IGPBS Faculty
The faculty at UNMC who participate in the IGPBS have primary or adjunct appointments in one of the five College of Medicine basic science departments or in the Cancer Research Graduate Program. This includes the research faculty in the departments of Internal Medicine, Ophthalmology and Surgery. All together, there are more than 200 IGPBS faculty representing more than 90% of UNMC's research laboratories.
This page lists all of the faculty who are involved in the IGPBS program. To see faculty who are associated with a particular doctoral program, use the links to the right.
Note for UNMC Faculty: If you are a faculty member who wants to part of the IGPBS program but do not see your information below, please contact the IGPBS office (igpbs@unmc.edu) about how to get added to the program as an IGPBS faculty member.
Faculty
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Maher Y. Abdalla, PhD Research focus: Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and immune cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and prostate cancer. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and IPID |
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Iqbal Ahmad, PhD Research focus: Stem cell biology and modeling neurodegeneration. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Hesham Ali, PhD Research focus: Developing secure and energy-aware wireless infrastructure to address tracking and monitoring problems in medical environments, particularly to study mobility profiling for various groups and to conduct a population analysis approach to advancing healthcare research. Associated Doctoral Program: BISB |
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Yazen Alnouti, PhD Research focus: Drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK), with a focus on the application of Bioanalytical Chemistry, in vitro and in vivo animal models to support ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity) and pharmacokinetic (PK) studies; Biomarkers for hepato-biliary diseases based on bile acid metabolism by sulfation. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2014 Distinguished Scientist |
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Windy Alonso, PhD, RN Research focus: Understanding heart failure with preserved ejection fraction; developing interventions to promote exercise in adults with heart failure that can be applied in diverse and underserved settings. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 New Investigator |
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Daniel R. Anderson, MD, PhD Research focus: Molecular and cellular immunology; innate immunity (preexisting immunity) and how such immune responses contribute to the mechanisms of cardiovascular disease processes, specifically focused on underlying mechanisms of viral myocarditis, atherosclerotic disease and the impact inflammation has on cardiac rhythm abnormalities. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Ann Anderson Berry, MD, PhD Research focus: Nutrition of the ELBW infant, preterm infant protein requirements, human milk fortification, Vitamin D metabolism in the mother-infant dyad, Vitamin A deficiency, Vitamin E metabolism. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2016 Interprofessional Academy of Educators; 2016 Spirit of Community Service |
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Leonardo da Silva Augusto, PhD Research focus: Cellular metabolism changes in neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration caused by chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Josue Avecillas-Chasin, MD, PhD Research focus: Detailed description of the brain circuits and how this will impact our neuromodulation techniques when applied in a personalized manner. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Aditya Bade, PhD Research focus: HIV pathogenesis, antiretroviral therapy (ART) and ART associated toxicity using murine and in vitro models. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Pooneh Bagher, PhD Research focus: Vascular function; calcium imaging; extreme physiology. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPMM and MGCB |
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Hamid Band, MD, PhD Research focus: Regulation of receptor signaling by endocytic traffic; Cbl-family and CHIP ubiquitin ligases; EHD-family endocytic recycling regulators; mouse genetic models; cancer biology;and stem cell biology. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR, IPID and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2014 Research Leadership |
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Vimla Band, PhD Research focus: Delineate molecular mechanisms of early steps in transformation of mammary epithelial cells with the goal of identifying novel molecular diagnostic/prognostic markers and potential therapy targets of breast cancers. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and MGCB |
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Christopher Barrett, MD Research focus: Interface of coagulation, fibrinolysis and inflammatory perturbations after traumatic injury and major surgery at the molecular and cellular level. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Kiran Bastola, PhD Research focus: Computational biology including gene regulation with noncoding RDA, mining for interesting patterns form genomic sequences for use in molecular diagnostics, public health, secondary metabolism and biology of the mitochondria in disease, as well as extreme environments. Associated Doctoral Program: BISB |
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Surinder K. Batra, PhD Research focus: Structure/function analysis of tumor-associated genes; cancer diagnostics, cancer vaccines; monoclonal antibodies, genetic engineering of antibodies. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2012 Scientist Laureate; 2010 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Students |
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Kenneth W. Bayles, PhD Research focus: Staphylococcus aureus infections; biofilm development; the control of bacterial programmed cell death. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2017 Scientist Laureate |
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Robert Bennett, PhD Research focus: Antifibrotic effects of the hormone relaxin and related peptides; expression and signaling of relaxin receptors; internalization and degradation of relaxin, insulin and related hormones; the role of relaxin in adipose function. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, IPMM and MGCB |
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Raymond Bergan, MD Research focus: Understanding how cancer cells regulate transformation to a high motility metastatic phenotype, and how that process can be therapeutically modulated. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Distinguished Scientist |
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Ann Berger, PhD, APRN-CNS, AOCNS, FAAN Research focus: Symptom management, in particular fatigue and sleep/wake disturbances, in individuals with cancer; use of wrist actigraphy. Associated Doctoral Program: CR |
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Tadayoshi Bessho, PhD Research focus: Molecular mechanism of DNA interstrand crosslink repair in mammalian cells. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR and MGCB |
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Kishor K. Bhakat, PhD Research focus: Understanding the molecular mechanisms and alter the damage repair pathways and gene expression in tumor cells to promote therapy resistance and tumor recurrence, and develop second line of interventions to prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2014 New Investigator |
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Chengfeng (Andy) Bi, PhD Research focus: Pathogenesis and molecular mechanism of hematological malignancies. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR, IPID and MGCB |
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Piero Bianco, PhD Research focus: Stalled DNA replication fork rescue to maintain genome stability Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPID |
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Keshore Bidasee, PhD Research focus: Delineating the pathogenic trajectories that contribute to vascular diseases in organs including the brain, heart, kidney, and lung during HIV-1 infection and diabetes mellitus. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPMM and NSC |
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Adrian Black, PhD Research focus: Tissue sciences; molecular biology; cell cycle; transcription; protein kinase C signaling in intestinal cells; endometrial cancer. Associated Doctoral Program: CR |
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Jennifer Black, PhD Research focus: Colon cancer; endometrial cancer; pancreatic cancer; cell signaling (kinases and phosphatases) cell cycle regulation; control of protein translation in cancer; protein kinase C; PP2A. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2021 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Junior Faculty; 2015 Distinguished Scientist |
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Jennifer Blackford, PhD Research focus: Understanding the neural basis of anxiety, including mapping the basic neurocircuitry of anxiety, studies of anxiety neurobiology in children, and studies examining the role of anxiety alcohol use disorders. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Distinguished Scientist |
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Aleh (Oleg) Bobr, MD Research focus: Transfusion medicine. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Erika I. Boesen, PhD Research focus: Iron-mediated kidney damage in lupus nephritis; renal control of salt and water homeostasis. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Interprofesstional Academy of Educators; 2014 New Investigator |
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Gloria Borgstahl, PhD Research focus: Structural biology, structure-based drug design, superoxide dismutase and double-strand DNA repair by homologous recombination. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB and CR UNMC Award Recipient: 2016 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Students |
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Sandipan Brahma, PhD Research focus: Mechanisms regulating chromatin structure, how cells use these mechanisms to establish and maintain gene expression programs, and the implications of these mechanisms for human health. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR, and MGCB |
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M. Jana Broadhurst, MD, PhD Research focus: Emerging and englected infectious diseases diagnostic assay development for clinical and public health applications. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2022 New Investigator |
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Shilpa Buch, PhD Research focus: Therapeutic strategies that may enhance neural function and survival in NeuroAIDS, with possible implication in other neurodegenerative diseases. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, IPID and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2015 Scientist Laureate |
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Keely Buesing, MD, FACS Research focus: Large animal and pulmonary cellular investigation of novel therapeutics targeting Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, IPID and IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2017 New Investigator |
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Siddappa Byrareddy, PhD Research focus: Understanding and developing therapeutics for emerging/re-emerging viruses, focusing on HIV, Zika and SARS-CoV-2. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR, IPID, MGCB and NSC UNMC Award Recipient:2017 Distinguished Scientist |
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W. Scott Campbell, MBA, PhD Research focus: Health informatics and pathology informatics. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB, CR and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2017 New Investigator |
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Steve Caplan, PhD Research focus: Study of endocytic membrane trafficking, receptor recycling, vesicular transport, endosomes, mechanisms of mitochondrial fission/fusion, ciliogenesis and mechanisms by which primary cilia are generated, and centrosome biology. Associated Doctoral Program: BMB UNMC Award Recipient: 2011 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Students |
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Rey Carabeo, PhD Research focus: Cytoskeletal dynamics and mechanostransduction in Chlamydia invasion and pathogen modulation of host epithelial cell-extracellular matrix interaction; Transcriptomic studies of Chlamydia stress adaption. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, IPID and MGCB |
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Carol A. Casey, PhD Research focus: Biochemistry of alcoholism and digestive system diseases. Associated Doctoral Program: BMB UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Research Leadership; 2016 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Junior Faculty |
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Kishore Challagundla, PhD Research focus: Role of extra cellular vesicles (EV's) and the non-coding RNAs in affecting immunotherapy response and escaping immune surveillance in pediatric cancers, in particular neuroblastoma and acute myeloid leukemia. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and MGCB |
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Gurumurthy Channabasavaiah, PhD Research focus: Development and improvement of transgenic and genome editing technologies; development of versatile animal model resources and tools. Associated Doctoral Programs: MGCB and NSC |
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Nagendra Chaturvedi, PhD Research focus: Medulloblastoma; Neuroblastoma; Oncogenic signaling pathways; Small molecule therapeutics; Development of clincally relevant animal models; Stem cell biology; Epigenetic regulation of peadiatric cancers. Associated Doctoral Program: BMB |
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Sujata Chaudhari, PhD Research focus: Arthropod physiology and bacterial pathogenesis; study of tick vector physiology with focus on cuticle development and pathogen transmission; chitin metabolism in arthropods using Tribolium castaneum as a genetic model system; Staphylococcal metabolism and stress response. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB and IPID |
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Kuan-Hua Chen, PhD Research focus: Changes in the brain and socioemotional functioning in persons with dementia. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Pi-Wan Cheng, PhD Research focus: Study of the mechanism of altered glycosylation in human disease. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR, IPID and MGCB |
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Vinai Chittezham Thomas, PhD Research focus: Staphylococcal physiology and metabolism; staphylococcus stress response. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 New Investigator |
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Suyong Choi, PhD Research focus: Phosphoinositide signaling pathways in cancer and immunology. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB |
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Parvathi Chundi, PhD Research focus: Machine learning algorithms for unstructured data collections; serious games; Big Data Frameworks. Associated Doctoral Program: BISB |
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Jonathan Clayton, PhD Research focus: Host-microbiome interactions in humans and nonhuman primates. Associated Doctoral Program: BISB |
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Dahn Clemens, PhD Research focus: Role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease; molecular mechanisms by which reactive oxygen species cause inflammation that leads to the initiation and profession of cardiovascular disease. Associated Doctoral Program: CR |
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Samuel M. Cohen, MD, PhD Research focus: Urologic pathology, carcinogenesis and toxicology. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR and IPID |
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Martin Conda-Sheridan, PhD Research focus: Design of complex multifunctional biomaterials and bioactive small molecules for medicinal applications. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2016 New Investigator |
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Leah Cook, PhD Research focus: Investigation of immune interactions within the tumor bone microenvironment that contributes to bone metastatic prostate cancer; identifying novel immunotherapeutic targets for treating and curing metastatic cancers. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR, IPID and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2020 New Investigator |
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Kate Cooper (Dempsey), PhD Research focus: Microbiome analysis related to diet and consumer/patient health; bioinformatics education. Associated Doctoral Program: BISB |
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Kenneth Cowan, MD, PhD Research focus: Tumor suppressor genes, breast cancer; mechanisms associated with development of multi-drug resistance and the regulation of expression of drug resistance genes in human tumor cells. Associated Doctoral Program: CR |
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Jesse Cox, MD, PhD Research focus: Human DNA identification laboratory, HLA and transplant, and blood banking and transfusion medicine. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Kaustubh Datta, PhD Research focus: Molecular mechanisms of cancer progression and metastasis. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Junior Faculty; 2014 Distinguished Scientist |
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Bhavana Dave, PhD Research focus: Clinical cytogenetics and molecular genetics. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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John S. Davis, PhD Research focus: Women's health; Reproductive endocrinology and cancer; Mechanisms of hormone action. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Research Leadership |
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Paul Davis, PhD Research focus: Investigating and developing novel approaches to prevent and treat human parasitic infections, using approaches that include molecular biology, bioinformatics, -omics, high-content imaging, and genetics. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB and IPID |
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Rebecca (Oberley-) Deegan, PhD Research focus: Role of free radicals signaling to transform fibroblasts and inflammatory cells in normal tissue, which results in damage to these tissues; understanding the mechanisms by which ROS promote radiation induced fibrosis and prostate cancer progression. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2019 Distinguished Scientist; 2015 New Investigator |
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Paul Denton, PhD Research focus: Improving immunotherapies to treat malignancies. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, IPID and IPMM |
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Cyrus Desouza, MBBS Research focus: Improving outcomes in diabetes and obesity patients using treatment algorithms; mechanisms of diabetes and metabolic syndrome on vascular and brain function. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPMM and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2014 Distinguished Scientist |
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Punita Dhawan, PhD Research focus: Development of novel therapeutic targets for Gastrointestinal Cancer progression and chemoresistance; Role of signaling pathways and cancer stem cells involved in this process using cell culture, mouse and organoid models. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2019 Distinguished Scientist |
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Jixin Dong, PhD Research focus: Hippo signaling and cancer; Chemotherapeutic drug resistance. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2017 Distinguished Scientist; 2014 New Investigator |
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Bin Duan, PhD Research focus: Integrate novel biomaterials, advanced biofabrication of tissue engineering to create multi-scale complexity within engineered tissue to understand the fundamentals of cell-material interactions and mimic the native tissue for tissue regeneration. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR, MGCB and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 New Investigator |
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Andrew Dudley, PhD Research focus: Mechanisms that regulate the development and homeostasis of musculoskeletal tissue using methods from embryology, molecular biology, cell biology, genetics and tissue engineering, with the goal of generating novel therapies for regenerative medicine. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, IPMM and MGCB |
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Anna Dunaevsky, PhD Research focus: Synaptic plasticity and neuron-glia interactions in nuerocognitive disorders. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, MGCB and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2020 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Junior Faculty; 2015 Distinguished Scientist |
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Benson Edagwa, PhD Research focus: Design, development and evaluation of antiretroviral prodrugs, development of long acting slow effective release ART (LASER ART) and their application to testing in cell and small animal based assays. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPID and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Distinguished Scientist; 2019 New Investigator |
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Dalia Elgamal, PhD Research focus: Pathogenesis of B-cell malignancies, including immunosuppressive microenvironmental interactions and the gut microbiome, and evaluating novel anti-tumor therapeutics strategies. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPID |
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James Eudy, PhD Research focus: Next Generation DNA Sequencing strategies for rare Mendelian disease gene identification and functional genomic technologies; biomedical interest in cancer, cardiovascular disease and virology. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR and MGCB |
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Jared Evans, PhD Research focus: Virology and infectious disease. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Joesph Fauver, PhD Research focus: Pathogen genomics and bioinformatics; genomic epidemiology; SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics; genomics of infectious disease control programs; mosquito-borne pathogens. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Pierre Fayad, MD Research focus: Vascular Neurology; research for Stroke. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Paul D. Fey, PhD Research focus: Staphylococcal biology, metabolism and pathogenesis. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Kurt Fisher, MD, PhD Research focus: Identification and evaluation of novel targets for therapy in gastrointestional tumors with K-Ras mutation; GI tract, liver, and solid organ transplant pathology. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR and IPID |
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Howard S. Fox, MD, PhD Research focus: Neurodegeneration, viral infections, single cell analyses of the brain, translational research in neuroscience. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, IPID and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2013 Scientist Laureate |
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Lie Gao, MD, PhD Research focus: Role of skeletal muscle Nrf2 in exercise-induced cardioprotection, with a focus of extracellular vesicle-mediated cell-to-cell antioxidant communication, by employing skeletal muscle-specific transgenic mouse lines. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB and IPMM |
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Jered Garrison, PhD Research focus: Targeted molecular imaging and radiotherapeutic agent design; development of cancer-specific prodrugs; polymer based drug delivery systems. Associated Doctoral Program: BMB and CR UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Distinguished Scientist; 2016 Interprofessional Academy of Educators |
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Carol Geary, PhD Research focus: Use of structured electronic health record data in research, progmatic trials using the PCORnet or OHDSI Networks, qualatitive and engaged research. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPID and NSC |
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Howard E. Gendelman, MD Research focus: Development and testing of HIV-1 cure strategies; Basic and clinical studies on novel medicines to treat Parkinson's disease. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, IPID, IPMM and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Faculty IP Innovation & Commercialization Award; 2014 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Students |
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Dario Ghersi, MD, PhD Research focus: Large-scale cancer genomics datasets, integrating different types of data (including protein structure) to gain insight into the molecular bases of cancer and immune system function. Associated Doctoral Program: BISB |
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Gargi Ghosal, PhD Research focus: Understand the basic science underlying replication stress response in cancer and aging; identify new targets and bio-markers for cancer therapies and facilitate the development of strategies to overcome drug resistance and improve cancer therapies. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 New Investigator |
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Daniel Gih, MD Research focus: Severe mood disorders in adolescents; electroconvulsive therapy; eating disorders. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Stacey Gilk, PhD Research focus: Microbial pathogenesis; Coxiella, Rickettsia Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB and IPID |
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Stephen Gliske, PhD Research focus: Assessment of epileptic tissue/networks to help guide resective surgery, monitoring of neonatal sleep, and analysis of microelectrode recordings to understand interactions between sleep and movement disorders disease and treatment Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Santhi Gorantla, PhD Research focus: Humanized mouse models for HIV brain infection; influence of substance use on brain HIV latency, inflammation and pathogenesis. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, IPID and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2014 Distinguished Scientist |
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Karen Gould, PhD Research focus: Estrogen receptor alpha regulation of B cell receptor signaling, B cell fate, and lupus pathogenesis. B cell transcriptomics and genomics. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB, IPID, IPMM and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 Interprofessional Academy of Educators; 2018-2019 Visionary Leadership in Education |
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Timothy C. Greiner, MD Research focus: Etiology and progression of lymphoma by examining the mutational spectra of oncogenes and tumor suppresser genes. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Chittibabu (Babu) Guda, PhD Research focus: Development and application of computational methods for genomic data analyses including cancer genomics, functional annotation of proteins, pathways, networks and systems in biomedical research. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Research Leadership; 2014 Distinguished Scientist |
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Valentina Gumenyuk, PhD Research focus: MEG-EGG-MRI Neuroimaging in normal and abnormal aging. Cognitive disfunctions and sleep distrubances in patients with epilepsy, dementia of different forms. Presurgical brain mapping in adult and pediatric patients. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Rebekah Gundry, PhD Research focus: Development and application innovative mass spectrometry (MS) technologies, bioinformatics tools, and methodologies to transform our understanding of cell surface proteins and glycans, and answer outstanding questions in stem cell biology and cardiac pathology. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB and IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2022 Distinguished Scientist |
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Lynda Harris, PhD Research focus: Studying placental function in animals and humans; developing obstetric nanomedicines, placental-specific drug delivery systems and other treatments for placental dysfunction. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPID and IPMM |
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Curtis Hartman, MD Research focus: Management of infected hip and knee replacements. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Kyle Hewitt, PhD Research focus: Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell control of blood production during development and/or regeneration following disease or injury; transcriptional and epigentic mechanisms that cause hematologic disorders; tissue and cellular heterogeneity; CRISPR/Cas9-mediated disruption of gene regulatory networks and cell signaling mechanisms. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB, CR, IPID and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2020 New Investigator |
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Michael A. (Tony) Hollingsworth, PhD Research focus: Basic and translational research in pancreatic cancer, including investigation of the biology of tumor progression, discovery and validation of biomarkers of early detection and disease progression, development and testing of novel therapeutics, including targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2014 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Students |
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Sarah Holstein, MD, PhD Research focus: Development of novel agents for the treatment of multiple myeloma and pancreatic cancer, with a particular focus on Rab inhibitors of the isoprenoid biosynthetic. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB and CR UNMC Award Recipient: 2020 Distinguished Scientist |
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Karen Honeycutt, PhD, MEd, MLS(ASCP)SM Research focus: Effective and efficient educational methodologies; active learning strategies, online and multimedia educational platforms; incorporation of professionalism in MLS education; women and the academic doctoral degree path. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2017-2018 Varner Educator Laureate; 2016 Interprofessional Academy of Educators; 1996 Outstanding Teaching Award |
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Corey Hopkins, PhD Research focus: Design, synthesis and optimization of biologically active small molecules as in vivo probes, drug discovery lead compounds and preclinical candidates. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR, IPID and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2017 Distinguished Scientist |
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Guoku Hu, PhD Research focus: NIH and drug abuse synergy, exomes, noncoding RNAs. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 New Investigator |
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R. Katherine (Kate) Hyde, PhD Research focus: Understand the mechanisms that regulate leukemia development; develop treatments for hematological malignancies. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2020 Distinguished Scientist; 2018 Sprit of Community Service; 2016 New Investigator |
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Javeed Iqbal, PhD Research focus: Molecular signatures to improve diagnosis and outcome prediction in Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma; gene expression profiling and pathway targeted therapy in peripheral T-cell lymphoma; characterization of key molecular signatures in natural killer cell malignancies. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 Distinguished Scientiest |
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Maneesh Jain, PhD Research focus: Development of genetically engineered antibody fragments for improved radioimmunotherapy for solid tumors; development of serum assays for the early diagnosis of lethal pancreatic cancer. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2020 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Junior Faculty; 2020 Research Leadership Award; 2016 Distinguished Scientist |
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Keith R. Johnson, PhD Research focus: The role the cell adhesion molecules (cadherins) play in metastasis. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2015 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Junior Faculty; 2014 Research Leadership |
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Shantaram S. Joshi, PhD Research focus: Improve therapy for human B lymphocytic malignancies and pediatric cancers by means of translational research involving molecular characterization of progressive/therapy resistant maliganant cells. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2011 Outstanding Teaching Award; 2017-2018 Inspirational Mentor of Educators |
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Georgette D. Kanmogne, PhD, MPH Research focus: HIV/AIDS, vascular biology and cell signaling. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPID, MGCB and NSC |
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Adam R. Karpf, PhD Research focus: Ovarian cancer biology and therapeutics; Cancer epigenetics. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR, IPID and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2013 Distinguished Scientist |
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Kusum Kharbanda, PhD Research focus: Alcohol liver injury with emphasis on alcohol's deleterious effect in altering the methionine metabolic pathway and lowering the ratio of the methyl donor, SAM, to its product, SAH. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, IPMM and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2013 Distinguished Scientist |
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Tammy L. Kielian, PhD Research focus: Host-pathogen interactions, immunology, neuroimmunology, translational therapeutics. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB, IPID, IPMM, MGCB and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2016 Scientist Laureate |
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So-Youn Kim, PhD Research focus: Oncofertility, cachexia, ovarian cancer. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2020 New Investigator |
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Scott Koepsell, MD, PhD Research focus: Transfusion medicine; cellular therapy; molecular diagnostics. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Zeljka Korade, DVM, PhD Research focus: Cholesterol metabolism in the central nervous system; study of an inborn error of metabolism Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome; desmosterolosis; development of neuronal cell lines with defects in different enzymes of cholesterol biosynthesis pathway and their characterization. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB and NSC |
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Mohan Krishnan, PhD Research focus: Pathophysiology of Tranfusion-associated Necrotizing Enterocolitis (TA-NEC) and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome(SIRS) in premature infants. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB and MGCB |
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Sushil Kumar, PhD Research focus: Tumor microenvironment; Pancreatic pathologies including pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis using multiple murine models, organoid, and 3D cell culture-based technologies. Associated Doctoral Program: BMB UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 New Investigator |
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Marilynn Larson, PhD Research focus: Host and intracellular pathogen interactions, and determining the mechanisms that allow the Tier 1 select agent Francisella tularensis to persist and rapidly replicate within infected macrophages. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB and IPID |
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McKenzie Lehman, PhD Research focus: Bacterial pathogenesis. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Robert Lewis, PhD Research focus: Defining intracellular mechanisms required for the epithelia-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the formation and maintenance of cancer stem cells. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 Scientist Laureate; 2016 Research Leadership; 2006 Distinguished Scientist |
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Yulong Li, MD Research focus: Regulatory role of the peripheral nervous system in peripheral tissues (such as myocardium and skeletal muscle) in pathophysiological conditions, including heart failure, diabetes, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and peripheral artery disease. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPMM and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 Distinguished Scientist |
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Ming-Fong Lin, PhD Research focus: Mechanism of cell growth regulation by steroids via cross-talk of ROS and tyrosine phosphorylation signaling. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB and CR |
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Steven Lisco, MD Research focus: Critical Care Management, thoracic and vascular anesthesiology, management of complex airways, blood management. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Yutong Liu, PhD Research focus: Neuroimaging and image processing. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR, IPID and NSC |
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Oksana Lockridge, PhD Research focus: Transglutaminase levels are high in pancreatic ductal carcinoma. By crosslinking proteins, transglutaminase alters their stability and function; protein identification through mass spectrometry. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB and IPID |
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Brian Lowes, MD, PhD Research focus: Novel education clinical trainees and education program with a goal to develop clinicians and scientists in sub-Saharan Africa. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, IPMM and MGCB |
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Guoqing Lu, PhD Research focus: Theoretical and applied bioinformatics, with a focus on comparative genomics and evolutionary informatics. Associated Doctoral Program: BISB |
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Matthew Lunning, DO, MD Research focus: Rare hematologic malignancies with a focus on early drug development and experimental correlates that leads to enhanced knowledge of how to treat hematologic malignancies. Associated Doctoral Program: CR UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 Distinguished Scientist |
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Xu Luo, PhD Research focus: Molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways in cell death and survival in cancer cells. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2012 Distinguished Scientist |
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Quan Ly, MD, FACS Research focus: Study of the role of cadherins in metastatic cancer cell signaling and effect of cadherin mutations on cell adhesion and cell motility. Evaluate NBL1 function by re-expressing NBL1 in cancer cells. Develop novel therapies for pancreatic cancers. Study the role of survivin in pancreatic cancers. Associated Doctoral Program: CR |
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Yuri Lyubchenko, PhD, DrSc Research focus: Nanoscale structure, dynamics and interactions – seeing and manipulating biomolecules. Associated Doctoral Program: CR |
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Sidharth Mahapara, MD, PhD Research focus: Elucidating pathophysiologic mechanisms triggering aggressive pediatric brain tumors using transcriptomic analyses to hone in on essential signaling pathways and to test synthetic inhibitors of these pathways; Repurposing FDS-approved drugs for treatment of aggressive pediatric brain tumors. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPMM |
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Ram Mahato, PhD Research focus: Micelle and nanoparticle drug delivery; Oligonucleotides, siRNA, miRNA, and gene delivery; Synthesis of novel polymers, lipopeptides, lipopolymers and cationic lipids; Construction of gene and shRNA expression systems; Design and synthesis new compounds to overcome chemoresistance and inhibit hedgehog signaling pathway. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Mahbubul Majumder, PhD Research focus: Exploratory data analysis; data visualization and visual inference; statistical modeling; data science. Associated Doctoral Program: BISB |
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Roslyn Mannon, MD Research focus: Mechanisms of long term kidney allograft injury both immunological and nonimmunological using in vitro studies. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPID and IPMM |
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Luis Marky, PhD Research focus: Biophysical chemistry and molecular forces that control the conformational stability and flexibility of nucleic acids, including Okazaki fragments, hairpin loops, intramolecular triplexes, G-quadruplexes, C-quadruplexes, and three- & four-arm DNA junctions and their interaction with drugs. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB, BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2015 Research Leadership; 2006 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Students |
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Grinu Mathew, PhD Research focus: Genetic and epigentic regulation of prostate cancer metastasis. Associated Doctoral Program: BMB, BISB, CR, IPID and MGCB |
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Pamela May, PhD Research focus: Neuropsychology of movement disorders, HIV and memory disorders. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Thomas McDonald, PhD Research focus: Immunology; antigen isolation and purification; acute phase proteins; inflammation; immunoassays. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 1988 Outstanding Teaching Award |
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David McMillan, PhD Research focus: Mechanisms of toxicity of drugs and environmental chemicals; mechanism underlying pro-oxidant drug-induced hemolytic anemia , and in the metabolism and toxicity of the environmental contaminant, trichloroethylene. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Benita McVicker, PhD Research focus: Alcohol liver injury and mechanisms. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR, IPID and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2012 New Investigator |
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Karoly Mirnics, MD, PhD Research focus: Animal models of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders; effects of Gene-Environmental-Drug interactions on the developing brain; role of disrupted cholesterol biosynthesis of brain function - all using genetic, molecular, cellular and biochemical tools in our studies, coupled with drug screening and mouse behavioral assessments. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2016 Interprofessional Academy of Educators |
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Paras Kumar Mishra, PhD Research focus: MicroRNomics of cardiovascular diseases and diabetic cardiomyopathy. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB, IPMM and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2014 New Investigator |
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Aaron Mohs, PhD Research focus: Development of new florescent imaging contrast agents to guide surgical removal of tumors; developing new drug delivery systems that multiple myeloma; developing pathogen biosensors. Associated Doctoral Program: CR UNMC Award Recipient: 2019 Distinguished Scientist; 2017 New Investigator |
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Daniel T. Monaghan, PhD Research focus: Development of drugs for modulating NMDA receptor activity for treating schizophrenia and autism. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPMM and NSC |
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R. Lee Mosley, PhD Research focus: Regulation of T Lymphocyte function; T cell-mediated immunity in neurodegenerative disorders. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPID, IPMM and NSC |
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Justin L. Mott, MD, PhD Research focus: Receptor tyrosine kinase and microRNA regulation of apoptosis in liver cancer and bile duct injury. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB and CR UNMC Award Recipient: 2021 Interprofessional Academy of Educators; 2021-2022 Varner Educator Laureate; 2017 Outstanding Teaching Award; 2015 New Investigator |
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DJ Murry, PharmD Research focus: Ways to individualize drug therapy using pharmacokinetic and pharmacogenomics information; from in vitro metabolism and transport studies, animal pharmacokinetic studies, to clinical studies evaluating drug therapy in patients. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipeint: 2022 Distinguished Scientist |
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Prabagaran (Praba) Narayanasamy, PhD Research focus: Drug design, discovery and development (including drug delivery by nanomedicine) for infectious diseases; study of physiology and pathogenesis of bacteria and virus towards drug discovery; design, synthesis and characterization of substrates, inhibitors, intermediates, products and mechanisms for drug discovery and development. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, IPID and MGCB |
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Naava Naslavsky, PhD Research focus: Development of new strategies to treat diseases involving traffic and recycling events related to the control of receptor localization to the plasma membrane that is central to normal cell function, and dysregulation as the underlying cause for diseases as diverse as atherosclerosis, diabetes and cancer. Associated Doctoral Program: BMB |
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Wasim (Mohd) Nasser, PhD Research focus: Novel therapeutic strategies for immunosuppressive and tumor-supportive microenvironments of metastatic breast and lung cancers. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB and CR UNMC Award Recipient: 2019 New Investigator; 2020 Gilmore Award |
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Amarnath (Amar) Natarajan, PhD Research focus: Developing novel target and mechanism specific therapeutics. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2019 Research Leadership; 2012 Distinguished Scientist |
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Ali Nawshad, PhD Research focus: Transforming Growth Factor (TGF) ß signaling during palate development; mechanisms of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) by TGFß in HNSCC; role of TGFß signaling during dentinogenesis. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2022 Outstanding Teacher; 2020 Interprofessional Academy of Educators |
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Caroline Ng, PhD Research focus: Biology and pathogenesis of Plasmodium falciparum, genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying drug resistance. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB, BMB, IPID and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 New Investigator |
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Robert B. Norgren, PhD Research focus: Use of nonhuman primate genomics to better understand human genetic disease. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB, IPMM, MGCB and NSC |
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Gregory Oakley, PhD Research focus: DNA damage and repair involving signal transduction pathways that regulate the cellular response to DNA damage and how alterations in these pathways contribute to mutagenesis and, ultimately, carcinogenesis. Associated Doctoral Program: CR |
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Natalia Osna, MD, PhD Research focus: Hepatotropic viral infections (HBV, HCV, HIV). Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Michel M. Ouellette, PhD Research focus: Molecular mechanisms that determine the lifespan of human cells, including telomeres and telomerase. Role of the small GTPases K-Ras and Rac1 in the development of pancreatic cancer and its response to conventional therapies. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2019 Distinguished Scientist |
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Scot Ouellette, PhD Research focus: Chlamydial microbiology: bacterial cell division, gene regulation, host-pathogen interactions. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 Distinguished Scientist |
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David Oupicky, PhD Research focus: Design on multifunctional nanoparticles and polymers with applications in the treatment of metastatic cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and acute kidney injury. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2019 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Students; 2014 Distinguished Scientist |
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Song-Young Park, PhD Research focus: Endothelial mitochondrial function; reactive oxygen species; aging; peripheral artery disease; spinal cord. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Kaushik P. Patel, PhD Research focus: Neural control of circulation; neural regulation of cardiovascular and renal function in health and disease states. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPMM and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2013 Research Leadership |
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Youri Pavlov, PhD Research focus: Cellular systems of mutagenesis and antimutagenesis. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB |
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Gurudutt N. Pendyala, PhD Research focus: Animal models of addiction, sex differences in drug abuse; Synaptic biology; Epigenetic regulation, role of microRNAs at the synapese in drug addiction, mechanisms and role in gene regulation; Prenatal drug exposure and snyaptic development; Integrative Systems Biology approach to understand synaptic aberrations in chronic drug abuse; High input technologies-genomics, mass spectrometry-based proteomics and metabolomics. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB, IPMM, MGCB and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2019 New Investigator |
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Aimin Peng, PhD Research focus: Cell cycle regulation and the DNA damage response (DDR); cellular recover process from DNA damage; protein phosphatase-dependent cell cycle and DDR regulation and its implication for cancer progression and therapy. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2022 Distinguished Scientist; 2013 New Investigator |
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Palsamy Periyasamy, PhD Research focus: Investigate the epigenetic changes that occur during HIV-1 infection and drug abuse, leading to glial cells (microglia and astrocytes) activation; identify potential therapeutic strategies for HAND treatment. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, MGCB and NSC |
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Thomas Petro, PhD Research focus: Using molecular immunobiology approaches to explore intrinsic pathways to or novel therapeutics for expression and control of cytokines to prevent chronic viral infections, autoimmune disease and/or inflammatory diseases. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR and IPID |
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Armen Petrosyan, MD, PhD Research focus: Mechanism of Golgi alteration in advanced prostate cancer: focus on aberrant glycosylation; role for non-muscle Myosin IIA in alcohol-induced Golgi fragmentation. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 New Investigator |
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Vaishali Phatak, PhD Research focus: Neuropsychology - Traumatic Brain Injury; Memory; Dementia; Stroke and neurodegenerative disorders. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Iraklis Pipinos, MD, PhD Research focus: Development of regenerative medicine strategies for skeletal muscle tissues in the legs of patients suffering from peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Associated Doctoral Programs: IPID and IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2017 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Junior Faculty |
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Larisa Poluektova, MD, PhD Research focus: Pathogenesis and treatment of HIV-1 associated dementia; translational mouse models for human-specific diseases. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR, IPID and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2016 Distinguished Scientist |
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Moorthy Ponnusamy, PhD Research focus: Cancer stem cells; metastasis; progression of pancreatic cancer. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2022 Distinguished Scientist; 2017 New Investigator |
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Thomas Porter, MD Research focus: Targeted blood brain barrier permeability changes with ultrasound and microbubbles. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Bunny Pozehl, PhD, RN, APRN-NP, FAHA, FAAN Research focus: Exercise training interventions and promoting adherence to exercise in hear t failure. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2021-2022 Inspirational Mentor of Educators; 2012 Distinguished Scientist; 1992 Outstanding Teaching Award |
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Prakash Radhakrishnan, PhD Research focus: Glycobiology of pancreatic cancer; autocrine and paracrine cell signaling mechanisms; developing therapeutics for pancreatic cancer. Associated Doctoral Program: CR UNMC Award Recipient: 2022 Distinguished Scientist; 2017 New Investigator |
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Padmashri Ragunathan, PhD Research focus: Neuron-Glia interactions; experience-dependent plasticity; neurodevelopmental disorders; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Subu Ramanathan, PhD Research focus: Principles that underpin how cells with divergent sizes pack into epithelial tissue and how alterations in cellular packing influence tissue homeostasis. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR, IPMM and MGCB |
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Sutapa Ray, PhD Research focus: Molecular mechanisms of pediatric brain and central nervous system tumors initiation, maintenance, progression and drug resistance. Associated Doctoral Program: MGCB |
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St. Patrick Reid, PhD Research focus: Molecular virology of novel functions of proteins encoded by highly pathogenic viruses; Elucidating host-pathogen interactions of emerging highly pathogenic viruses including Ebola, Chikungunga and Zika. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Distinguished Scientist; 2018 New Investigator |
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Stephen I. Rennard, MD Research focus: Cellular mechanisms that underlie altered tissue structure in lung disease, particularly with regard to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Angie A. Rizzino, PhD Research focus: Molecular mechanisms that regulate the proliferation of cancer stem cells and pluripotent stem cells. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2007 & 2015 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Students; 1994 Outstanding Teaching Award |
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Matthew Rizzo, MD, FAAN Research focus: Memory disorders; behavioral consequences of aging and neurological disorders. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2020 Scientist Laureate; 2016 Distinguished Scientist |
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William Rizzo, MD Research focus: Sjogren-Larsson Syndrome and other inherited metabolic diseases. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, IPMM and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2013 Distinguished Scientist |
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Kerry Rodabaugh, MD Research focus: Gynecologic oncology. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR and MGCB |
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Jim Rogers, PhD Research focus: Mathematical biology. Associated Doctoral Program: BISB |
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Debra Romberger, MD Research focus: Agricultural/occupation/environmental lung disease; airway epithelial repair and injury mechanisms; clinical problems associated with COPD. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2014 Spirit of Community Service |
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Don Ronning, PhD Research focus: Discovery and development of anti-infective and anti-cancer compounds. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, IPID and MGCB |
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Jordan Rowley, PhD Research focus: 3D organization of DNA within the nucleus. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 New Investigator; 2022-2023 Emerging Educator |
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Shyamal K. Roy, PhD Research focus: Endocrine regulation of follicular development, growth factors, signal transduction in ovarian cells and biochemistry of granulosa cells. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, IPMM and MGCB |
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Elizabeth Rucks, PhD Research focus: Host trafficking to the chlamydial inclusion, growth and development of chlamydia. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Mark Rupp, MD Associated Doctoral Program: IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2012 Distinguished Scientist |
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Ruxana Sadikot, MD Research focus: Defining the lung immune response; Mechanism of lung injury. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Marat Sadykov, PhD Research focus: Bacterial genetics, physiology, and metabolism. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Jeffrey Salomon, MD Research focus: Map the microbiome in patients with congenital heart disease; Link dysbiosis and inflammatory metabolites in intestinal barrier dysfunction and subsequent increased systemic inflammation; Identify targets in the intestinal milieu aimed at recuding the inflammatory cascade in patients with congenital heart disease. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Derrick Samuelson, PhD Research focus: Intestinal microbial constituents that mediate pulmonary host defense against respiratory pathogens. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 New Investigator |
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Steven C. Sansom, PhD Research focus: Physiological mechanisms of ion transport in the kidney. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Joshua Santarpia, PhD Research focus: Detection, measurement and characterization of bioaerosols, atmospheric chemistry of bioaerosols, microbial communities in ambient environment (aerosol, soil and water) and bacteriophage for therapeutic and industrial uses. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2022 Distinguished Scientist |
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Kimberly Scarsi, PharmD Research focus: Optimizing pharmacologic therapies for the treatment and prevention of HIV, with an emphasis on global health and gender related issues. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Alicia Schiller, PhD Research focus: Quantification of sympathetic nervous system output and vascular control for clinically relevant applications, including intraprocedural feedback for renal denervation, hemorrhage, and as a screening tool for the presence of dysautonomia. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Micah Schott, PhD Research focus: Cell biology of lipids in metabolic disease. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR, IPMM and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 New Investigator |
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Harold D. Schultz, PhD Research focus: Sensory and motor functions of the autonomic nervous system. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPMM and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2013 Distinguished Scientist |
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Polina Shcherbakova, PhD Research focus: Mechanisms controlling genome stability in eukaryotic cells, particularly the functions of DNA polymerases, DNA replication fidelity and the relationship between DNA polymerase defects and cancer. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2022 Research Leadership; 2017 GSA Outstanding Mentor of Graduate Students; 2015 Distinguished Scientist; 2010 New Investigator |
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Aleem Siddique, MBBS Research focus: Lung transplant outcomes; Short and long term mechanical support outcomes; Graft patency and coronary bypass surgery (CABG) outcomes. Associated Doctoral Program: IPMM |
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Jawed Siddiqui, PhD Research focus: Bone metastasis, bone microenvironment, chemokines and cytokines, osteoimmunology, bone-muscle cross-talk, and cancer therapeutics. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 New Investigator |
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Susmita Sil, PhD Research focus: Role of long non-coding RNAs and extracellular vesicles in different neurodegenerative diseases, including HIV associated neurological disorders and Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as dementia in drug addicts. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Amar Singh, PhD Research focus: Molecular mechanisms of inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer; renal pathobiology. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2017 Distinguished Scientist |
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Rakesh K. Singh, PhD Research focus: Tumor growth and metastasis, angiogenesis, tumor immunology, cytokine biology. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2015 & 2021 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Students |
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Joyce Solheim, PhD Research focus: Mechanisms regulating the immune response to tumors and infectious pathogens, and development of new immunotherapies. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2008 & 2016 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Studies |
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Paul Sorgen, PhD Research focus: Advancing our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of gap junction regulation in the heart, with particular interest and expertise in protein-protein interactions mediated by the carboxyl terminal domain of connexins. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and MGCB |
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Kelly Stauch, PhD Research focus: Role of mitochondrial dysfunction and altered energy metabolism in the context of neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, IPMM and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2019 New Investigator |
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Jingjing Sun, PhD Research focus: Development of effective nanoformulation gene/drug delivery systems for enchanced cancer therapies and other diseases. Associated Doctoral Program: CR |
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Tahir Tahirov, PhD Research focus: Reveal the structure basis of the mechanisms covering the key stages in the expression and duplication/repair of genes and to learn how the disease-related mutations in proteins disrupt these key processes. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR and MGCB |
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Geoffrey Talmon, MD Research focus: Surgical, renal and placental pathology. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Outstanding Teaching & Instructional Creativity Award; 2020-2021 Varner Educator Laureate; 2016 Interprofessional Academy of Educators |
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William Tapprich, PhD Research focus: Understanding the structure and function of viral RNA molecules, particularly enteroviral genomic RNA. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB and IPID |
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Melissa Teoh-Fitzgerald, PhD Research focus: Role of oxidative tumor microenvironment in regulating the reciprocal tumor-stroma interactions. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB and CR UNMC Award Recipient: 2014 New Investigator |
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Geoffrey M. Thiele, PhD Research focus: Autoimmunity, immune system disorders, immunopathology; infectious diseases/agents; Rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, breast cancer and the immune system, bone loss and erosion, alcoholic liver disease. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, IPID and IPMM |
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Wallace B. Thoreson, PhD Research focus: Visual information processing by the retina; electrophysiology and optical imaging techniques to study transmission at ribbon synapses of rod and cone photoreceptors. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPMM, MGCB and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2013 & 2019 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Students; 2013 Research Leadership |
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Paul Trippier, PhD Research focus: Small molecule drug discovery for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2022 Distinguished Scientist |
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Matthew Van Hook, PhD Research focus: Influence of neurodegenerative diseases of the visual system (i.e. glaucoma) on the function of neurons and synapses in the brain and retina. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPMM and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2020 New Investigator |
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Trevor VanSchooneveld, MD Research focus: Antimicrobial stewardship; Clostridium difficile infections; multi-drug gram negative pathogens; use of infection biomarkers in clinical practice. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Joseph Vetro, PhD Research focus: Developing novel synthetic targeted drug and gene delivery nanocarriers for the anti-angiogenesis treatment of cancer; improving development paradigms for targeted bioimaging and drug delivery nanocarriers; developing subunit vaccines based on the novel adjuvant, EP67. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR, IPID and IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2017 Distinguished Scientist |
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Saraswathi Viswanathan, PhD Research focus: Determine the link between obesity and cardiovascular disease. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2018 New Investigator |
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James Wahl, PhD Research focus: Understand the role of desmosomes play in maintaining the normal phenotype of squamous epithelial tissues and to determine if their alteration during tumorigenesis influences cell motility, metastasis and signaling. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2019 Distinguished Scientist |
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Shibiao Wan, PhD Research focus: Bioinformatics, machine learning and computational biology, especially in single cell analysis, multi-omics analysis, spatial transcriptomics, cancer research, intelligent healthcare and precision medicine. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB, CR and MGCB |
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Dong Wang, PhD Research focus: Macromolecular therapies for inflammatory diseases; dentrothropic therapies for oral and craniofacial diseases; targeted therapies for musculoskeletal diseases; click chemistry for drug delivery and nanomedicine; biocompatible polymers for biomedical applications; prodrug design. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR, IPID and IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2012 Distinguished Scientist |
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Guangshun (Gus) Wang, PhD Research focus: Develop novel antimicrobials by combining structural biology and database with in vitro and in vivo toxicity and efficacy studies. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPID |
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Hanjun Wang, MD Research focus: Exercise physiology; cardiovascular research; respiratory research; neuroal science. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB and IPMM UNMC Award Recipient: 2022 2020 Distinguished Scientist; 2016 New Investigator |
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Jieqiong Wang, PhD Research focus: Machine learning; medical imaging processing/analysis; brain development and aging; disease diagnosis/prognosis. Associated Doctoral Program: BISB |
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David Warren, PhD Research focus: Cognitive neuroscience investigations of cognition (especially memory) and related brain networks that combine neuroimaging, neuropsychological, and neurostimulation methods. Associated Doctoral Programs: BISB and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2020 New Investigator |
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Michael Wiley, PhD Research focus: Developing and deploying NGS-based solutions for detecting and characterizing pathogens. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID UNMC Award Recipient: 2022 New Investigator |
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Nicholas Woods, PhD Research focus: Systems biology based analysis of cancer signaling pathways. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2015 New Investigator |
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Ashley Wysong, MD, MS Research focus: Skin cancer treatment and epidemiology. Associated Doctoral Program: CR UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Distinguished Scientist |
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Jian Xie, PhD Research focus: Membrane-associated virus-host interactions in infection and innate immunity. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Jingwei Xie, PhD Research focus: Synthesis, surface modification, self-assembly of materials at nanometer scale to address problems in the field of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and drug/gene delivery. Associated Doctoral Programs: CR, IPID and MGCB UNMC Award Recipient: 2020 Distinguished Scientist; 2015 New Investigator |
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Huangui Xiong, MD, PhD Research focus: Molecular and cellular underlying HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders, focusing on the roles played by NMDA receptors and voltage-gated K channels. Associated Doctoral Program: NSC |
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Ying Yan, PhD Research focus: Tumorigenesis, cancer progression and metastasis, and development of new anticancer agents. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, BISB, CR, IPMM and MGCB |
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Sowmya Yelamanchili, PhD Research focus: MicroRNAs in neurodegenerative diseases, HIV, Parkinson's Disease. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPMM, MGCB and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 Distinguished Scientist; 2017 New Investigator |
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Jae Hyuk Yoo, PhD Research focus: Uveal melanoma. Associated Doctoral Program: CR |
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Chi (Kevin) Zhang, MD, PhD Research focus: Development of novel strategies for delivery of therapies to brain tumors. Associated Doctoral Programs: BMB, CR and IPMM |
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Pengwei Zhang, PhD Research focus: Virus-host interactions of intracellular virus trafficking. Associated Doctoral Program: IPID |
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Siwei Zhao, PhD Research focus: Developing novel electrical engineering technologies to facilitate localized drug delivery, chronic wound healing and neural/muscular rehabilitation after peripheral nerve injury. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPID, IPMM and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2023 New Investigator |
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Peng Zhong, PhD Research focus: Relationship between sleep disturbance and neurodegenerative disorders to learn how to repair the diseased nervous systems. Associated Doctoral Programs: MGCB and NSC |
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Matthew C. Zimmerman, PhD Research focus: Role of reactive oxygen species and redox signaling in the brain in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease; utilization of nanoformulated antioxidants for the improved treatment of cardiovascular disease. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPMM and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2022 Distinguished Scientist |
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Irving H. Zucker, PhD Research focus: Neural control of cardiovascular function; heart failure; hypertension; sympathetic function. Associated Doctoral Programs: IPMM and NSC UNMC Award Recipient: 2013 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Students |