Russell McCulloh, MD, knows that research is difficult, with repeated failure a common theme, punctuated by moments of success.
As the recently selected assistant dean for clinical research for the College of Medicine, Dr. McCulloh will serve as an advocate to help identify and tackle barriers to facilitate local, regional and national research. As a liaison and guide, he will help researchers connect with collaborators and resources across the research enterprises at UNMC, Nebraska Medicine and partners including the Veterans Administration, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and other health systems.
"I am interested in this role because it gives me the chance to help others overcome obstacles to getting important research questions answered," said Dr. McCulloh, chief of the division of pediatric hospital medicine at the Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and associate professor of pediatrics and director of the UNMC Nebraska Pediatric Clinical Trials Unit. "My experience in research over the course of my career has given me an appreciation for all the work that it takes to get projects launched and successfully completed.
"I believe that clinical research is critical to improving people’s lives," he said. "It links the amazing work that bench-scientists do to identify fundamental insights in biology and other sciences with patients and the community. I firmly believe that clinical research should meet community needs and seek to make meaningful positive impacts in people’s lives."
One of his goals is to break down silos and barriers to clinical research and to foster an environment that promotes strong teams.
"Success for me will be defined by the number of connections we make between learners, faculty and the public that result in new or expanded research teams engaging in clinical research projects. Teams with good access to the amazing resources at UNMC and our regional partners will naturally grow, do good work and secure funding."
"Dr. McCulloh has great accomplishments in clinical research with critical outreach and involvement of underserved populations," said Howard Fox, MD, PhD, senior associate dean of research and development at the college. "His joint appointments at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and UNMC will further strengthen the interactions between these two leading institutions, and his new position will enable him to use his skills to advance other’s work. Importantly, his focus on team-building is key to our ability to perform high-level work that impacts health, disease and people’s lives."
Congratulations Rusty!