Research News

[Images of Department of Medicine faculty who won 2025 College of Medicine - Tucson Faculty Awards presented Feb. 27 at the HSIB Forum on the U of A Health Sciences Tucson campus.]
Fanfare at 2025 College of Medicine – Tucson Faculty Teaching Awards Rewarding for All

The Department of Medicine took 19 of 68 total awards presented Feb. 27 at the HSIB Forum. Eight divisions were represented by faculty winners, with three each to Inpatient Medicine and General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine, two to Hem-Onc, PACCS and Nephrology, and one for Cardiology, Endocrinology and Infectious Diseases. See who won and a mini-photo gallery.
[A collage of images from the inaugural walk, Feb. 21, 2025, for the Sarver Steppers club at La Encantada Shopping Center]
Inaugural walk-with-a-doc event for Sarver Steppers at La Encantada deemed triumphant

Fourteen new members of the Sarver Steppers walking club at La Encantada took park, Friday morning, Feb. 21, in the kickoff for the group, sponsored by the Sarver Heart Center and local vendors Haute Coffee and Lululemon. That number is expected to double soon with support of clinicians and researchers from the center and Division of Cardiology.
[The University of Arizona Cancer Center (Photo by Joshua Elz, U of A Cancer Center)]
U of A Health Sciences names new director of U of A Cancer Center

Dan Theodorescu, MD, PhD – director of the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles since 2018 – will begin his duties as the new director of the University of Arizona Cancer Center on March 1.
[Collage of images with Drs. Aaron Scott, in the Division of Hematology & Oncology, and Jennifer Stern, in the Divison of Endocrinology, at the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson.]
DOM to take 2 of 3 research awards at College of Medicine – Tucson ceremony, Feb. 27

Aaron Scott, MD, and Jennifer Stern, PhD, in the Divisions of Hematology & Oncology and Endocrinology respectively, will be among recipients of 68 Faculty Awards to be presented at the HSIB Forum – 19 of them to Department of Medicine faculty or programs – later this month. Register to attend and cheer them on.
[Collage of images from YouTube video posted to University of Arizona Health Sciences video, “Expert Insights – Sleep apnea: Peer support for CPAP use” and YouTube Shorts clip from it]
YouTube Shorts video spotlights peer support for sleep apnea therapy using CPAP devices

A Feb. 17 YouTube reel video with Sairam Parthasarathy, MD, spotlights a clip from a January U of A Health Sciences video, “Expert Insights – Sleep apnea: Peer support for CPAP use.” It notes that patient support by peers helps improve adherence to therapy to treat sleep apnea for better health and better sleep.
[A composite image of Drs. Bhaskar Banerjee, H.H. "Sherry" Chow, and C. Kent Kwoh, who are among 5 recently named Professor Emeriti at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson.]
DOM gets three of five new Professors Emeriti at College of Medicine – Tucson

Bhaskar Banerjee, MD, Hsiao-Hui “Sherry” Chow, PhD, and C. Kent Kwoh, MD, are among the newest Professor Emeritus members at the college. The Department of Medicine now has 16 retired faculty members who’ve gained this august status due to their many career achievements. See who they are.
[Image of woman sitting on a bed holding her heart as if in pain]
Common drug shows promise against rare type of heart disease

An FDA-approved osteoporosis treatment might nudge a mutated protein back into shape and improve heart function, according to a study by University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson researchers including Cardiology division chief and Sarver Heart Center director Hesham Sadek, MD, PhD.
[A collage of images from the Feb. 10, 2025, investiture ceremony for Drs. Hesham Sadek, Division of Cardiology chief and Sarver Heart Center director, and Sakthivel Sadayappan, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine chair and center associate director, at the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson.]
Joint investiture celebrates endowed chairs for Drs. Hesham Sadek, Sakthi Sadayappan

The Sarver Heart Center director and associate director are recognized Feb. 10 with peers, friends and family as team “to build a world-class cardiovascular program here.” With a $75 million fundraising campaign under way by the college (and $27 million already committed) they’re fast on their way to reaching the goal. See a mini-photo gallery from the ceremony.
[Pictured here are the winning ACC AZ Chapter Fellows Jeopardy team and its supporters after the Jan. 11 contest: Muhammad “Ijaz” Pervez, MBBS; Sharanyah Srinivasan, MBBS; Iniya Rajendran, MBBS, MPH; Abdulbaril Olagunju, MD; and Khurram Butt, MBBS. (Photo courtesy of U of A Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship chief fellow Sanjay Polisetty, MBBS)]
U of A Cardiology fellows win Jeopardy contest at American College of Cardiology – Arizona Chapter

Three fellows in the Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship at the Division of Cardiology won top honors in the competition in Phoenix and will be recognized this weekend at the ACC AZ Chapter Annual Meeting and compete at nationals in Chicago in March.
[Collage of images from the inaugural Cardiovascular Research Symposium hosted by the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson on Feb. 3-4, 2025.]
First Sarver Cardiovascular Research Symposium shines at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort

The inaugural event, held in close collaboration with UT Southwestern, provided a platform for exchange of groundbreaking ideas, cutting-edge presentations and dynamic discussions that showcased progress in both cardiovascular research and clinical practice.
[Collage of images from U of A Wildcats women’s basketball game vs ASU Sun Devils, 2.8.25, in which Cardiology professionals were recognized during American Heart Month]
‘Wear red for heart health’ women’s basketball game touts U of A cardiology practitioners

A season-high McKale Center crowd celebrated the Wildcats women’s basketball team’s big win over ASU on Saturday, Feb. 8, a game in which several cardiovascular professionals were honored. With February being American Heart Month, Cardiology’s Drs. Elizabeth Juneman and Iniya Rajendran and six nurse practitioners were recognized at the game. See a mini-photo gallery.
[A flyer image with the first four of seven lectures in the UNISON Lunch & Learn with Leaders in Public Health webinar series]
Arizona-Sonora Binational Network for Healthy Communities to cohost seminar series

An inaugural U.S.-Mexico webinar series, Lunch & Learn with Leaders in Public Health, features a range of topics in Spanish and English ranging from infectious diseases to community health research. Earn a certificate from the University of Sonora. First up as presenter Feb. 13 is the U of A’s Gabriela Valdez, PhD. The series runs through April 3.
[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.

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