Inside IM
News from the Department of Internal Medicine - January 2022
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Debra Romberger, MD, Chair of Internal Medicine, shares a department message with important updates for all faculty and staff.
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Andre Kalil, MD, 2021 Scientist Laureate |
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Congratulations to Andre Kalil, MD, Division of Infectious Diseases for receiving the 2021 UNMC Scientist Laureate! The Scientist Laureate is UNMC’s highest award for research. Nominees must be a nationally and internationally recognized research leader in their field, previously recognized as a Distinguished Scientist, and contributed to the UNMC research community for at least five years.
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The Distinguished Scientist Award recognizes researchers who have been among the most productive scientists at UNMC during the past five years.
Peter Mannon, MD, MPH - Distinguished Scientist
Roslyn Mannon, MD - Distinguished Scientist
The New Investigator Award goes to outstanding UNMC scientists who have secured funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense or other national sources. New Investigators also had to demonstrate scholarly activity such as publishing their research and/or presenting their findings at national conventions.
John Dickinson, MD, PhD - New Investigator
Karuna Rasineni, PhD - New Investigator
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Andrea Zimmer, MD - Associate Vice chair of Faculty Development |
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Dr. Deb Romberger and Dr. Roslyn Mannon are pleased to announce that Dr. Andrea Zimmer will assume the new role of the Associate Vice Chair of Faculty Development and the Chair of the department faculty development committee (formerly called the taskforce). She officially began her new role on January 1st. Dr. Zimmer brings experience with the taskforce and much passion for how we continue to build faculty development strategies for all stages of our careers. I am excited to have Dr. Zimmer join Dr. Mannon in our faculty development work as we head towards a new year!
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Dr. Matthew Lunning helps lead clinical research under new title |
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Matthew Lunning, DO, has been named assistant vice chancellor for clinical research.
For the last three years, Dr. Lunning has served as the medical director of the UNMC Clinical Research Center. As the assistant vice chancellor for clinical research, Dr. Lunning continues to report to Associate Vice Chancellor for Clinical Research Chris Kratochvil, MD. He will work closely with Director of Clinical Research Operations LuAnn Larson and Clinical Research Manager Katie Penas, as well as leaders of clinical research units across UNMC.
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Shane Tsai, MD, accepts new position as Vice Chair of Specialty Clinical Care |
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Deb Romberger, MD, Chair, Department of Internal Medicine, would like introduce a new role within our Internal Medicine department. In addition to his role as the former Division Chief of General Internal Medicine, Dr. Tom Tape also served as the Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs for the department. This position has been vacant since Dr. Tape’s retirement in the fall. Prior to his retirement, she had considered the concept of splitting the Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs role into two positions—one focused on primary care and one focused on specialty care. Thus, with Dr. Tape’s retirement and with discussion with our current Vice Chair group, she decided to create the two positions. The VC of Primary Care will remain open for the time being as we are in process of recruiting a new General Int Medicine Division Chief for which this VC role may or may not be of interest. Dr. Romberger asked Dr. Shane Tsai, Associate Professor in the Cardiovascular Medicine division, to serve as the Vice Chair of Specialty Clinical Care. Dr. Tsai is the Section Chief for Electrophysiology within the CV Medicine division, has completed his executive MBA, and has completed the UNMC iLEAD program and the Physician Leadership Program through Health Management Academy. We look forward to Dr. Tsai’s contributions in helping us strategize about various aspects of our clinical enterprise and welcome him to the Vice Chair group.
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Infectious Diseases' James Lawler, MD, gives updates on COVID-19 Omicron variant using iExcel |
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Complacency is dangerous in the face of the omicron variant, two infectious disease specialists told the community Monday.
James Lawler, MD, co-executive director of the Global Center for Health Security at UNMC, and Peter Angeletti, PhD, associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Nebraska Center for Virology, were concerned about omicron’s transmissibility and the seemingly shorter period between when people get infected and when they get ill, especially as the holiday season approaches.
"This is the most dangerous scenario we have faced since the spring of 2020, and perhaps more so," Dr. Lawler said at a press conference at the Davis Global Center. Read more
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Bryant England, MD, receives UNMC's Gilmore Award |
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Bryant England, MD, MPH, was selected as a recipient of the 2022 Joseph P. and Harriet K. Gilmore Distinguished New Investigator Award. Dr. England was selected for his many contributions in clinical research.
An award symposium will be planned for spring 2022, at which time he will present a lecture describing his work and related topics. Dr. England will also receive a plaque and monetary prize in recognition of his contribution to research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
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Studies show when treatments don't work too |
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Scientists around the world are racing to find viable treatments for COVID-19.
UNMC’s Andre Kalil, MD, has joined the race by conducting multiple COVID-19 studies that were published in major journals.
Dr. Kalil recently was first author of a study published in the major British medical journal Lancet Respiratory Medicine. The study evaluated whether the combination of interferon beta-1a and remdesivir compared to remdesivir alone might work as a COVID-19 treatment in hospitalized patients.
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Med center testing new oral drug to prevent COVID-19 |
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The University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine have launched a new clinical research trial for adults who live with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The trial will evaluate if Molnupiravir, an oral antiviral, can prevent COVID-19. The trial also will assess the safety of the drug.
Clinical trials are research studies performed with human volunteers that aim to evaluate if investigational treatments and vaccines are safe and effective for people.
Diana Florescu, MD, professor in the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine and an infectious diseases specialist at Nebraska Medicine, is leading the UNMC clinical trial.
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Researchers find risks for transplant recipients after COVID |
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Researchers at the UNMC have found that major adverse renal or cardiac events are much more common in solid organ transplant recipients after being diagnosed with COVID-19 than in the general population.
This disparity widens among men, who are more likely to experience a bad outcome after contracting COVID-19 than women.
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Dr. Chris D'Angelo receives industry approval to move forward with IIT with Liso-cel +XRT
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Dr. D'Angelo submitted a clinical trial concept to BMS (industry) to see if they would fund the study. BMS agreed to provide funding for the study which is great news, as it now allows him to actually design and conduct the trial. See the abstract.
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COM Educational Grant Opportunity |
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Grants are awarded to faculty to support the implementation of innovative educational programs. Grants are for one year and are awarded based on the benefit to medical students, the faculty member, and the College of Medicine.
The 2022 application period is January 17 - February 14.
Please visit the website to get more information and access the online application.
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Internal medicine research award nominations now open |
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Nominations are now open for the department's research awards! Nominators are asked to send their information to Shannon Thomsen at shannon.thomsen@unmc.edu before the deadline of March 14th. Awardees will be notified in April and will be presented at Grand Rounds on June 3rd. Check your inbox for more details!
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Research highlights from COM - Internal Medicine Spotlight |
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Congratulations to the following for receiving funding:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 a grant of $31,914 from George Washington University for "Continuation of Glycemic Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study".
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Cyrus Desouza, MBBS, 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.
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Congratulation to Tate Johnson, MD for receiving funding |
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Tate Johnson, MD's, (a second year fellow) Rheumatology Research Foundation Scientist Development Award was selected for funding! This is a 2-3 year award totaling up to $225,000 that will begin funding in July 2022. His proposal is titled “Immune and Inflammatory Mediators of Heart Failure Incidence and Severity in Rheumatoid Arthritis”. Great work!
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Two faculty and three residents selected for Gold Humanism Honor Society |
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Congratulations to our faculty members Drs. Nada Fadul, Sara Bares, as well as our resident members Drs. Raquel Lamarche, Rees Adomako and Nicholas Yeutter, who have been selected by the GHHS Medical Student chapter for induction into the UNMC Gold Humanism Honor Society. The mission of the GHHS is to recognize individuals who are exemplars of humanistic patient care and who will serve as role models, mentors and leaders in medicine. The GHHS Medical Student chapter includes 3rd year medical students, (15% of the 3rd year medical school class) who have been selected by their peers and the faculty for induction this year, and graduating 4th year medical students who were inducted as 3rd year students. This group of 3rd and 4th year medical students plus GHHS faculty members were charged with selecting residents and faculty for induction, based on specific criteria, according to the GHHS bylaws. It is an honor for your inclusion in this group, and is a true testament to your character. |
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Poonam Velagapudi, MD selected to attend Leadership Academy |
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Congratulations to Poonam Velagapudi, MD, for being selected for the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) emerging faculty leadership academy. The leadership academy will promote the development skills for emerging faculty committed to contributing to ACC's education mission. Completion of this course will allow her to be conidered by ACC leadership as a potential candidate for future educational activities and ACC committees.
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Dr. Salman Ashraf has been appointed as the Nebraska State Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) coordinator. This became effective on1/1/2022. Dr. Ashraf reports to Matt Donahue (State Epidemiologist) at NE HHS. Dr. Ashraf will continue as UNMC faculty and will continue to help direct the NE ICAP/ASAP programs.
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COVID Q&A: More insights from med center experts |
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Earlier this month, Mark Rupp, MD, and Armando De Alba Rosales, MD, answered a variety of COVID-19 questions during a session broadcast on Facebook Live.
Dr. Rupp is chief of the UNMC Division of Infectious Diseases and Nebraska Medicine's medical director of epidemiology and infection control. Dr. De Alba is an assistant professor in the UNMC Department of Family Medicine and College of Medicine, as well as assistant dean for diversity, equity and inclusion student programs.
Here is a continuing look at their insights.
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The VA receives NODES designation |
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The Veteran's Administration's Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) sponsors an initiative referred to as the Network of Dedicated Enrollment Sites (NODES). The goal is to establish a consortium of VA medical centers (VAMCs) that have teams (nodes) in place dedicated to conducting CSP studies to enhance the overall performance, compliance and management of CSP multi-site research. In addition, the nodes work together to share best practices and provide local insights to CSP Central Office and CSP Centers on study design and related considerations that can help with study management and conduct. Each node also creates a stronger local community of clinical research. The VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System joins ten other nodes, selected through a competitive scientific review, such as Boston, Portland and others. Congratulations to our VA! |
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Did you know about the Geriatrics Engage program? |
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The Engage program offers both in-person and online memberships for individuals in the community and Nebraska Medicine patients. Engage is a medical fitness program is able to assist even medically complex individuals to incorporate exercise into their lives to both increase their wellbeing and to help meet healthcare goals like weight loss, diabetic control, and the like.
Engage also offers memberships to members of the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine community. If you have questions about the classes and programs, membership, or other services offered by Engage Wellness we encourage you to check out our website and get in touch with us via phone at 402-552-7210.
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Resident of Month - December |
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Rees Adomako, DO, served as the division officer for the Medical Readiness Department under the Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
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Fellowship director of the month |
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Melissa Tepley, MD, is the director of the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship.
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Winners of the raffle were:
Dr. Jake Hettenbaugh (Nephrology fellow) won the grand prize of the iPad Pro.
Dr. Jess Larson (IM resident), Joe Holm (works at Midtown clinic), and Dr. Andrew Vasey (attending) all won a pair of AirPods!
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion |
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Community Events:
MLK Day Celebration: Omaha Public Schools Superintendent Cheryl Logan, EdD, is the featured speaker at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration co-hosted by Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The 2022 celebration will be held virtually via Zoom on Jan. 17 from noon to 1 p.m. To join the webinar, participants must register in advance. The theme for the event is, "The Power of Prevention: Building Healthy Communities Through Wellness and the Spirit of Giving."
Medical students, residents and IM faculty receive E-learning scholarship to create an interactive medical education module “Using Pronouns for Transgender and Gender Diverse (TGD) Communities.” The team is comprised of medical students Heng Jiang, Kalika Mahato, Jonathan Wood, and Kayley Anderson; Med-Peds Resident Natasha Gallett; and IM Faculty Arthur Kornitsky. The module is expected to be available by May 2022.
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Research:
UNMC faculty Kristy J Carlson, Jay A. Irwin, Jayme R. Dowdall, Sean C. Figy, and Jean Amoura publish new study titled Integrated Comprehensive Care for Transgender and Gender Diverse Clinic Patients: An Assessment of Physical, Mental, and Social Needs. A group of subspecialty Nebraska Medicine physicians currently working with TGD patients created a survey that was distributed in April 2020 to TGD patients. Participants were asked to respond to questions regarding their gender identity, their transition-related medical decisions, and their interest in clinical and non-clinical services. “In summary, we found patients desire access to clinical and non-clinical services. There was high interest in surgery/procedures, legal assistance, and group activities to create a sense of community and social support. In a cycle of continuous quality improvement, we will solicit feedback from patients to build trust, increase utilization of resources, and contribute to positive health outcomes.”
How Government-Run Health Care Failed For Native Americans. The Indian Health Services (IHS) is a division within the US Department of Health and Human Services that was founded in 1950 to provide healthcare free of cost to Native American tribes. This federally funded care was negotiated between the tribes and the US as reparations for stripping the Native Americans of their sacred land. However, the US spends much less money per person through IHS when compared to Medicaid or Veterans Affairs. Watch to learn how these discrepancies in care have become even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Building a better learning environment is a challenge for all educators, but the learning environment in a clinical setting presents extraordinary and unique challenges for educators. Our instructional designer, Zach Benton-Slocum, collaborated with Drs. Kelly Caverzagie, Trek Langenhan, Bill Lyons, and Cory Rohlfsen to craft a module that takes a look at five elements that affect the clinical educational environment. These included expectation setting, building trust, identifying learner level, demonstrating thought process, and the impact of connecting teaching points to real-world applications. While this module introduces these elements and provides practical and applicable approaches for the clinical environment, in 2022 and 2023 we will explore these topics in more depth and will provide additional insight, examples, and other materials.
Remember login information is simply your UNMC credentials.
Link to the Building a Better Clinical Classroom module:
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New Faces, Promotions or
Committee Involvement
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Welcome to the following new faculty |
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Siva Koganti, PhD - Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Carolyn Coyne, MD - Division of Rheumatology
Cynthia Lewis, MD - Division of Oncology/Hematology
Nicholas Hartl, MD - Division of Oncology/Hematology
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Congratulations on your new position!! |
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Mohamed Ali
Jeanne Badura
Stefan Merchant
Heather A. Richard
Mojisola O. Ogunnaike
Lisa Shramek
Nereida A Servin
Michelle Thurman
Spencer French
Colleen Marinan
Regina Ueckert
Reagan Tekolste
Elizabeth Swedlund
Brandie Booker
Maureen Seymour-Karpf
Dan Feng
Namita Sakhuja
Allison Lewis
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Nephrology
Oncology/Hematology
Geriatrics
Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology
Infectious Diseases
Infectious Diseases
DEM
Infectious Diseases
Nephrology
General Int Med
DEM
Oncology/Hematology
Infectious Diseases
Geriatrics
Oncology/Hematology
DEM
Infectious Diseases
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11.01.2021
11.01.2021
11.08.2021
11.08.2021
11.08.2021
11.17.2021
11.17.2021
11.17.2021
11.29.2021
12.06.2021
12.15.2021
12.27.2021
12.30.2021
12.31.2021
1.03.2022
1.10.2022
1.14.2022
1.17.2022
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Trek Langenhan, MD elected to Faculty Council |
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Congratulations to Trek Langenhan, MD, for being elected to the Faculty Council. He will serve on the council in good company with Dr. Lynn Mack as well.
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Congratulations to Ryan Mullane, MD, for being named medical director of the Physician Assistant program. He began his position on January 1st.
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Case retired having left a mark in rheumatology |
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Lucie Case, research nurse in the UNMC Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, retired from UNMC on Dec. 31.
Case first joined UNMC in 1975 in the department of human resources. Although she left and returned twice, she has been at the med center — including working at the Nebraska Medical Center as a nurse — for approximately 40 years, about 20 of them in the rheumatology division. She received her BSN from the UNMC College of Nursing in 2003.
She had been serving in her current role since 2014. Read more
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Notable Furbabies of the Newsletter |
Meet Sydney, a happy puppy, and her best bud Dax. Both are owned by Shannon Thomsen (and family), Research Associate for the Department of Internal Medicine.
Send your furbaby pictures to Shannon.thomsen@unmc.edu if you would like yours to be considered for the next Newsletter's furbaby spotlight no later than February 28th.
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UNMC Department of Internal Medicine
983332 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE 68198-3332
402-559-6315 (phone)
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