UNMC College of Medicine faculty received 18 awards represent more than $2.4 million in new funding during the month of January.
Alexey Kamenskiy, Ph.D., surgery – general surgery, received a National Institutes of Health award for more than $700,000 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Dr. Kamenskiy’s study will attempt to elucidate the optimal stent selection for the femoropoliteal artery.
Kaustubh Datta, Ph.D., biochemistry & molecular biology, has received a National Institutes of Health award for more than $300,000 from the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Datta will study the potential of neuropilin-2 (NRP-2) inhibitors as a novel therapy against bone metastasis and metastatic prostate cancer.
Howard Fox, M.D., Ph.D., pharmacology & experimental neuroscience, has received a National Institutes of Health award for more than $200,000 from the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Fox will study the effect of miR-21, an exosome-carried microRNA that is unregulated in SIV/HIV infections, on neuron damage in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND).
Industry-sponsored contracts
The following industry-sponsored contracts and foundation grants were also received. Here is information on clinical trials enrolling patients at UNMC.
James O'Dell, M.D., internal medicine – rheumatology, is the UNMC lead on a clinical trial that compares the safety and efficacy of a novel drug against standard methotrexate treatment in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.
Mark Rupp, M.D., internal medicine – infectious diseases, is the UNMC lead on a multicenter clinical trial assessing peripheral IV catheter complication rates in two different catheter dressings.
Hani Haider, Ph.D., orthopedic surgery, has received industry-sponsored support of two separate simulator studies involving novel total knew replacement bearing components and a new total hip replacement system.
James Harper, M.D., pediatrics – hematology & oncology, is the UNMC lead on a global clinical trial that is investigating the use of a novel drug in the treatment of previously untreated patients with hemophilia A.
Hui Peng, Ph.D., pharmacology & experimental neuroscience, has received a National Institutes of Health award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to study the use of microRNA to restore neuron growth and repair in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders.
Donald Coulter, M.D., pediatrics – hematology & oncology, has received support from Sammy’s Superheroes, a foundation based in Columbus, Neb., that promotes childhood cancer research. Dr. Coulter’s study will involve the sequencing of whole exomes in neuroblastoma tumors.
Quan Dong Nguyen, M.D., ophthalmology & visual sciences, is the UNMC lead on multicenter phase 2 clinical trial that will assess the use of a novel drug in patients with macular edema.
Amy Cannella, M.D., internal medicine – rheumatology, has received the Amgen Fellowship Training Award through the Rheumatology Research Foundation.
Samuel Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., pathology & microbiology, has received support for a study titled “Evaluation of the Proliferative Effects of Chronic Treatment with PHMB in the Liver Tissue of Male Sprague Dawley Rats.”
Anand Suresh, a Ph.D. student in the department of biochemistry & molecular biology, has received an award from the American Heart Association to study the synaptic mechanisms of motor skill learning.
Angela Yetman, M.D., pediatrics – cardiology, is the UNMC lead for a clinical trial through the Shriners Hospital for Children. This study will assess the effectiveness of blood testing for monitoring aortic disease in patients with Marfan syndrome.
Eyal Margalit, M.D., ophthalmology & visual sciences, has received support through the University of Nebraska at Omaha for a study titled “Distortion Repair and Sight Improvement for Low Vision Age-Related Macular Degeneration Patients.”
Ted Mikuls, M.D., internal medicine – rheumatology, has received technical salary support for his Veteran’s Affairs Rheumatoid Arthritis (VARA) registry.
Debra Reilly, M.D., surgery – plastic & reconstructive, has received support to study the use of a mobile app focusing on burn disaster preparedness.