Research highlights

Matthew Rizzo, MD

Matthew Rizzo, MD

The UNMC College of Medicine received grant and funding awards representing $15.1 million in new funding in September.

Matthew Rizzo, MD, neurological sciences, received a Great Plains IDeA-CTR – Cycle 2 grant for $4,299,998 from DHHS/NIH/NIGMS.

Jill Poole, MD, internal medicine-allergy/immunology, received a grant of $2,084,290 from U.S. Army/USAMRAA/CDMRP.

Ted Mikuls, MD, internal medicine-rheumatology, received a grant of $1,003,276 from U.S. Army/USAMRAA/CDMRP for a study of dynamic interaction of airborne biohazards in rheumatoid arthritis-associated lung disease.

Leah Cook, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received a grant of $926,248 from U.S. Army/USAMRAA/CDMRP for a study of therapeutic targeting of Nox2 to target bone metastatic prostate cancer progression and immune evasion.

Ying Yan, PhD, radiation oncology, received a grant of $655, 076 from U.S. Army/USAMRAA/CDMRP for a study of effective oral benzimidazole carbamates for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

Kaushik Patel, PhD, cellular and integrative physiology, received a grant of $510,235 from DHHS/NIH/NIDDK for a study of a novel target mechanism (renal nerves) for the beneficial actions of SGLT2 inhibition in congestive heart failure.

Paul Sorgen, PhD, biochemistry and molecular biology, received a grant of $496,349 from DHHS/NIH/NIGMS for a study on mechanisms of gap junction regulation.

Jingwei Xie, PhD, surgery-transplant, received a grant of $340,836 from DHHS/NIH/NIGMS for a study of nanofiber-based delivery of combined immune-modulating compounds to minimize infection and enhance wound healing.

Aaron Barksdale, MD, emergency medicine, received a grant of$255,241 from Vanderbilt University Medical Center for a study of novel experimental COVID therapies affecting host response, connects master protocol for clinical trials targeting macro-micro-immuno-thromobsis, vascular hyperinflammation, and hypercoagulability and renin-angiotensin-aldoesterone system.

Micah Schott, PhD, biochemistry and molecular biology, received a grant of $249,000 from DHHS/NIH/NIAAA to study the synergy of lipolysis and lipophagy in alcoholic liver disease.

Jae Hyuk Yoo, PhD, ophthalmology and visual sciences, received a grant of $246,879 from DHHS/NIH/NCI for a study on ARF6 function in cancers driven by RAS hyperactivation.

Matthew Halanski, MD, orthopaedic surgery, received a grant of $215,131 from DHHS/NIH/NIAMS for a study on improving spinal growth modulation using a novel kyphotic porcine model.

Aditya Bade, PhD, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience, received a grant of $191,355 from DHHS/NIH/NICHD for a study of the functional mechanism underlying Dolutegravir (DTG)-associated developmental CNS abnormalities: Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases activities.

Jamie Wilson, MD, neurosurgery, received a grant of $173,520 from the University of British Columbia for The Canadian-American Spinal Cord Perfusion Pressure and Biomarker Study – CASPER.

Vimla Band, PhD, genetics, cell biology and anatomy, received a grant of $76,542 from DHHS/NIH/NCI for a study of the co-oncogenic role of ECD in HER2-driven breast cancer.

Kendra Clark, PhD, obstetrics/gynecology, received a grant of $65,994 from DHHS/NIH/NICHD for a study on the roles of hippo signaling and gap junctional communication in follicle development.

Chengfeng Bi, MD, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received two grants of $63,464 and $58,541 from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute for studies on the therapeutic effect of eFT-226 and Onvasertib in hematological patient-derived xenograft models and synthetic reoaglates as promising the therapeutic agents for aggressive hematological malignancies.

Amy Cannella, MD, internal medicine-rheumatology, received the FY 2023 Rheumatology Research Foundation Amgen Fellowship Training Award of $50,000 from the Rheumatology Research Foundation.

Nathan Hatch, pathology and microbiology, received a grant of $36,297 from NHHS/NIH/NIAID for a study defining the persistence associated transcriptome in chlamydia trachomatis.

Melissa Cullimore, MD, PhD, pediatrics-critical care, received a grant of $18,960 from Boston’s Children’s Hospital for a study on understanding COVID-19 among critically ill children in PALISI Network.

Jean Ballweg, MD, pediatrics-cardiology, received a grant of $10,534 from Johns Hopkins University for a data science approach to identify and manage Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and Kawasaki disease in pediatric patients.

Industry-sponsored grants and contracts:

The following industry-sponsored contracts and foundation grants were received.

Roslyn Mannon, MD, internal medicine-nephrology, received funding for a study on the validation of genomic immune-phenotyping profiles to predict risk of kidney transplant rejection.

Andre Kalil, MD, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received funding for a multicenter platform trial of putative therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19 in hospitalized adults.

Benjamin Teply, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a phase 3, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of Infigratinib for the adjuvant treatment of subjects with invasive urothelial carcinoma with susceptible FGFR3 genetic alterations.

Robert Bociek, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a study of acalabrutinib in combination with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) in Subjects 65 years with previously untreated non-germinal center.

David F. Mercer, MD, surgery-transplant, received funding for a study on living with short bowel syndrome (SBS): impact on child and family wellbeing and quality of life.

Siddappa Byrareddy, PhD, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience, received funding for determination of SARS-CoV-2 aerosol removal and destruction efficacy of Photoelectrochemical Oxidative Filter-Based Air Purification Unit.

Lauren Edwards, MD, psychiatry, received funding for a study of the Empower Neuromodulation System, a home-use device for the treatment of anxiety disorders.

Sachit Patel, MD, pediatrics-hematology/oncology, received funding for a study on real-world treatment patterns and outcomes in patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and other clinical conditions treated with emapalumab across treatment centers in the U.S.

Daniel Murman, MD, neurological sciences, received funding for an exploratory study to quantify health care use among Medicare-enrolled patients participating in phase 3 clinical trails on Alzheimer’s disease.