Research highlights

Paul Fey, MD

Paul Fey, MD

The UNMC College of Medicine received grant and funding awards representing approximately $5.6 million in new funding in October and November.

Paul Fey, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received a grant of $650,969 from the DHS/NIH/NIAID to study mechanisms of staphylococcal skin colonization.

Steven Yeh, MD, ophthalmology and visual sciences, received a grant of $623,030 from DHHS/NIH/NEI to study the pathogenesis of uveitis in Ebola virus disease survivors. Dr. Yeh also received a grant of $45,000 from the ARVO Foundation for Eye Research for a pathogenesis of herpetic retinitis clinical and immunology assessment. He also received a grant of $19,670 from the Macula Society for ophthalmic surveillance of emerging infectious diseases within sub-Saharan African and southeast Asian outbreak zones.

Carol Casey, PhD, internal medicine-GI, received a grant of $531,819 from DHHS/NIH/NIAAA to study the altered lipid droplet trafficking role in alcoholic fatty liver disease. She also received a grant of $13,701 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the Nebraska Center for the Prevention of Obesity Diseases through Dietary Molecules.

Iqbal Javeed, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received a grant of $301,146 from DHHS/NIH/NCI to study pre-analytical variables of bioanalytes affecting the accuracy of PTCL diagnostic and prognostic genetic signatures.

James Murphy, MD, internal medicine-pulmonary, received a grant of $203,151 from the Seattle Children’s Research Institute for a prospective study to evaluate maternal and fetal outcomes in the era of modulators. Dr. Murphy also received funding for a  study of the safety and pharmacokinetics of AR-501.

Thuy Koll, MD, internal medicine-geriatrics, received a grant of $190,188 from DHHS/NIH/NIA for promoting physical activity to improve cognitive function in older adults undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Nadia Pare, PhD, neurological sciences, received a grant of $181,023 from the City University of New York-Brooklyn College for a novel multimodal assessment of practical judgment across the Alzheimer's continuum: Toward a better understanding of how to predict risk in the elderly.

Ann Anderson Berry, MD, PhD, pediatrics-newborn medicine, received at grant of $127,499 from Harvard College for the Health's Early Roots & Origins (HERO) Program.

Nora Sarvetnick, PhD, surgery-transplant, received a grant of $100,000 from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to study gene regulation as a foundation for autoimmune disease prevention.

Jingwei Xie, PhD, surgery-transplant, received a grant of $95,341 from the Glebe Medical Research Foundation to study 3D nanofiber scaffolds for effective craniomaxillofacial bone regeneration.

Vijay Shivaswamy, MBBS, internal medicine-DEM, received multiple grants, including a grant of $85,781 from the Nebraska Educational Biomedical Research Association as an ICA in the Ramesh Ramalingam-prominent study at VA; a grant of $22,772 from the Nebraska Educational Biomedical Research Association as an ICA for Payton Hurlburt; a grant of $40,186 from the Nebraska Educational Biomedical Research Association as an ICA for Jenna Egbert; a grant of $24,781 from the Nebraska Educational Biomedical Research Association as an ICA for Adam Hornig; and a grant of $16,100 from the Nebraska Educational Biomedical Research Association as an ICA for Katelyn Kelley.

Kelsey Klute, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received a grant of $56,000 from the Mayo Clinic for a study of gemcitabine and cisplatin with AG120 or pemigatinib for advanced cholangiocarcinoma.

Cyrus Desouza, MBBS, internal medicine-DEM, received multiple grants, including a grant of $49,619 from the Nebraska Educational Biomedical Research Association as an ICA for the SURPASS study; a grant of $31,914 from George Washington University for "Continuation of Glycemic Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study"; a grant of $22,772 from the Nebraska Educational Biomedical Research Association as an ICA for Payton Hurlburt; a grant of $65,697 from the Nebraska Educational Biomedical Research Association as an ICA for Lisa Keuchenmeister; and a grant of $42,890 from the Nebraska Educational Biomedical Research Association as an ICA for Ramesh Ramalingam.

Matthew Lunning, DO, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received a grant of $37,159 from Pennsylvania State University for a study on a single conical tube device for precision CAR-T cells manufacturing.

Karsten Bartels, MD, PhD, anesthesiology, received a grant of $10,000 from DHHS/NIH/NHLBI to study cardiovascular outcomes research in perioperative medicine.

Bracha Goldsweig, MD, pediatrics-endocrine, received a grant of $7.501 from the University of South Florida for a TrialNet Clinic agreement.

Andrew Dudley, PhD, genetics, cell biology and anatomy, received a $6,000 NASA Nebraska Space Grant for a FY22 fellowship.

Travis McCumber, PhD, genetics, cell biology and anatomy, received a $5,000 NASA Nebraska Space Grant to study the effect of femoral neck geometry on bone microstructure.

Industry-sponsored grants and contracts:

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

David F. Mercer, MD, PhD, surgery-transplant, received funding for a study of the efficacy, safety and tolerability of NM-002 in adult patients with short bowel syndrome.  

Diana Florescu, MD, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received funding for a study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MK-4482 for the prevention of COVID-19. Dr. Florescu also received funding for a study of the safety and tolerability of intravenous brincidofovir in subjects with adenovirus infection.

Fedja Rochling, MD, internal medicine-GI, received funding for a study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of linerixibat for the treatment of cholestatic pruritus in participants with primary biliary cholangitis.

Casey Burg, MD, pediatrics-pulmonary, received funding for a study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of pitolisant in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome, followed by an open-label extension.

Sara Bares, MD, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received funding for a study to assess the efficacy, safety, tolerability, and resistance profile of GSK3640254 in combination with dolutegravir compared to dolutegravir plus lamivudine.

Rana Zabad, MD, neurological sciences, received funding for a trial of the efficacy and safety of nabiximols oromucosal spray as add-on therapy in patients with spasticity due to multiple sclerosis.

Jean Grem, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a study of the safety and pharmacokinetics of fixed-dose PCS6422 with escalating doses of capecitabine administered orally to patients with advanced, refractory gastrointestinal tract tumors.

Diego Torres-Russotto, MD, neurological sciences, received funding for a trial with an open-label period to investigate the efficacy and safety of NT 201 in the unilateral and bilateral treatment of essential tremor of the upper limb.

Dr. Desouza also received funding for an efficacy and safety investigation of NNC0194-0499 co-administered with semaglutide in subjects with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: a dose-ranging, placebo-controlled trial; to study the effects of ziltivekimab versus placebo on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and systemic inflammation; to study dose response and safety of an oral PCSK9i, NNC0385-0434, in patients with very high or high cardiovascular risk on maximally tolerated statin treatment requiring further LDL-C reduction.

Apar Ganti, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a study of autologous tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (LN-145) in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer.

Scott Westphal, MD, internal medicine-nephrology, received funding for a study of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-1273 vaccine in adult solid organ transplant recipients and healthy controls.