UNMC for the record

From left, Jasmine Marcelin, MD, Nada Fadul, MD, and Kelly Cawcutt, MD

From left, Jasmine Marcelin, MD, Nada Fadul, MD, and Kelly Cawcutt, MD

Drs. Marcelin, Fadul and Cawcutt elected IDSA fellows

Three UNMC infectious disease physicians recently were elected as fellows of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the nation’s leading infectious diseases professional society.

Jasmine Marcelin, MD, Nada Fadul, MD, and Kelly Cawcutt, MD, were among 181 individuals to receive the designation, which recognizes distinguished physicians and scientists from the United States and around the world.

Fellowship in IDSA is the highest honor in the field of infectious diseases. It is given to those who have achieved professional excellence and provided significant service to the profession.

“Infectious diseases specialists have trained their entire careers to step up to the plate during a crisis such as the one we face today with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said IDSA President Barbara Alexander, MD. “ID physicians and scientists are working on the front lines of every aspect of this outbreak, from treating patients to developing and studying diagnostics and therapies to working on vaccines. They are also preparing for the next outbreak and protecting individual and public health.”

Applicants for IDSA Fellowship must be nominated by their peers and meet specified criteria that include continuing identification with the field of infectious diseases, national or regional recognition, and publication of their scholarly work.

TBI Biomarkers Symposium set for Feb. 26











picture disc.

picture disc.


Neil Harris, PhD



Michael McCrea, PhD

Neil Harris, PhD, and Michael McCrea, PhD, will speak at the Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) Biomarkers Symposium from 9-11 a.m. Feb. 26 via Zoom (Passcode: 913052).

Dr. McCrea, vice chair of research for the Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Neurology and co-director of the Center for Neurotrauma Research, will speak on “Emerging Biomarkers in TBI and Concussion.”

Dr. Harris, professor of neuroscience in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the UCLA Brain Injury Research Center, will speak on “Neuroimaging-based Biomarkers for TBI with a focus on Astrocyte Wounding: An on-going TOP-NT NIH Consortium Study.”

The event is presented by the UNMC Department of Neurological Sciences.

Mary Niemiec, NU Online director, to retire June 30

Mary Niemiec, associate vice president for digital education for the University of Nebraska system and director of University of Nebraska Online, has announced plans to retire on June 30, following a decade of leadership of systemwide distance learning initiatives.

NU Executive Vice President and Provost Susan Fritz shared the news with Central Administration colleagues.

“Mary’s expert leadership of NU Online has guided the university in its pursuit of a coordinated, strategic effort in online and digital education,” Fritz wrote. “This has been essential to our ability to meet student needs and positions the university for continued success in a highly competitive and rapidly changing market.”

NU Online is the systemwide platform bringing together 150-plus online programs offered by the four campuses of the University of Nebraska. That’s more than double the number of online programs NU campuses offered a decade ago.

Blood drive set on campus for Feb. 16

The next UNMC Campus Blood Drive is scheduled for Feb. 16 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. inside the Center for Healthy Living gym. The Nebraska Community Blood Bank has an electronic scheduling system. Donors can schedule an appointment for the drive here. (Enter sponsor code MSC or call 1-402-486-9414.) Appointments are requested, but walk-in donors will be accepted if scheduling allows. For assistance, call Peter Pellerito at 402-559-5253 or via email.