Research highlights

Howard Fox, MD, PhD

The UNMC College of Medicine received grant and funding awards representing $9.3 million in new funding in August.

Howard Fox, MD, PhD, neurological sciences, received a grant of $1,417,351 from the SHHS/NIH/NIDA for a study uncovering HIV/opioid effects in the brain at the single cell level.

Jill Poole, MD, internal medicine-allergy/immunology, received a grant of $545,912 from DHHS/CDC/NIOSH for a study on resolving occupational exposure-induced lung disease.

Iqbal Javeed, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received a grant of $500,778 from DHHS/NIH/NCI for a study on the Cooperative role of TET2 & IDH2 mutation in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphomageneis.

Jyoti Kaushal, PhD, biochemistry and molecular biology, received a grant of $462,500 from the U.S. Army/USAMRAA/CDMRP to study the regulatory mechanism of non-canonical hedgehog signaling and its association with autophagy in castration resistant prostate cancer.

Anna Dunaevsky, PhD, neurological sciences, received a grant of $434,385 from DHHS/NIH/NINDS for developing an astroglial model for Fragile X Syndrome.

Karsten Bartels, MD, PhD, anesthesiology, received a grant of $399,429 from DHHS/AHQR, for a study on efficiency and quality in post-surgical pain therapy after discharge.

Shannon Buckley-McKeown, PhD, genetics, cell biology and anatomy, received a grant of  $385,386 from  DHHS/NIH/NIAID to study the role of E3 ligase UBR5 in alternative splicing during B cell development and activation. Dr. Buckley-McKeown also received a grant of $385,301 from DHHS/NIH/NCI for dissecting the role of ubiquitin E3 ligase UBR5 in lymphomagenesis.

Ying Yan, PhD, radiation oncology, received a grant of $306,167 from DHHS/NIH/NIGMS to study PR55-alpha controlled PP2A in the regulation of the Hippo/YAP pathway.

William Rizzo, MD, pediatrics-metabolism, received a grant of $223,198 from DHHS/NIH/NICHD for a study defining ichthyosis in Sjogren-Larsson syndrome for clinical trial preparedness.

Howard Gendelman, MD, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience, received a grant of $53,552 from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai to study single cell brain transcriptome changes during chronic HIV infection and opiate use in conventional mice.

Matthew Garlinghouse, PhD, neurological sciences, revied a grant of $48,204 from the City University of New York-Brooklyn College for a novel multimodal assessment of practical judgment across the Alzheimer's continuum: Toward a better understanding of how to predict risk in the elderly.

Juan Santamaria, MD, surgery-surgical oncology, revied a grant of $25,000 from the John Wayne Cancer Foundation for increasing Latinx breast cancer clinical trial participation through patient navigation.

Melissa Cullimore, MD, PhD, pediatrics-critical care, received a grant $14,553 from the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital for pediatric research of drugs, immunoparalysis and genetics during MODS.

Kelly Stauch, PhD, neurological sciences, received a grant of $7,500 from the Nebraska Bankers Association for Seahorse Core equipment.

Joseph Americo Fernandes, MD, neurological sciences, received a grant of $1,870 from Columbia University for a PLS natural history study.

Industry-sponsored grants and contracts:

The following industry-sponsored contracts and foundation grants were received. Information on clinical trials enrolling patients at UNMC can be found here.

Avyakta Kallam, MBBS, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for an open-label extension study evaluating the long-term safety and efficacy of orali of GB002 for the treatment of WHO Group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Kerry Rodabaugh, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a phase 1, multicenter, open-label, dose escalation and dose expansion study of SQZ-PBMC-HPV as monotherapy and in combination with Atezolizumab in HLA-A*02+ patients with HPV16+ recurrent, locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors.

Daniel Murman, MD, neurological sciences, received funding for an open-label, multicenter rollover study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of long-term gantenerumab administration in participants with Alzheimer’s.

Tammy Wichman, MD, internal medicine-pulmonary, received funding for a phase 2/3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, adaptive design study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MK-5475 in adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension and for a phase 3 study to compare the efficacy and safety of Sotatercept vs. placebo when added to background pulmonary arterial hypertension therapy.

David F. Mercer, MD, PhD, surgery-transplant, received funding for a phase 3 extension trial investigating the safety and efficacy of Glepaglutide in adult patients with short bowel syndrome completing the EASE SBS 2 trial.

Daniel Hershberger, MD, internal medicine-pulmonary, received funding for a Phase 3 trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PRM-151 in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Apar Ganti, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a Phase 1/2 trial of MRTX849 in patients with advanced solid tumors with KRAS G12C mutation.

Vishal Kothari, MD, surgery-general surgery, received funding for a prophylactic reinforcement of ventral abdominal incisions trial: Prospective trial of Phasix mesh to prevent incisional hernia subsequent to open midline laparotomy.

John Davis, PhD, obstetrics/gynecology, received a grant of $45,000 from Colorado State University, for a study showing ISGs in the corpus luteum are necessary for maintenance of pregnancy in ruminants.

James McClay, MD, emergency medicine, received a grant of $44,801 from Duke University for HERO: Healthcare Worker Exposure Response and Outcomes.

Alissa Marr, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a study to compare adjuvant immunotherapy of Bempegaldesleukin combined with nivolumab vs. nivolumab after complete resection of melanoma in patients at high risk for recurrence.

Ronald Zolty, MD, PhD, internal medicine-cardiovascular, received funding for the Riociguat Users Registry.

Richard Starlin, MD, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received funding for a study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an amikacin liposome inhalation suspension-based regimen.

Muhamed Baljevic, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for an expanded access protocol for subjects receiving Idecabtagene Vicleucel that is nonconforming for commercial release.

Andrew Goldsweig, MD, internal medicine-cardiovasular, received funding for a study of paravalvular leak closure with the Amplatzer Valvular Plus Occluder for interventional transcatheter closure for PVL with surgical biological and mechanical heart valve.

Nicholas Woods, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received a grant of $36,297from DHHS/NIH/NIAID for a study on elucidation of the role of chlamydial ClpX during development and differentiation.

Joshua Santarpia, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received funding for a study on metal-organic frameworks for the inactivation of viral bioaerosols in public spaces.

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