The Rheumatology Exchange
Updates from the UNMC Division of Rheumatology and Immunology as we educate the next generation, conduct innovative research, deliver extraordinary clinical care and engage with our community.
Dr. Bryant England named interim division chief
James O’Dell, MD, who was chief of the UNMC Division of Rheumatology for 35 years, stepped aside from that leadership post Jan. 1. Bryant England, MD, PhD, associate professor of rheumatology, is now interim chief.
Featured News
Kaleb Michaud, PhD, turned the pain of a childhood diagnosis into a purposeful career
Honors, Awards and Achievements
Tate Johnson, MD, PhD, has been selected as a 2026 recipient of the Joseph P. and Harriet K. Gilmore Distinguished New Investigator Award. The Gilmore Award recognizes the research accomplishments of a UNMC College of Medicine faculty member who is emerging as an outstanding independent investigator.
This year, the committee selected two recipients — Dr. Johnson represents the clinical sciences and Shibiao Wan, PhD, of the UNMC Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy has been recognized for his contributions in the basic sciences.
A reception honoring the awardees will be held March 19, 2 to 4 pm, in the Wigton Heritage Center.
Learn more about the Joseph P. and Harriet K. Gilmore Distinguished New Investigator Award
Wenxian Zhou, a graduate research assistant in the UNMC Division of Rheumatology, received the Rheumatology Research Foundation's Future Physician Scientist Award. Zhou is mentored by Ted Mikuls, MD, and Geoffrey Thiele, PhD. The Rheumatology Research Foundation Future Physician Scientist Award provides funding for students enrolled in dual-doctoral degree programs who intend to pursue physician-scientist research careers. The award aims to enhance the research training of promising students and promote their interest in investigative careers in rheumatology.
Learn more about the Rheumatology Research Foundation's awards and grants
Austin Wheeler, MD, assistant professor in the UNMC Division of Rheumatology, has been selected to receive a Clinical Research LRP award from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. The two-year LRP award repays up to $50,000 annually of a researcher’s qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH-mission-relevant research. The NIH Loan Repayment Program (LRP) is designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers.
Dr. Wheeler has also been selected as a recipient of the UNMC College of Medicine's Physician-Scientist Training Program award. This award recognizes Dr. Wheeler's potential as a promising investigator and will support continued excellence in clinical research at UNMC. Read the article
Ted Mikuls, MD, MSPH, has been awarded the 2025 UNMC College of Medicine Dedication to Student Excellence Award from the UNMC Alumni Association.
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Tate Johnson, MD, PhD, assistant professor of rheumatology at UNMC, recently received a K23 award from the National Institutes of Health. The five-year grant is for his research titled “Inflammatory Responses, Fibrotic Mediators, and Comorbidity Burden as Determinants of Myocardial Dysfunction and Heart Failure in Rheumatoid Arthritis.” Read the article
Recent Publications and Media Coverage
Ted Mikuls, MD, is an author of "Financial Distress and Its Determinants in Rheumatoid Arthritis" from Arthritis Care & Research.
Brent Luedders, MD, is first author on an article in Arthritis & Rheumatology titled "Performance of an Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis-Derived Multibiomarker Panel for Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease."
Amy Cannella, MD, is an author on an observational study titled "Bridging the gap: evaluation of the impact of a structured pre-professional medical education gap year on medical career pathway, competency development, and preparedness for professional school."
A new study about people with gout being at risk of chronic opioid use by Lindsay Helget, MD, was featured in HCPLive.
Dr. Bryant England's VA study about TNF-inhibitors impact on RA-associated lung disease was mentioned in Medpage Today.
Dr. Kaleb Michaud discusses the benefits of playing board games to protect against Alzheimer's on KIOS FM
Support Our Division
opportunities to enhance the impact we have made across Nebraska. It is our vision to become a national leader in treatment, physician training, and outreach. If you would like to learn more about private gifts and partnerships in these or other areas, we welcome the chance to share them with you. We are grateful for every gift, as well as each person who would like to be a part of the team serving our rheumatology community.
Please consider supporting our division as we make advancements in rheumatology patient care, research and education. We have immediate needs in the following areas:
- Research Start-Up Fund
- Education Funding (Resident Education Fund, Medical Student Research Scholarships, Endowed Research Fellowship)
- Endowed Faculty Sponsorship