The UNMC College of Medicine recently received grants and awards representing more than $23 million in new funding in April and May. The following individuals received awards:
- Shilpa Buch, PhD, pharmacology-experimental neuroscience, received a grant of $544,256 from DHHS/NIH/NIDA for a study of the role of microglial ferritinophagy in HIV and cocaine-mediated neuroinflammation.
- Gurudutt Pendyala, PhD, anesthesiology, received a grant of $438,950 from DHHS/NIH/NIDA for a study of mechanisms underlying polysubstance use post-social defeat in HIV-positive adolescents.
- Jian Xie, PhD, pathology-microbiology and immunology, received a grant of $417,845 from the DHHS/NIH/NIGMS for a study of biological roles and mechanisms of cell surface RNAs in human papillomavirus endocytic trafficking.
- Kate-Lynn Muir, DO, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received a grant of $273,500 from the Sarah Cannon Research Institute for a study of BMS-986489 (Atigotatug plus Nivolumab fixed-dose combination) vs. Durvalumab as consolidation therapy following chemoradiotherapy in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer.
- Moataz Ellithi, MBChB, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received a grant of $199,998 from the American Society of Clinical Oncology for a trial to optimize GVHD prophylaxis after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in older adults with hematological malignancies.
- Mohanad Al-Obaidi, MD, internal medicine-infectious disease, received two grants totaling $94,715 from the University of Alabama-Birmingham for a study of clinical and applied research strategies for the prevention and control of fungal diseases.
- James Murphy, MD, internal medicine-pulmonary, received a grant of $82,238 from Seattle Children’s Research Institute for a study to enable new diagnostics for pulmonary microbes in people with cystic fibrosis.
- Mathilda Willoughby, PhD, biochemistry and molecular biology, received a grant of $76,780 from DHHS/NIH/NIDA for a study of the mechanisms of endosomal dysfunction in alcohol-related steatosis and liver injury.
- David Warren, MD, internal medicine-infectious disease, received a grant of $33,430 from Washington University-St. Louis for a study of intra-articular corticosteroid injections for symptomatic osteoarthritis and the effects of injection dose, frequency and timing on safety.
- Heather Smith, MD, genetics, cell biology and anatomy, received a grant of $10,735 from the Nebraska Bankers Association Equipment Grants-University of Nebraska Foundation for a study of high throughput polarized light imaging.
- Iraklis Pipinos, MD, surgery-vascular surgery, received a grant of $4,699 from the University of Nebraska at Omaha for a study of optimization of ankle exoskeleton control strategies for peripheral artery disease.
Industry-sponsored grants and contracts:
The following industry-sponsored grants and contracts were received.
- Omar Abughanimeh, MBBS, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a study to evaluate PF-08046054/SGN-PDL1V vs, Docetaxel in adult participants with previously treated programmed cell death and positive non-small-cell lung cancer.
- Shubham Agarwal, MD, internal medicine-diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism, received funding for a safety evaluation of the Minimed™ NMX8-aid system in children and adults living with diabetes (GATEWAY.)
- Jordan Broekhuis, MD, surgery-surgical oncology, received funding for developing a policy-informed approach to improving access to thyroid cancer in the rural Midwest.
- Marcel Devetten, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a trial of the safety and preliminary efficacy of anti-CD19 allogeneic CRISPR-CAS9-engineered T cells (CTX112) in adult participants with relapsed/refractory hematologic autoimmune disease (CRISPR).
- Shan Fan, MD, ophthalmology and visual sciences, received funding for a study of Hydrus vs. iStent infinite flow rate comparison in a cadaver eye model.
- Carlos Gomez, MD, internal medicine-infectious disease, received funding for a study to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of a Clostridioides difficile vaccine in adults 50 years of age and older (CdiffVax.) Dr. Gomez also received funding for a study of intravenous Brincidofovir vs. intravenous Cidofovir for treatment of adenovirus infection in pediatric and adult subjects after allogeneic hematopoietic (Symbio2.)
- Hani Haider, PhD, orthopaedic surgery, received funding for a study of a compliant intramedullary stem to increase longevity of total knee replacements. Dr. Haider also received funding for an in vitro wear durability study of UHMWPE tibial bearings from a posterior stabilized total knee replacement system in collaboration with Orthopaedic Innovation Centre.
- Marshall Hyden, MD, internal medicine-cardiovascular, received funding for a study of effects of NNC6019-0001 vs. placebo on cardiovascular outcomes in participants with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (CLEOPATTRA.)
- Kelsey Klute, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a study to investigate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Ponsegromab (PF-06946860) compared with placebo both with background first-line chemotherapy in adult participants with cachexia and metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
- Mridula Krishnan, MBBS, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a study of Rilvegostomig in combination with Fluoropyrimidine and Trastuzumab deruxtecan vs. Trastuzumab, chemotherapy and Pembrolizumab for the first-line treatment of HER2-positive gastric cancer.
- Eric Langewisch, MD, internal medicine-nephrology, received funding for a trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of Felzartamab in recipients of kidney transplants with late isolated microvascular inflammation.
- Edward Lewis O’Leary, MD, internal medicine-cardiovascular, received funding for a study to assess the safety and effectiveness of the Selution SLR 014 PTCA drug eluting balloon in the treatment of subjects with de novo coronary lesions in small vessels.
- Matthew Lunning, DO, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a trial of LYL314, a dual-targeting CD19/CD20 car t-cell product candidate vs. investigator’s choice of CD19 car t-cell therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma.
- Roslyn Mannon, MD, internal medicine-nephrology, received funding for staffing for the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.
- Pukhraj Rishi, MBBS, ophthalmology and visual sciences, received funding for a study of neoadjuvant Darovasertib in subjects with primary non-metastatic uveal melanoma.
- Douglas Stoller, MD, PhD, genetics, cell biology and anatomy, received funding for a study to assess the efficacy and safety of Danicamtiv in participants with symptomatic genetic and familial dilated cardiomyopathy.
- Laura Tenner, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a study of Pumitamig in combination with chemotherapy vs. Bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy in participants with previously untreated, unresectable or metastatic colorectal cancer.
- Julie Vose, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a followup study of patients who received MB-105.
- Ronald Zolty, MD, PhD, internal medicine-cardiovascular, received funding for a study of Levosimendan in pulmonary hypertension patients with heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.