Dr. Geelan-Hansen receives innovation grant
Katie Geelan-Hansen, MD, associate professor in UNMC’s Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, has received a $4,500 UNMC College of Medicine educational innovation grant to purchase mannequins for hands-on teaching and simulation.
The mannequins, which are expected on campus this fall, will be used for ENT-related procedures ranging from nose bleeds to tracheostomies. Dr. Geelan-Hansen serves as the department’s director of medical student education.
“I am hopeful that by adding early hands-on simulation, the students can enter into the clinical phases with more confidence in their understanding and ability to communicate with other team members and patients,” Dr. Geelan-Hansen said. “We are very grateful to the UNMC College of Medicine for their support.”
“This is one example of how philanthropy helps our academic soul,” said Jayme Dowdall, MD, associate professor in the UNMC Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. “This grant will have a huge return on investment.”
-Karen Burbach, UNMC strategic communications
‘Hearts and Hounds’ event is Sept. 13
The Nebraska Medicine heart and vascular team will be on site at Town and Country Animal Rescue in Sarpy County providing blood pressure screenings and sharing the benefits pets have on people’s hearts.
Stop by to say “hi” to the animals on Saturday, Sept. 13, from noon-4 p.m. and receive heart-healthy information from the team.
Town and Country Animal Rescue is located at 14110 S. 84th St.
-Kristine Hayward, Nebraska Medicine
Dr. Tate Johnson receives K23 Award from NIH
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.” Dr. Johnson’s research studies the determinants of cardiovascular disease risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, as well as strategies to reduce this risk through both translational studies and large, epidemiologic analyses.
K23 awards are mentored research grants that provide support for the career development of investigators who have made a commitment to patient-oriented research, helping to launch an academic research career prior to competing for R01-level, independent funding.
Dr. Johnson said the award provides funding and protected research time to complete his proposed research as well as training in the conduct of clinical and translational research.
“K23 awards are invaluable at this stage of a research career,” he said. “This is an important step toward establishing a research program at UNMC to improve cardiovascular outcomes in patients with RA.”
-Maria Ball, UNMC Department of Internal Medicine
Six medical students receive SLA awards
Six fourth-year medical students have been selected as the recipient of the Service-Learning Leadership and Community Engagement Awards.
The awards are given by the UNMC College of Medicine Curriculum Committee.
UNMC students Kayley Anderson, Binh Le and Ellie Staab will receive Service-Learning Leadership Awards, which are presented for outstanding civic commitment, community awareness and personal development. Awardees also demonstrate incorporation of their experiences into their personal goals, perspectives, and values.
Emily Baxter, Chase Jablon and Anita Zhou will receive Service-Learning Community Engagement Awards, presented for active leadership in service learning with clear vision, innovation and creativity. Awardees demonstrate strong initiative with a clear impact, motivate others, and demonstrate a high standard of integrity.
“The selection committee was impressed by the students’ applications and dedication to service- learning,” said Lindsey Holmes, of the UNMC Office of Medical Education. “The students’ hard work, passion and perseverance has not only inspired the UNMC College of Medicine but has also made a positive difference in the future of medicine.”
-Lindsey Holmes, UNMC Office of Medical Education
Two doctoral students named Buffett scholars
The Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska has selected three doctoral students for the 2025-26 Graduate Scholars program, including Colman Freel and Rebekah Rapoza from UNMC.
Since 2016, the Buffett Institute has invested more than $700,000 through its Graduate Scholars program to support the research of doctoral students from University of Nebraska campuses related to early childhood education and development.
The program awards one-year fellowships worth up to $25,000 to a maximum of four NU doctoral students every year.
Freel’s project is titled, “Cardiovascular Wellness from the Womb: Evaluating the Role of the Endothelial-to- Mesenchymal Transition and Therapeutic Potential of Maresin-1 in Vascular Remodeling in Infants of Diabetic Mothers.” His mentors are Ann Anderson Berry, MD, PhD, and Paras Kumar Mishra.
Rapoza’s project is titled, “Perinatal Health Disparities: Investigating the Influence of Maternal Socioeconomic Status on Placental Gene Regulation and Expression.” Her mentor is Dr. Anderson Berry.
The third graduate scholar is Ali Shull, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
“Our three newest graduate scholars are a great example of tomorrow’s extraordinary, showcased today,” said Walter Gilliam, PhD, executive director of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute. “The fellowship is proud to support the incredible research efforts of students and faculty at the University of Nebraska through its multidisciplinary approach. We are excited about the potential of Colman, Rebekah and Ali’s promising research to enhance the lives of young children and families in Nebraska and beyond.”
-Greta Morris, Buffett Early Childhood Institute