Research News

[A man in a dark suit coat and black shirt stands outside a building that has Sarver Heart Center signage.]
Connecting with Sarver Heart Center’s Dr. Hesham Sadek: A Q&A

Still in his first year as center director, he wants to lead the Cardiology division and Sarver Heart Center to a top 10 ranking while finding ways to repurpose drug therapies for rare disorders.
[Image of a woman holds her side as if in pain, illustrating a paper with published results on a clinical trial led by University of Arizona Health Sciences researchers found that a three-drug chemotherapy treatment for advanced stage, inoperable biliary tract cancers didn’t improve patient survival when compared with the standard two-drug treatment. (Photo by Bymuratdeniz via Getty) ]
U of A Cancer Center clinical trial advances research in treatment of biliary tract cancers

Experimental, three-drug chemotherapy regimen didn’t improve survival rates for patients, but treatment might still prove helpful for a small subset of patients, according to Dr. Rachna Shroff, trial leader and Hematology & Oncology division chief.
[A doctor examines a patient wearing a pink robe sitting on the edge of a bed]
Can the heart heal itself? New study says it can.

An international research team co-led by Dr. Hesham Sadek, Cadiology division chief and Sarver Heart Center director at the College of Medicine – Tucson, found evidence that heart muscle can regenerate after heart failure in some people with artificial hearts.
[Sunset image of A Mountain as viewed across the UofA campus and downtown Tucson]
U of A projects research expenditures surpassed $1B in FY24, joining select group of U.S. institutions

Buoyed by research including retrieval of the largest asteroid sample ever brought to Earth, advancing a vaccine for Valley fever to human clinical trial – the world’s first against fungal infection to reach this stage – and mitigating effects of extreme heat, University of Arizona officials project research activity exceeded $1 billion in fiscal year 2024, which ended June 30, and are submitting this data to the National Science Foundation for review. 
[With Association of American Cancer Institutes PCLI and CTI logos below their portraits, from left, Bhavana Bhatnagar, DO; Rachna Shroff, MD, MS, FASCO; Michael E. Hurwitz, MD, PhD; Barbara Ma, MD, MS; and Erin Winters, BSN, RN, BMTCN.]
Dr. Rachna Shroff elected to AACI steering committee

The DOM Division of Hematology & Oncology chief and interim clinical affairs director and associate director of clinical investigations at the University of Arizona Cancer Center joins the Association of American Cancer Institutes’ Physician Clinical Leadership Initiative Steering Committee.
[Cancer Center members stand with Heather Alberts (center with plaque honoring Dr. David Alberts, MD’s many contributions to the center and cancer research) and their daughter, Sabrina Plattner (at right of Alberts). Also pictured are the Department of Medicine’s Jennifer Bea, PhD (third from right), co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, and Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski, MD (far right), the center’s interim director of research, co-director of the Skin Cancer Institute and Dermatology divisi]
Honoring Dr. David Alberts: A legacy of cancer prevention

The University of Arizona Cancer Center hosted a memorial event Nov. 12 for founding member and visionary leader, David Alberts, MD. A prior center director who oversaw creation of the Skin Cancer Institute, Dr. Alberts died July 2, 2023. The event featured remarks of guests (including Drs. Jennifer Bea and Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski), and his family was presented a plaque.
[A collage of images from the 2024 Annual Scientific Retreat of the University of Arizona Cancer Center hosted at the Health Sciences Innovation Building, Nov. 15.]
Mini-Photo Gallery: 2024 U of A Cancer Center Annual Scientific Retreat

The Annual Scientific Retreat of the University of Arizona Cancer Center on Nov. 15 drew 180 researchers and scientists. DOM’s Dr. Juanita Merchant, center interim director and GI division chief, offered welcoming remarks and Dermatology division chief Dr. Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski presented as well. The keynote was given by UT Health San Antonio’s Dr. Amelie Ramirez.
[Collage of six images of University of Arizona Cancer Center members working with graduate students on research projects, including the Department of Medicine's Jennifer Carew, PhD (top center in red dress)]
Integrative Cancer Scholars Program gives grad students experience with top scientists, oncologists

The Department of Medicine’s Drs. Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski, Jennifer Carew and Aaron Scott earn mentions with this NIH/NCI-funded T32 training program for post-graduates interested in cancer research at the University of Arizona Cancer Center.
[Kelsey Bernard, PhD, and Lalitha Madhavan, MD, PhD, are among U of A College of Medicine – Tucson co-authors of a paper in Experimental Neurology showing that, in an animal model, the protein PNA5 appears to have a protective effect on brain cells. The discovery could help Parkinson's patients.]
Study identifies potential new drug for Parkinson’s-related cognitive decline, dementia

Parkinson’s disease causes difficulty in movement and balance, but its cognitive symptoms receive less attention and have no good treatments. A U of A College of Medicine – Tucson team, including Lalitha Madhavan, MD, PhD, a neurology associate professor with a dual appointment in the Division of General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine, hopes to change that.
[Collage of three images from the Department of Medicine’s participation in the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Arizona Chapter of the American College of Physicians, Nov. 8-9, at the Casino del Sol Resort.]
Big crowds and big wins for DOM at ACP Arizona Chapter Scientific Meeting

Department of Medicine faculty, residents and students excelled at this year’s American College of Physicians chapter event hosted in Tucson, with DOM honors for Internal Medicine Physician of the Year, Educator of the Year, and Student of the Year, plus top prizes in poster contests in four of five student categories and a resident category. Poster entries, registrants and sponsorships also broke records.
[Jil C. Tardiff, MD, PhD, FAHA]
Dr. Jil Tardiff honored with select lectureship at AHA Scientific Sessions

The Division of Cardiology professor and Sarver Heart Center member whose research focuses on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in young people – will give the Thomas Smith Memorial Lecture at the American Heart Association event Nov 18.
[Collage of three images from the University of Arizona Department of Medicine DEI Mixer held Nov. 4, 2024, at the UAHS Health Sciences Innovationg Building]
Modest turnout for DOM DEI Mixer with great talk, sim lab experience

Thirty people attended the 2024 Department of Medicine mixer hosted by the DEI Committee in the HSIB Forum and ASTEC simulation lab, including 10 pre-med and medical students interested in internal medicine, with an inspiring talk by UAHS DEI associate vice president Dr. Francisco Moreno. See the mini-photo gallery.
[Collage of images from the first Tucson Transplant Symposium, hosted by the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson’s Division of Nephrology and Department of Surgery with a particular focus on kidney transplants.]
Tucson Transplant Symposium spotlights chronic kidney disease

The Division of Nephrology co-hosts inaugural symposium with Department of Surgery, offering 3.0 CMEs for clinicians across southern Arizona interested in the latest information on kidney transplants, the most commonly transplanted organ. Nearly 40 clinicians attended. See the mini-photo gallery.
[NIH/NIAID microscopy image of coccidioides fungal spore, which causes Valley fever, with images of U of A's Dr. John Galgiani in his lab and two Congressmen who introduced new legislation for a human vaccine]
Bipartisan bill to accelerate human vaccine for Valley fever introduced in Congress

Two U.S. representatives, a Democrat from Phoenix and a Republican from California’s Central Valley, recently filed legislation to fund creation of a national strategy for a human vaccine for Valley fever. DOM infectious diseases professor Dr. John Galgiani is quoted.
[Graphical illustration of NHLBI Workshop on Health Disparities in Pulmonary Vascular Disease]
U of A-led NHLBI Workshop explores disparities in pulmonary hypertension

A virtual national workshop, Oct. 22-23, chaired by the DOM Pulmonary division’s Dr. Franz Rischard goes beyond how much a person’s race outweighs their mixed ancestry, sex and/or social determinants of health in a disease directly affecting over 2 million people in the U.S. Read the Q&A with Dr. Rischard on why this is important.
[Collage of images related to testing of noncompression CT technology to detect breast cancers more accurately while increasing comfort and decreasing radiation exposure]
Researchers using $3.3M NCI grant to develop better breast cancer screening technology

College of Medicine – Tucson researchers, including the Division of Hematology & Oncology’s Dr. Sherry Chow, are leading a team that will test noncompression CT technology, which has the potential to detect more breast cancers more accurately while increasing comfort and decreasing radiation exposure.
[A collage of images from the 2nd Annual UACC Awards Dinner: (top image, from left) University of Arizona Cancer Center 2024 award winners (from left) Rachna Shroff, MD, Aaron Scott, MD, Jianqin Lu, PhD, Andrew Paek, PhD, Cynthia Thomson, PhD, Jennifer Erdrich, MD, Heidi Hamann, PhD, Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski, MD.]
U of A Cancer Center honors members at annual awards event

Four Department of Medicine faculty members were among nine awardees at the Second Annual Awards Dinner for the U of A Cancer Center, hosted Sept. 4 at The Graduate. Five more were among the nominators. See who they are.
[Co-leaders, left, Taylor Riall, MD, PhD, FACS and, right, Rachna Shroff, MD, FASCO, organized the first Hepato Pancreatico-Biliary CME Symposium featuring, center, Matthew H.G. Katz, MD, CMQ, FACS, FASCO. (Photo: U of A Cancer Center)]
College of Medicine – Tucson’s Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary CME Seminar draws 50 clinicians

About 50 general surgeons, oncologists, gastroenterologists, primary care physicians, and HPB specialists who care for these patients attended the daylong event. Among presenters, moderators and panelists were five DOM faculty: Drs. Rachna Shroff, Oleh Haluszka, Aaron Scott, Joshua Melson and Junaid Arshad.
[Collage of images from UAHS Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion event Sept. 20 to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month 2024]
Hispanic Heritage Month to be celebrated with food, music and lectures

The Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at the U of A Health Sciences has worked up a series of activities for Hispanic Heritage Month, launched Sept. 20 with mariachi & salsa music, folklorico dancers and food trucks in the Hippocrates Courtyard that drew several DOM staffers. See a mini-photo gallery and other planned events.
[Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation logo with images inset of Drs. Sachin Chaudhary and Arista Chand as well as graphics of curtains on either side and lung alveoli sacs]
U of A, Banner redesignated as Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Care Center

First named a PFF Care Center in 2014, the designation serves as kudo for Interstitial Lung Disease Program in Department of Medicine’s Pulmonary division, treating a variety of disorders caused by scarring of lung tissue. University of Arizona, Banner clinic is one of 74 such centers across country.

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