Looks to hire four new researchers, generate more private donor support
Nora Sarvetnick, Ph.D., a stem cell researcher and transplant immunologist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, has been named director of the Nebraska Regenerative Medicine Project.
The announcement was made today by UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., who praised Dr. Sarvetnick as the right person to move UNMC forward in the exciting field of regenerative medicine.
“Dr. Sarvetnick is an outstanding researcher with expertise in stem cells and immunology,” he said. “When you combine those qualities, it makes for a powerful package. She has a history of building projects and recruiting people, and that’s what we will need in this new position. She understands the importance of high quality research, and we’ve given her the resources to get started.”
Dr. Maurer said funding has been reallocated to the Nebraska Regenerative Medicine Project to allow Dr. Sarvetnick to recruit up to four regenerative medicine scientists. He is hopeful that Dr. Sarvetnick will be able to generate more support through private donations.
As an example of what other universities are doing, Dr. Maurer said Stanford University recently received a $75 million donation to build the Lokey Stem Cell Research Building.
The field of regenerative medicine involves innovative medical therapies that will enable the body to repair, replace, restore and regenerate damaged or diseased cells, tissues and organs. It encompasses a variety of research areas including cell therapy, tissue engineering, biomaterials engineering, growth factors and transplantation science.
Scientists worldwide are exploring a variety of research activities such as the repair of damaged heart muscle after a heart attack, replacement of skin for burn victims, restoration of movement after spinal cord injury and regeneration of pancreatic tissue to produce insulin for people with diabetes.
“I am grateful for community involvement,” Dr. Sarvetnick said. “The fact that Nebraska is able to embark on thisproject will enhance UNMC’s reputation as a forward thinking world leader in medical care and research.”
A New Jersey native, Dr. Sarvetnick joined UNMC in 2008 after 18 years on the faculty at The Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, one of the top basic science research facilities in the country. She was a professor in the department of immunology at Scripps and joined UNMC as a professor in the department of surgery.
At UNMC, one of the top solid organ transplant programs in the country, Dr. Sarvetnick’s research has focused on regeneration of the pancreas and intestines as well as liver cells. Much of her work has involved the use of adult stem cells, she said, but she hopes to start using embryonic stem cells in the near future.
Currently, three UNMC professors, Stephen Rennard, M.D., pulmonary medicine, Angie Rizzino, Ph.D., Eppley Institute, and Iqbal Ahmad, ophthalmology and visual sciences, are engaged in embryonic stem cell research.
Through world-class research and patient care, UNMC generates breakthroughs that make life better for people throughout Nebraska and beyond. Its education programs train more health professionals than any other institution in the state. Learn more at unmc.edu.
What others are saying:
“I’m hopeful that this will become a new center of excellence at UNMC. We have been pioneers in the use of peripheral stem cells and bone marrow transplantation. This a natural transition for us to take on this project. It takes us into a new area that will allow us to make an impact on a variety of diseases. It’s what world-class universities do, and it should lead to increased research funding from the National Institutes of Health.”
Harold M. Maurer, M.D., chancellor
“Dr. Sarvetnick is a scientist of great international stature, a person of extraordinarily high energy and a visionary leader. She is a perfect fit for moving UNMC rapidly into regenerative medicine, the most important new field in 21st-century medicine.”
Tom Rosenquist, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research
“Dr. Sarvetnick is a proven research leader. This is a very important program for our institution as it strives to move forward. This is where the research world is going.”
Rod Markin, M.D., Ph.D., interim dean, College of Medicine
Dr. Sarvetnick file:
Education:
B.A., 1978, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, N.Y.
Ph.D., 1986, State University of New York at Stonybrook
1986-1990, Postdoctoral fellow, Genentech, Inc.
Employment:
1990-2008, The Scripps Research Institute, San Diego
2008-present, UNMC, professor, department of surgery
Highlights:
Received funding for 19 NIH grants
Four patents awarded
Editor-in-chief of Cellular Immunology and serves on eight editorial boards
Published articles in nearly 200 peer-reviewed science journals
Mentored more than 45 post-doctoral students and junior faculty