Bressler-Alpert Travel Assistance Fund Award Recipients:
Presentations and Destinations (2013-18)
Since the launch of the Bressler-Alpert Society and the Bressler-Alpert Travel Assistance Fund in late 2012, there have been more than 40 recipients of travel awards. In reverse chronological order (based on approval date, including the title of their research and where they were presenting) are the following awardees:
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May 3, 2019
Bryce D. Perkins, DO
Internal Medicine Residency Program - University Campus
“Rare Tumor with Matched Germline Whole Exome Sequencing Identifies Somatic and Inherited Variants of Clinical Significance”
American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting – Chicago, May 31-June 4, 2019
Feb. 21, 2019
Rhonda Alkatib, MD
Allergy and Immunology Fellowship Program, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
“The Disappearing Act: A Mysterious Case of Severe Transient Lymphopenia”
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, AAAI Annual Meeting – San Francisco, Feb. 22-25, 2019
Feb. 12, 2019
Bryan Borg, MD
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
“Arrival by Ambulance versus Private Vehicle to the Emergency Department is Not Associated with Improved Mortality for Patients with Critical Illness”
American Thoracic Society, ATS 2019 International Conference – Dallas, May 17-22, 2019
Feb. 12, 2019
Morgan Bailey, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program - University Campus
“A Novel Biomarker for the Diagnosis and Progression of Interstitial Lung Disease” and “A Rare Case Report- Diffuse Idiopathic Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Cell Hyperplasia” and “Pulmonary Mycetoma due to Concurrent Aspergillus and Neocystalidium dimidiatum Infection”
American Thoracic Society, ATS 2019 International Conference – Dallas, May 17-22, 2019
Oct. 31, 2018 
Norman Beatty, MD
Infectious Diseases Fellowship, Division of Infectious Diseases
“Detection of Human Blood in Peridomestic and Domestic Kissing Bugs (Triatoma spp.) Utilizing a Rapid Forensic Test” and “Carriage Rates of Trypanosoma cruzi among Kissing Bugs (Triatoma spp.) in Southern Arizona”
IDWeek 2018, Infectious Diseases Society of America – San Francisco, Oct. 3-7, 2018, and ASTMH Conference, American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene – New Orleans, Oct. 28–Nov. 1, 2018
April 26, 2018
Kelly Wickstrom, DO
Internal Medicine Residency Program - University Campus
“End-Systolic Dyssynchrony Significantly Impacts Determination of Right Ventricular Ejection Fraction by Novel Method of Volumetric Analysis Using Cardiac MRI”
American Thoracic Society, International Meeting 2018 – San Diego, Calif., May 18-23, 2018
April 10, 2018 
Chithra Poongkunran, MD
Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
“Treatment Options in Sleep-Disordered Breathing: Adherence and Health Outcomes”
American Thoracic Society, International Meeting 2018 – San Diego, Calif., May 18-23, 2018
March 1, 2018 
Shilpa R. Junna, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program - University Campus
“Frailty Predicts Colonoscopy Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Screening”
Digestive Disease Week Conference 2018, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy – Washington, DC, June 2-5, 2018
Feb. 28, 2018
Luke Gabe, MD
Pulmonary/Critical Care Fellowship
“Do Lactated Ringers and Early Insulin Bolus Change the Clinical Course of Diabetic Ketoacidosis? A Single Center, Retrospective Review”
American Thoracic Society, International Meeting 2018 – San Diego, Calif., May 18-23, 2018
Dec. 12, 2017 
Roberto Swazo, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – South Campus
“The Incomplete Appreciation of Acuity in Federally Funded Acute Lung Injury Research”
Society of Critical Care Medicine's 47th Critical Care Congress – San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 25-28, 2018
Sept. 12, 2017 
Francisco E. Mora, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program - South Campus
“Clinical Outcomes of Venomous Snakebites in the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest after Implementation of a National Protocol”
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 66th Annual Meeting – Baltimore, Md., Nov. 5-9, 2017
July 28, 2017 
Norman Beatty, MD
Infectious Diseases Fellowship, Division of Infectious Diseases
Three projects: “Appropriateness of a Rapid Multiplex Gastrointestinal Panel in the Investigation of Suspected Infectious Diarrhea at an Academic Medical Center,” “Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Availability at Urgent Care Centers in the State of Arizona, USA,” and “Rapid Multiplex Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel Testing Improved Antibiotic Stewardship in Patients with Suspected Infectious Diarrhea Compared to Conventional Methods”
Infectious Diseases Society of America's ID Week 2017 - San Diego, Calif., Oct. 4-8, 2017
April 24, 2017 
Joshua Dill, DO
Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
“Use of Renal Replacement Therapy in Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Single Center Retrospective Review”
American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2017 International Conference – Washington, DC, May 19-24, 2017
April 24, 2017 
See-Wei Low, MBBS
Internal Medicine Residency Program – University Campus
“Endobronchial Valves Therapy for Advanced Emphysema: A Meta-Analysis”
American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2017 International Conference – Washington, DC, May 19-24, 2017
January 27, 2017
Khushboo Goel, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program - Tucson Campus
"CURB-65 score correlates with ICU admission and in-hospital mortality in patients with sepsis"
46th Annual Critical Care Congress, Honolulu, HI, Jan. 21-25, 2017
December 15, 2016
Abhijeet Kumar, MD 
Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship, Division of Hematology and Oncology
"A Phase II Open-Label Study of Bortezomib (Velcade), Cladribine, and Rituximab (VCR) in Advanced, Newly Diagnosed and Relapsed/Refractory Mantle Cell and Indolent Lymphomas"
2016 ASH Annual Meeting, American Society of Hematology – San Diego, Dec. 3-6, 2016
October 7, 2016
Abhishek Pandey, MD
Sleep Medicine Fellowship, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
“Exploring social support and sleep for grandparents raising children: Lessons from the KIN Tech RCT”
APHA 2016 Annual Meeting & Expo, American Public Health Association Meeting – Denver, Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 2016
July 29, 2016
Faraz Jaffer, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – South Campus
“Use of Amiodarone in Management of Atrial Tachyarrhythmia in Septic Shock”
American College of Chest Physicians’ CHEST 2016 Annual Meeting – Los Angeles, Oct. 22-26, 2016
July 25, 2016
Sehem Ghazala, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – Tucson Campus
“Diagnostic Yield of EUS over MRI for Detection of Common Bile Duct Stones: A Single Center Experience”
ACG 2016 Annual Scientific Meeting & Postgraduate Courses, American College of Gastroenterology – Las Vegas, Oct. 14-16, 2016
July 19, 2016
Kai Rou Tey, MBBS
Internal Medicine Residency Program – South Campus
“A Comparative Effectiveness Study on Impact of Subspecialty Care in Management of Cirrhotics with Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding”
ACG 2016 Annual Scientific Meeting & Postgraduate Courses, American College of Gastroenterology – Las Vegas, Oct. 14-16, 2016
March 30, 2016
Christopher Strawter, MD
Pulmonary & Critical Care Fellowship, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
"Procalcitonin Levels in Different Presentations of Coccidioidomycosis"
American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2016 International Conference – San Francisco, May 13-18, 2016
March 23, 2016
Tam Le, MD
Sleep Medicine Fellowship, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
"Alzheimer's Disease and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Meta-Analysis"
SLEEP 2016, the 30th Anniversary Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) – Denver, June 11-15, 2016
February 17, 2016
Iwan Nyotowidjojo, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – Tucson Campus
“Optical Coherence Tomography Demonstrates High Prevalence of Saphenous Vein Graft Thrombus in Stable Angina Patients” and “Comparison of Temporal Trends in Strut-Level Optical Coherence Tomography Evaluation of Fixed Polymer Everolimus Eluting Stents and Everolimus Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold: A Meta-Analysis”
SCAI 2016 Scientific Sessions, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions – Orlando, Fla., May 4-7, 2016
February 9, 2016
Snehal Patel, DO
Allergy & Immunology Fellowship, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
“Reduction of Systemic Corticosteroid Requirement for Sever Asthma Following Minimally-Invasive Nissen Fundoplication for Severe GERD”
American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2016 International Conference – San Francisco, May 13-18, 2016
January 13, 2016 
Abhijeet Kumar, MD
Hematology & Medical Oncology Fellowship, Division of Hematology & Oncology, UA Cancer Center
“Epidemiology and survival of small cell carcinoma of GI tract: A SEER database review”
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting 2016 – San Francisco, June 3-7, 2016
January 8, 2016
Nour Parsa, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – Tucson Campus
“Retrospective Analysis of Allergy Skin Testing Results and Relationship to Chronic Sinusitis in the Tucson Adult Population”
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting 2016 – Los Angeles, March 4-7, 2016
Monday, October 5, 2015
Nirmal Singh, MBBS
Internal Medicine Residency Program – South Campus
“Proton Pump Inhibitor Use as a Risk Factor for Recurrent Clostridium Difficile Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis”
ACG 2015 Annual Scientific Meeting & Postgraduate Courses, American College of Gastroenterology – Honolulu, Oct. 16-21, 2015
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Thu Pham, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – Tucson Campus
“Mis-sizing of polyps during colonoscopy does not significantly impact colorectal cancer surveillance recommendations”
ACG 2015 Annual Scientific Meeting & Postgraduate Courses, American College of Gastroenterology – Honolulu, Oct. 16-21, 2015
Friday, July 10, 2015
Sridhar Reddy, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – South Campus
“Atrial Flutter Has Less Spontaneous Echo Contrast and Higher Appendage Emptying Velocity Than Atrial Fibrillation”
International Academy of Cardiology, Annual Scientific Sessions 2015, 20th World Congress on Heart Disease – Vancouver, Canada, July 24-27, 2015
June 23, 2015
Srinath Sundararajan, MD
Hematology & Medical Oncology Fellowship, Division of Hematology & Oncology, UA Cancer Center
“A phase 2 study of pembrolizumab and imatinib for treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanomas with c-kit mutation or amplification”
ASCO/AACR Methods in Clinical Research Workshop, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) & American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) – Vail, Colo., July 25-31, 2015
April 29, 2015
Safal Shetty, MD
Sleep Medicine Fellowship, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
“Clinical Prediction Rule for Patient Selection in Home Management Pathways for Obstructive Sleep Apnea”
SLEEP 2015, 29th Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies – Seattle, June 6-10, 2015
April 29, 2015
Seongseok Yun, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – University Campus
“Outcome Comparison of Allogeneic vs. Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in transformed Low Grade Lymphoid Malignancies: A Meta-analysis of Comparative Studies” and “Overall Survival and Treatment Response in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treated with DNA Methyl-transferase Inhibitors vs. Conventional Care Regimens: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Trials”
2015 ASCO Annual Meeting, American Society of Clinical Oncology – Chicago, May 29-June 2, 2015
March 6, 2015
Aarthi Ganesh, MBBS
Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
“Safety and Complications of Bronchoscoopy in an Adult Intensive Care Unit”
American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2015 International Conference – Denver, May 15-20, 2015
January 30, 2015
Uday B. Kanakadandi, MD
Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship, Division of Cardiology, Sarver Heart Center
“Composite Outcomes in 2.25 mm Drug Eluting Stents: A Systematic Review”
Cardiovascular Research Technologies (CRT) 2015 – Washington, DC, Feb. 21-24, 2015
October 24, 2014
Utkarsh Acharya, DO
Hematology & Medical Oncology Fellowship, Division of Hematology & Oncology, UA Cancer Center
“Does the region of diagnosis correlate with overall survival in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) – a SEER review of AML diagnosis from 2004-2007”
56th ASH (American Society of Hematology) Annual Meeting – San Francisco, Dec. 6-9, 2014
September 9, 2014
Natasha Sharda, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – South Campus
“Decreasing After Hours Hemodialysis in Hospitals: A Way to Improve Patient Safety and Reduce Hospital Costs”
Kidney Week 2014, Annual Conference of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) – Philadelphia, Nov. 11-16, 2014
August 15, 2014
Hyon-he Garza, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – University Campus
“Throumbus Downstream from Plaque Rupture Site in Acute Myocardial Infarction Identified On Optical Coherence Tomography”
Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutic (TCT) Conference 2014 – Washington, DC, Sept. 13-17, 2014
May 12, 2014
Wendy W. Hsu, MD
Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
“Spectrum of Critical Illness Complicating Attempted Crossing of the Sonora-Arizona Border”
American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2014 International Conference – San Diego, May 16-21, 2014
April 8, 2014
Ryan Nahapetian, MD, MPH
Sleep Medicine Fellowship, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
“Weighted STOP-Bang and Screening for Sleep Disordered Breathing”
SLEEP 2014, 28th Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) – Minneapolis, May 31-June 4, 2014
March 4, 2014
Anjali Takyar, DO
Internal Medicine Residency Program – South Campus
“Improving Compliance with Surviving Sepsis Campaign Resuscitation Bundles at UA-South Campus”
Poster Competition, Internal Medicine 2014, Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Physicians (ACP) – Orlando, Fla., April 10-12, 2014
February 24, 2014
Jennifer Gabbard, MD
Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship, Division of Geriatrics, General Internal & Palliative Medicine
"Advanced Directive Use in Internal Medicine Residency Clinics: A Retrospective Review”
14th Annual Scientific Meeting, American Geriatrics Society (AGS) – Orlando, Fla., May 15-18, 2014
February 17, 2014
Rishi Bhargava, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – South Campus
“Revisiting the ‘Hs and Ts’: a missing cause of cardiac arrest”
Internal Medicine 2014, Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Physicians (ACP) – Orlando, Fla., April 10-12, 2014
February 13, 2014
Glenn Stokken, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – University Campus
“Measurement of sweating during tilt table testing for syncope”
10th Annual Congress of ECAS (European Cardiac Arrhythmia Society) – Munich, Germany, March 23-25, 2014
November 25, 2013
Amitabh C. Pandey, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – University Campus
“Mesenchymal Stem Cells as Cell Based Therapies in Heart Failure”
American Federation for Medical Research (AMFR) 2014 Western Regional Conference – Carmel, Calif., Jan. 23-25, 2014
November 18, 2013
Ateefa Chaudhury, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – University Campus
“Frequent BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are found in Mexican and Mexican-American women with breast cancer”
2013 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium – San Antonio, Dec. 10-14, 2013
November 13, 2013
Huthayfa Ateeli, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – University Campus
“An Unusual Cause of Refractory Life-Threatening Hemoptysis, A Multidisciplinary Challenge”
CHEST 2013, American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) Annual Meeting – Chicago, Oct. 26-31, 2013
September 3, 2013
Justin Z. Lee, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – University Campus
“Strut Level Optical Coherence Tomography Evaluation of Coronary Stent Strut Coverage Temporal Trends: A Systematic Review”
TCT 2013, Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics Conference – San Francisco, Oct. 27-Nov. 1, 2013
April 17, 2013
Irbaz B. Riaz, MD
Internal Medicine Residency Program – University Campus
“Transcatheter Closure Versus Medical Therapy for Cryptogenic Stroke: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials”
Euro PCR 2013, Annual Meeting of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI) – Paris, May 21-24, 2013