The following industry-sponsored contracts also were received. Here is more information on clinical trials enrolling patients at UNMC.
Lori Maness-Harris, M.D., internal medicine – oncology/hematology, is the UNMC lead for a study on the effectiveness of a new antibody-drug conjugate that targets a cell surface marker on B-cell malignancies. Dr. Maness Harris will serve as the sole Nebraska site for this study, which is currently recruiting participants.
Lori Maness-Harris, M.D., internal medicine – oncology/hematology, will serve as the Nebraska coordinator for an NIH-funded clinical trial to develop a biobank of specimens from patients treated at Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network locations.
Ed O’Leary, M.D., internal medicine – cardiology, is the UNMC lead for an interventional study to evaluate the effectiveness of a low-density lipoprotein lowering drug on atherosclerotic plaques compared to conventional lipid lowering therapy.
Tammy Kielian, Ph.D., pathology and microbiology, is the UNMC collaborator on an international, multi-center, collaborative study funded by the “Bee for Batten Foundation.” Dr. Kielian’s study will focus on the role of glial cells in neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL), a rare, genetic disease of the nervous system caused by a buildup of lipopigments in the cells of the brain and eye.
William Rizzo, M.D., pediatrics – metabolism, is the UNMC lead for a Phase III clinical trial to evaluate the safety and ability to tolerate an investigational drug to treat phenylketonuria (PKU), a genetic disorder characterized by an inability to breakdown the amino acid, phenylalanine. Children born with PKU can develop intellectual disabilities, seizures, and other serious disabilities if not treated.
Dmitry Oleynikov, M.D., surgery – general surgery, has received an Annual MIS Fellowship Award from the Foundation for Surgical Fellowships. This will be the fourth year that Dr. Oleynikov has been awarded the fellowship which provides funding for additional training opportunities for surgical fellows under the mentorship of an experienced surgeon.
Amber Donnelly, Ph.D., cytotechnology, School of Allied Health Professions, has received an American Society of Cytopathology Foundation Investigator Grant to develop an On-Line Education in Cytotechnology (O-LEC) program. ASC grants are awarded to professionals who contribute to the advancement of cytopathology research.
John Davis, Ph.D., obstetrics and gynecology, is the UNMC collaborator on a USDA funded project titled “Causes and Consequences of Androgen Excess on Oocyte Quality.” Dr. Davis is an expert in the role of hormones in the development and maintenance of the corpus luteum and its impact on fertility.
James Talmadge, Ph.D., pathology and microbiology, has received a contract for the further development of cellular based therapies in the treatment of cancer.
John Um, M.D., surgery – cardiovascular & thoracic surgery, is the UNMC lead for a Phase IV clinical trial to evaluate the training and enrollment guidelines for use of a total artificial heart.
Ted Mikuls, M.D., internal medicine – rheumatology, has received a Health Professional Research Preceptorship Award from the Rheumatology Research Foundation. Dr. Mikuls will serve as the faculty mentor for medical and graduate students interested in research related to Sjögren’s syndrome.