UNMC College of Medicine faculty received 19 awards representing more than $2.4 million in new funding during the month of March.
Matthew Rizzo, M.D., neurological sciences, has received more than $500,000 through a National Institutes of Health R01 award from the National Institute on Aging to continue a study that looks to predict driving safety in advancing age. He also has received support through the University of Iowa to study the consequences of using in-vehicle technology on driver safety in aging populations.
Industry-sponsored contracts/foundation grants
The following industry-sponsored contracts and foundation grants also were received. For information on clinical trials enrolling patients at UNMC, go here.
Amol Patil, M.B.B.S., internal medicine – pulmonary, is the UNMC lead on a phase III clinical trial to study the safety and efficacy of a monoclonal antibody in treating moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Vijay Shivaswamy, M.B.B.S., internal medicine – diabetes, endocrinology, and metabolism, is the UNMC lead on a phase III clinical trial to evaluate the use of a monoclonal antibody to reduce the occurrence of major cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction or stroke, in high-risk subjects receiving lipid-lowering therapy.
William Rizzo, M.D., pediatrics – metabolism, is the UNMC lead on a phase II clinical study that is evaluating the daily topical application of N2, an anti-inflammatory cream, to treat dermatological symptoms of Sjögren-Larsson Syndrome.
Nora Sarvetnick, Ph.D., surgery – transplant, has received more than $100,000 in support to study the factors affecting inflammasome activation, which causes an inflammatory cascade that results in IL-18 production.
Bradley Britigan, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine, received industry-sponored support to develop therapeutic medical countermeasures for emerging infectious diseases.
Quan Dong Nguyen, M.D., ophthalmology & visual sciences, is the UNMC lead on a Phase II clinical trial evaluating the use of NS2 eye drops in patients suffering from inflammation of the eye.
Shilpa Buch, Ph.D., pharmacology & experimental neuroscience, has received support through the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute to study a HIV surface protein, gp120, in the context of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Kari Simonsen, M.D., pediatrics – infectious diseases, is the UNMC lead on a Phase III clinical study utilizing a novel antibiotic treatment regimen for pediatric Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea.
Tammy Kindel, M.D., surgery – general surgery, has received funding from the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons for her work in studying the effect of sleeve gastrectomy on serum bile acids produced after a meal.
Shelby Kutty, M.D., pediatrics – cardiology, has received funding from the Children's Hospital and Medical Center Foundation to support his research on the energetics, metabolism, and adaption of the right ventricle in cases of pulmonary hypertension, regurgitation, and stenosis.
Edward Truemper, M.D., pediatrics – critical care, has received support through the University of Nebraska – Lincoln for his research into the consequences of emboli on the nervous system during cardiopulmonary bypass.
John Harrington, M.D., internal medicine – pulmonary, has received funding through a subcontract with National Jewish Health to further the understanding of how tailored treatment can affect risk perception in sleep apnea cases.
Carol Toris, Ph.D., ophthalmology & visual sciences, has received funding through an industry work order for research on nitric oxide and glaucoma.
Peter Coccia, M.D., pediatrics – hematology & oncology, has received funding through a work order with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Paul Fey, Ph.D., pathology & microbiology, has received travel support from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.
Jonathan Cramer, M.D., pediatrics – cardiology, has received collaboration support from the University of Michigan.
Ann Anderson Berry, M.D., pediatrics – newborn medicine, has received support from the Nebraska Chapter of the March of Dimes for her work with the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative.