A record 23 abstract presentations, an award ceremony and a keynote address on the impact of research on the field of anesthesiology highlighted the 2022 UNMC Department of Anesthesiology Celebration of Research this month.
Faculty, residents, and fellows took part in the event, which was created to recognize the work of the department’s innovative investigators, including the department’s six active R01 awards, two of which were newly funded this year.
“The UNMC Department of Anesthesiology attracts high-school, undergraduate and graduate students, medical students, residents, fellows and faculty to engage in exciting research along the entire translational continuum,” said Karsten Bartels, MD, vice chair of research for the department. “This broad-based engagement of a diverse group has enabled our research department to compete more successfully for federal funding.”
Keynote speaker Monica Vavilala, MD, director of Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center at the University of Washington in Seattle, challenged the department to “think about anesthesiology contributions differently” during her address on research advances in treating pediatric traumatic brain injury. She also spoke about her life as a researcher, educator and leader in the field of anesthesiology.
Dr. Bartels praised event’s abstracts, which were presented during an informal poster session.
“These presentations showcased our research division’s impressive growth,” he said.
The evening concluded with the award ceremony, highlighted by the presentation of Lieberman Research Awards to fund new research projects.
Lieberman awardees included:
- Subhash Chand, PhD, for the abstract “Impact of HIV and Polysubstance Use Disorder on Cardiovascular Function.”
- Nate Goergen, MD, PhD, along with mentors Nicholas Markin, MD, Kyle Ringenberg, MD, and Robert Lobato, MD, for their abstract “An Internet of Things (IoT) Cold-Based Implementation of the ‘Anesthesia STAT’ Activation Network.”
- Nicholas Markin, MD, and Tom Liu, MD, for the abstract “Regional Anesthesia for Cardiac Surgery.”
- Hanjun Wang, MD, for the abstract “Building a Cardiac Electrical Mapping System.”
Other awardees included:
Best Abstract Clinical Science Research
- Bailey Williams, “A Mixed-Method Analysis and Evaluation of Chronic Pain Content on TikTok by a Chronic Pain Patient Cohort”
- Karmen DeLancey, “Perioperative Alcohol Use Screening: A Retrospective Cohort Study”
Best Abstract Basic Science Research
- Zhiqui Xia, MD, PhD, “Synergistic or Antagonistic Effect when Cardiac and Pulmonary Spinal Afferents are Simultaneously Stimulated?”
- Kajal Kamra, “The Role of the Superior Cervical Ganglion in the Chronic Sensitization of Carotid Bodies Post-Acute Lung Injury”
- Austin Gown, “In Utero Induced Vulnerability to Later Life Mild Traumatic Brain Injury”
Best Abstract Case Report
- Anthony Stephenson, “Incidental Thrombus Straddling Patent Foramen Ovale found on Intraoperative Transesophageal Echocardiogram in Patient with a Ventricular Assistive Device”
Best Abstract Educational Research
- Cole Homer, “Development and Evaluation of an Interdisciplinary Rotation for Anesthesia Residents in Laryngology”