Department News
Stay connected with the latest updates from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Here, we celebrate the achievements of our faculty, residents, and students—from welcoming new team members to highlighting recent publications, research grants, and awards. You’ll also find announcements about upcoming presentations at local, national, and international conferences, as well as other milestones that showcase our commitment to advancing women’s health and medical education.
Meet Dr. Sarosh Rana, new Dept. of OB-GYN Chair
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Sarosh Rana as the new Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Rana is a distinguished clinician, researcher, and educator whose work has transformed care for high-risk pregnancies and improved outcomes for mothers and babies. We are excited for the vision and expertise Dr. Rana brings to our department as we continue to grow and lead in women’s health.
Honors, Awards, and Achievements
Sarosh Rana, MD, MPH
Dr. Rana Hosts the ISSHP World Congress in Chicago
On behalf of the Organizing Committee, it is with great pleasure that we invite you to attend the ISSHP World Congress 2025, hosted by the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy (ISSHP). The Congress will be held from September 21-24, 2025 at the Hilton Chicago O'Hare Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Please visit the website for more information.
Dr. Lindsey McAlarnen, Zoe Keese, and Dr. Sarosh Rana
Medical Student Summer Research Program
Medical student Zoe Keese participated in the College of Medicine Medical Student Summer Research Program (MSSRP) in 2024 and continued her research under Dr. Lindsey McAlarnen's mentorship, focusing on human papillomavirus and vulvar dysplasia in Nebraska and Western Iowa. She will present her findings at the Heartland Association of Gynecologic Oncology meeting. Building on this work, we are planning quality improvement projects to further advance patient care in this area.
Karen Carlson, MD
Dr. Karen Carlson Named to 2025–2026 Physician Leadership Academy Cohort
The Physician Leadership Academy (PLA) has selected Dr. Karen Carlson, Professor, Vice-Chair of Education, and general OB-GYN physician, for its 2025–2026 cohort. This prestigious program is designed to cultivate leadership excellence among physicians by enhancing self-awareness, strengthening core leadership skills, and providing practical tools to better support teams and drive positive change. Through a combination of skills training, peer collaboration, and one-on-one coaching, PLA empowers participants to lead with confidence and impact.
Jami Monico, MSEd, CHSE
Jami Monico to Present at the UNMC IAE InnovatED Symposium
On September 30, 2025 the departmental instructional designer Jami Monico will present during the Short Stacks sessions at the annual IAE InnovatED Symposium. Her session, “Augmenting Medical Education with AI: Practical Applications in Clinical Training and Course Design,” will explore innovative strategies for integrating AI into medical education to enhance learning and improve clinical readiness.
Department Highlights
New Faculty Members
Our department is growing with the addition of new generalists who share our mission to advance women’s health. These physicians provide full-spectrum obstetric and gynecologic care while contributing to education and research that shape the future of health care.
- Dr. Marcela Pineda is a general OB-GYN physician who joined the department in August 2025. She completed her OB-GYN residency at Jamaica Hospital in Queens, New York, and most recently practiced for a health care system in Western Iowa.
- Dr. Nick Jesse is an OB-GYN physician who specializes in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and will join the department in September 2025. He has completed a fellowship at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Dr. Candace Giles is a general OB-GYN physician and will join the department in November 2025. She completed her medical degree at the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine and most recently practiced at another hospital in Omaha.
Academic Research
- Farzaneh Tamanaeifar, a graduate student in the Plewes Lab, was awarded a UNMC Graduate Student Fellowship to support her research on the role of LH signaling in activating Hippo signaling pathways. News date: 08/28/2025.
- Farzaneh Tamanaeifar was also selected to give a platform presentation at the Rocky Mountain Reproductive Sciences Symposium, where she presented her work on Hippo signaling in modulating steroid synthesis in the corpus luteum. News date: 08/28/2025.
- Bunmi Owolabi, graduate student in the Plewes Lab, was accepted into the NIH Summer Course in Clinical and Translational Research. News date: 08/28/2025.