The UNMC College of Medicine received grant and funding awards representing $11,037,387 in new funding in June.
Xinglong Wang, PhD, pharmacology/experimental neuroscience, received a grant of $2,180,614 from DHS/NIH/NIA to study mitochondrial modulation of neuroinflammation in AD and related tauopathies.
Russell McCulloh, MD, pediatrics-hospitalists, received a grant of $1,508,470 from DHHS/NIH/NICD for mobile health-targeted SARS-CoV-2 testing and community interventions to maximize migrant children's school attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Howard Gendelman, MD, pharmacology/experimental neuroscience, received a grant of $710,244 for DHHS/NIH/NIAD for LASER ART for PrEP.
William Rizzo, MD, pediatrics-metabolism, received a grant of $574,963 from Children’s Mercy Hospital & Clinics of Kansas City, Missouri, for a genomics answers for kids repository.
Karuna Rasineni, PhD, internal medicine-GI, received a grant of $339,215 from DHHS/NIH/NIAA for a study on the role of alcohol-induced ghrelin in modulating organ cross-talk to promote the development of fatty liver disease.
Padmashri Ragunathan, PhD, neurological sciences, received a grant of $303,635 from Creighton University for a translational hearing center.
Howard Fox, MD, PhD, neurological sciences, received a grant of $229,500 from DHHS/NIH/NIMH to study macrophages and microglia, gene expression and chromatin: Illuminating the myeloid viral reservoir in the brain through single cell analyses. Dr. Fox also received a grant of $127,659 from Boys Town National Research Hospital for "Signatures of Cannabis Abuse in NeuroHIV (SCAN): An Integrated Molecular and Imaging Approach."
Shanna Ratnesar-Shumate, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received a grant of $182,122 from the National Strategic Research Institute for measurement of the Optimal Growth Conditions and Stability of Yersinia pestis and a grant of $140,023 from the NSRI for measurement of the optimal growth conditions and stability of Francisella Tularensis.
Heather Thomas, MD, pediatrics-pulmonary, received a grant of $152,075 from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for a Cystic Fibrosis Care, Teaching and Research Center.
James Murphy, MD, internal medicine-pulmonary, received a grant of $149,520 from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for a CFF Center adult program.
Mark Rupp, MD, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received a grant of $132,761 from Duke University for a phase 2b, multicenter, randomized, open-label, assessor-blinded superiority study to compare the efficacy and safety of Dalbavancin to standard of care antibiotic therapy for the completion of treatment of patients with complicated S. aureus bacteremia.
Apar Ganti, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received a grant of $122,452 from the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium for a work order: A randomized phase II trial of adjuvant Pembrolizumab versus observation following curative resection for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with primary tumors between 1-4 cm.
Jasmine Marcelin, MD, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received a grant of $90,684 from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center for a CoVPN 3006 protocol co-chair COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN).
Shuai Li, MD, surgery-vascular surgery, received a grant of $77,000 from the American Heart Association to study autophagy in peripheral artery disease: Clinical significance and therapeutic potential.
Dongze Zhang, MD, emergency medicine, received a grant of $76,967 from the American Heart Association to study cardiac postganglionic sympathetic neurons and antiarrhythmic effect of renal denervation in chronic heart failure
Daniel Johnson, MD, anesthesiology, received a grant of $71,451 from McMaster University for REVISE (Re-Evaluating the Inhibition of Stress Erosions: Gastrointestinal Bleeding).
Robert Bociek, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received a grant of $61,863 from the Hoosier Cancer Research Network for a work order: Phase IB dose de-escalation study of the PI3k alpha/delta inhibitor, Copanlisib given in combination with the immunotherapeutic agents, Nivolumab and Rituximab in patients with relapsed/refractory indolent lymphoma.
Kusum Kharbanda, PhD, internal medicine-GI, received a grant of $61,411 from the VA Medical Center of Omaha to study impaired methylation alters lipid droplet dynamics in liver and adipose tissue: Role in hepatic steatosis.
Javeed Iqbal, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received a grant of $50,000 from the Nebraska DHHS for delineating epigenetic reprogramming in Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma using murine models.
Anupam Kotwal, MBBS, internal medicine-DEM, received a grant of $50,000 from the Nebraska DHHS to study immune markers for thyroid cancer prognosis.
Nicole Shonka, MD, internal medicine-omcology/hematology, received a grant of $50,000 from the Nebraska DHHS for repurposing anti-histamine Brompheniramine for adjunct therapy in glioblastoma.
Ying Yan, PhD, radiation oncology, received a grant of $50,000 from the Nebraska DHHS for negative regulation of PR55-alpha protein stability by p53 tumor suppressor.
Sowmya Yelamanchili, PhD, anesthesiology, received a grant of $50,000 from the Nebraska DHHS to study sex specific brain derived EVs as potential markers for nicotine addiction.
Michel Ouellette, PhD, internal medicine-GI, received a grant of $50,000 from the Nebraska DHHS to study Rho GTPases in the radioresponse of pancreatic cancer.
Abhijit Aithal, PhD, biochemistry and molecular biology, received a grant of $50,000 from the Nebraska DHHS for testing a novel immunotherapy regimen for combating pancreatic cancer.
Sukhwinder Kaur, PhD, biochemistry and molecular biology, received a grant of $50,000 from the Nebraska DHHS for liquid biopsy for pancreatic cancer detection.
Kishor Bhakat, PhD, genetics, cell biology and anatomy, received a grant of $50,000 from the Nebraska DHHS for dysregulation of APE1 acetylation promotes oncogenesis.
Matthew Halanski, MD, orthopaedic surgery, received a grant of $45,000 from the Edna Ittner Trust Fund UN Foundation for improving the Ponseti method through technology.
Chi Zhang, MD, PhD, radiation oncology, received funding for a phase I/II study to test the immunostimulatory effects of consolidative hypofractionated radiation therapy (hfRT) for boosting the residual primary lung cancer in combination with anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy after definitive chemoradiation therapy.
Abenaya Muralidharan, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received a grant of $40,979 from the government of Canada for a study on understanding the balance between stimulatory and suppressive functions of neutrophils during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Kristy Carlson, PhD, otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, received a grant of $40,000 from the Omaha Community Foundation for auditory research.
Sookyong Koh, MD, PhD, pediatrics-neurology, received a grant of $20,000 from the American Epilepsy Society for a novel murine model of febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES).
Amy Hellman, MD, neurological sciences, received a grant of $19,250 from the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. Dr. Hellman also received funding for an open-label rollover study for Continuing Valbenazine Administration for the Treatment of Chorea Associated with Huntington Disease.
Susan Swindells, MBBS, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received a grant of $15,750 from the University of California-Los Angeles for leadership and operations center, AIDS Clinical Trail Group.
Ted Mikuls, MD, internal medicine-rheumatology, received a grant of $15,000 from the Rheumatology Research Foundation for a resident research preceptorship – "Genetic and Environmental Susceptibility to Interstitial Lung Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis."
Ellen Kerns, pediatrics-child health, received a grant of $10,000 from the American Academy of Pediatrics for a consulting services contract.
Lindsey Page, neurological sciences, received a grant of $4,969 from the American College of Sports Medicine for a prospective study of the effects of androgen deprivation therapy on neurocognition and frailty in prostate cancer.
Poonam Velagapudi, MD, internal medicine-cardiovascular, revied a grant of $1,330 from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for a hybrid coronary revascularization trial.
Industry-sponsored grants and contracts:
The following industry-sponsored contracts and foundation grants were received. Information on clinical trials enrolling patients at UNMC can be found here.
Rana Zabad, MD, neurological sciences, received funding for a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, efficacy and safety study comparing SAR442168 to placebo in participants with primary progressive multiple sclerosis and a phase 3, randomized, double-blind efficacy and safety study comparing SAR442168 to teriflunomide (Aubagio) in participants with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.
Kelsey Klute, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a phase 3, randomized, double-blind Study of pamrevlumab or placebo in combination with Gemcitabine Plus Nab-paclitaxel as neoadjuvant treatment in patients with locally advanced, unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAPIS).
William Rizzo, MD, pediatrics metabolism, received funding for assay development and screening for discovery of inhibitors of ALDH3A2 as novel therapeutics for treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.
Julie Vose, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a phase 1B/3 double-blind, randomized, active-controlled, 3-stage, biomarker adaptive study of Tazemetostat or placebo in combination with Lenalidomide plus Rituximab in subjects with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma.
Alexander Hewlett, DO, internal medicine-GI, received funding for a phase 3, multi-center, multi-national, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled induction and maintenance study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CC-93538 In adult and adolescent subjects with eosinophilic esophagitis.
Kari Simonsen, MD, received funding for a phase-3 open label dose-finding study to evaluate safety, tolerability and immunogenicity and phase 2/3 placebo-controlled, observer-blinded safety, tolerability and immunogenicity study of a SARS-COV-2 RNA vaccine.
David F. Mercer, MD, PhD, surgery-transplant, received funding for a multicenter, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of apraglutide in adult subjects with short bowel and intestinal failure.
Cyrus Desouza, MBBS, internal medicine-DEM, received funding to study the effect of semaglutide in subjects with non-cirrhotic non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
Sarah Holstein, MD, PhD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for a phase II study of Lenalidomide, Ixazomib, Dexamethasone and Daratumumab in transplant-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.
Lori Harris, MD, internal medicine-oncology/hematology, received funding for an open-label, multi-center phase 2 clinical trial evaluating SNS-301 in patients with ASPH+ high risk myelodysplastic syndrome and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.
Carol Toris, PhD, ophthalmology and visual sciences, received funding for a work order: Aqueous humor dynamics. Dr. Toris also received funding for a T-Rex outflow facility assessment.
Trevor Van Schooneveld, MD, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received funding for a pneumonia panel with stewardship review impact on antibiotic use.
Michael Baine, MD, PhD, radiation oncology, received funding for associating adiponectin signaling with chronic toxicity following pelvic radiation.
Jamie Wilson, MD, neurosurgery, received funding for a phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the efficacy and safety of MT-3921 in subjects with acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury.
Whitney Goldner, MD, internal medicine-DEM, received funding for specimen collection for Siemens thyroid assays/Atellica IM Thyroblogulin (tg) Assay.
Diana Florescu, MD, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received funding for a retrospective study to collect follow-up data at 12 months among transplant recipients with refractory or resistant cytomegalovirus infections randomized to the Maribavir treatment arm in the SHP620-303 open-label phase III trial.