Lauren Sauer, PhD, joins committee on emerging health threats
Lauren Sauer, PhD, associate director of research at the Global Center for Health Security and associate professor in the UNMC College of Public Health has been appointed to serve on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Disease and 21st Century Health Threats.
The committee will advise the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) on key scientific and policy issues related to emerging infectious diseases and other public health and national security threats. It will bring together experts from federal agencies, academia, the private sector and other stakeholders to assess emerging risks, discuss research and policy developments and help inform national preparedness and response efforts.
As a member of the committee, Sauer will contribute subject matter expertise during committee deliberations, help identify research priorities and knowledge gaps and support ASPR with technical insight and evidence-based recommendations.
“I am thrilled to serve on the standing committee,” Sauer said. “UNMC works closely with ASPR to ensure national readiness for emerging threats, and I’m excited to support that mission and help guide policymakers in very uncertain times.”
-Jeff Robb, UNMC strategic communications
Dr. Watanabe-Galloway receives Community Leadership Award
Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, PhD, associate director for community outreach and engagement with the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, was honored with the Calistus Multiple Myeloma Foundation’s Community Leadership Award.
The award, which was presented to Dr. Watanabe-Galloway at the foundation’s gala event, recognized her dedication to advancing patient support, education and outreach within the community.
The Calistus Multiple Myeloma Foundation Gala offered an evening of stories, hope and progress in the fight against multiple myeloma. Dr. Watanabe-Galloway served as keynote speaker.
Dr. Watanabe-Galloway shared her personal experience of losing family members to cancer, a loss that shaped her path and inspired her commitment to cancer research. She emphasized the importance of cancer advocacy and community engagement in prevention and early detection, particularly to help reduce the burden of cancer in underserved populations.
“This is truly a grassroots, community-driven effort with visible support from leaders across the community, health care systems and academia,” she said. She added that the collective efforts at the community level “are essential to reducing the burden of cancer in our communities.”
-Audrey Smith, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center
Chandra Are, MBBS, named to ACGME committee
Chandra Are, MBBS, Jerald L. and Carolynn J. Varner Professor of Surgical Oncology and Global Health in the UNMC Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, and senior associate dean of graduate medical education, has been appointed by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to the ACGME Institutional Review Committee.
The institutional review committee reviews and accredits institutions that sponsor graduate medical education programs.
Dr. Are called his selection an honor.
“Serving on the committee will give me the privilege to be involved in shaping the future of graduate medical education for our nation,” he said.
-John Keenan, UNMC strategic communications
Dr. Kielian elected fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology
Tammy Kielian, PhD, Choudari Kommineni, DVM, PhD, Professor of Pathology, has been elected to Fellowship in the American Academy of Microbiology. The academy represents the American Society for Microbiology. Fellows are relied upon for authoritative advice and insight on critical issues in microbiology.
“This is one of the top honors in our field, so I’m very humbled and grateful,” said Dr. Kielian, whose candidacy advanced through a stringent, two-round peer-review process. Dr. Kielian was among 63 scientists from 14 countries to join the academy as its 2026 fellowship class.
“Academy fellows are leaders in their field whose work influences the direction of scientific discovery and its role in society,” said Vanessa Sperandio, PhD, chair of the academy governors. “Election to the academy is a significant professional milestone, and I am delighted to welcome Dr. Kielian as a member of the 2026 Cohort.”
Dr. Kielian said she appreciated the support of her nominators and accepted the honor on behalf of her team.
“This honor was made possible by the outstanding work of my graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and research staff, both past and present.”
-Kalani Simpson, UNMC strategic communications
Weishapl appears on podcast
UNMC’s Paul Weishapl was a guest on the “Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart Chittenden.” Weishapl is an instructor in the UNMC College of Public Health’s Department of Environmental, Agricultural and Occupational Health and director of the Nebraska Harm Reduction Program.
Weishapl uses his addiction journey and overdose death of friends to leverage his unique insights and public health knowledge to implement harm reduction strategies and combat stigma in Nebraska.
The episode discusses “addiction, recovery, policy, mortality and the hard, necessary work of repair in both individual lives and public life,” according to the podcast preview.
Listen to Weishapl and the episode at this link.
-UNMC strategic communications