Kaleb Michaud, PhD, professor in the division of rheumatology, is one of two researchers being honored with the Research Leadership Award, part of the Vice Chancellor for Research Office’s annual Research Award ceremony.

The event, which will be held on Nov. 14, recognizes the top researchers from all college and institutes across UNMC. Dr. Michaud is being recognized as a prior Distinguished Scientist Award winner who has a longstanding research funding history and serves as a research leader and mentor on campus.

Debra Romberger, MD, chair of the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine, has announced that David Warren, MD, will join UNMC as the chief of the division of infectious diseases on Jan. 13, 2025.



Dr. Warren, who also holds a master of public health degree, will succeed Mark Rupp, MD, who announced in 2023 that he would be stepping away from the position while remaining at UNMC and Nebraska Medicine in his faculty and clinical roles.

The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center has launched a new research initiative, the Cancer Prevention and Control Program. The program will focus on developing expertise and innovative methods for precision prevention and address key risk factors specific to Nebraska, including obesity, nutrition, smoking and environmental factors. Edward Peters, DMD, ScD, professor and chair of the UNMC Department of Epidemiology, and Vijaya Bhatt, MBBS, professor in the UNMC Division of Hematology and Oncology, will lead the program.

The Physician Leadership Academy, also known as PLA, is an elite, eight-month program that uses an evidence-based framework to promote key leadership skills. The program experience includes leadership and self-reflection assessments, professional coaching and facilitated peer support.

“This program was intentionally designed by physicians, for physicians,” says Sarah Richards, MD, senior medical director of Clinician Experience. “At its core, this program aims to help support physician leader well-being and address leadership challenges in real-time.” 

Rick Sacra, MD, got right to the point, “You gave me my life back. I will never forget that as long as I live. You have my undying gratitude.”  The Massachusetts-based family practice physician was the first Ebola patient treated in the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit (NBU). He shared those heartfelt words with a room full of people, many of whom were involved in curing his Ebola exactly 10 years ago. The event, held on Sept. 26 in the Wigton Heritage Center, was a reunion of sorts, bringing together Dr. Sacra, current and former colleagues from the biocontainment unit.