable parts
of being Vice Chancellor for Research.
Besides helping to grow UNMC's research portfolio,
I hope I have also tried to reinforce
the spirit of collaboration that has always been a strength
of UNMC and essential to growing the research teams needed
to solve the ever more complex problems of the future.
This last year, science and research
were once again critical to the healthcare we provide now
and in the future.
Improving the detection of viral variants,
testing new strategies to protect against or treat COVID-19
as well as all the other advancements in medicine
and science.
Neuroscience, cancer, heart disease,
mobile health technologies, all of it.
Since it appears not everyone believes in research
as much as we probably all do,
I want to also though leave you with a charge.
In addition to conducting research that makes a difference
as you already do,
I want each of you to talk more about the value of research.
Not at research conferences or just at research conferences
or just with your colleagues but in your everyday lives.
With your friends and extended family,
your neighbors, people you randomly meet at the park
or in a line, who sit next to you at a reunion
or a reception and not just the adults, but the youth,
our next generation as well
and not once a year but every week.
First, tell them what you do.
Most Americans when surveyed
state they have never met a researcher before.
In fact, few Nebraskans when recently surveyed
think any research is being done in our state.
This means we need to do a better job
of telling the people around us what it is we do.
So start writing your elevator speech.
Be sure to use words anyone can understand
and get right to the bottom line.
Why does research matter?
Yours or anyone else's.
Then keep talking and talk as if our lives depend on it
because they do.
Everyone needs to understand how research impacts
all of our lives, every single day.
And now Dr. Gold has a few more words to say.
-: Ladies and gentlemen,
thank you so much for giving me just a few extra minutes
of your time today.
Before we wrap up today's ceremony,
I want to take just a minute
to recognize Dr. Jennifer Larsen for her leadership
in the role of our Vice Chancellor for Research.
Over the last decade, Dr. Larsen has worked tirelessly
to create important opportunities
for our research scientists
from the perspective of recruitment and retention,
new facilities, better technology
and growth in our core laboratories.
All of these accomplishments have helped develop
and sustain and promote scientific and academic excellence
here at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
I am thrilled to know and to announce to you today
that although Dr. Larsen is stepping down
as Vice Chancellor,
she will continue to retain her role in our community
and of course be a part of the Med Center family.
So in closing today,
I want to once more congratulate all of our award winners
on their extraordinary contributions toward our mission,
our mission of advancing medical science
and helping people live longer, healthier lives.
Thanks to all of you for joining us today as well.
Stay positive and test negative.
-: Thank you Dr. Gold for those very, very kind remarks
and thank all of you.
Not only for coming but for everything that you do
to contribute to the research at UNMC.
Again, thank you and keep the conversation going.
(triumphant music)