Internal medicine presents research awards

The UNMC Department of Internal Medicine awarded nine outstanding faculty members with research awards during Grand Rounds on June 7 in the Durham Research Center. The annual awards recognize faculty, house officers, post-doctoral fellows, visiting scientists, staff and medical students for their excellent research achievements. Ted Mikuls, M.D., professor in the UNMC Division of Rheumatology and Immunology and the vice chair of research, presented the awards.

The Grand Rounds presentation was given by Yiannis Chatzizisis, M.D., associate professor in the UNMC Division of Cardiology, who received the Basic Science Research Award. His presentation was titled “Cardiovascular Interventions Using 21st Century Computational Tools.” Dr. Chatzizisis’ clinical and research interests focus on interventional cardiology, advanced atherosclerosis, and micro- and meso-scale cardiovascular simulations.

2019 Internal Medicine Research Award Winners

• Yiannis Chatzizisis, M.D. – Basic Science Research Award
• Scott Lundgren, D.O. – Fellowship Research Award
• Joseph Carrington, D.O. – Fellowship Research Award
• Staci Haney, Ph.D. – Post-doctoral Research Award
• Tate Johnson, M.D. – Resident Research Award
• Peter Maloley – Medical Student Award
• Vijaya Bhatt, M.D. – Clinical Research Award
• Cyrus Desouza, M.B.B.S. – Faculty Career Excellence Award

Lynell Klassen, M.D., professor of internal medicine in the UNMC Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Klassen founded the division of rheumatology in 1982 and served as the inaugural division chief until 1990. James O’Dell, M.D., said that the passion for research and academic pursuits are the crowning jewel in Dr. Klassen’s lifetime achievement award.

“He is not only a passionate research scholar and educator, but a clinician as well,” said Dr. O’Dell.

Geoffrey Thiele, Ph.D., co-nominator, said that Dr. Klassen has been a study section member at the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and is frequently called upon to do site visits and has served the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/NIAAA in many other capacities as well. Perhaps the single mark of the value of his research was his selection as a NIH MERIT (Method To Extend Research in Time) awardee through the NIAAA. Dr. Klassen was only the second faculty member at UNMC to receive this award, which is provided to investigators noted for their superior research and productivity.