Research News
![[Image of DOM Internal Digest newsletter masthead for June 2024, with 4 collages from stories below.]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/internal_digest_june_2024_teaser_600x450px-collage.jpg?itok=Sw7-RplX×tamp=1718991586 "Image of DOM Internal Digest newsletter masthead for June 2024, with 4 collages from stories below.")
The June 2024 Internal Digest newsletter is out, putting the spotlight on graduations from DOM’s 15 fellowship and two residency programs, a new Cardiology clinic, IM Research Day results, faculty promotions and the Boyer Liver Institute – and featuring six photo galleries.
![[Collage of recent community outreach efforts by the Thomas D. Boyer Liver Institute for free hepatitis C, or Hep-C, screenings with Carina Mendoza and Carol Peters, ANP.]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/liver_institute_june_24_newsletter_card.jpg?itok=p7rqYJje×tamp=1717792724 "Collage of recent community outreach efforts by the Thomas D. Boyer Liver Institute for free hepatitis C, or Hep-C, screenings with Carina Mendoza and Carol Peters, ANP.")
Staff profiles, Global Fatty Liver Day on June 13, community outreach for free Hep-C screenings, and a plethora of info on research, policy briefs & outbreak updates, clinical trials and other current studies is what you’ll find in the most recent newsletter.
![[Residents and faculty—including Drs. Anthony Witten (wearing mask) and Kevin Moynahan (center)—mingle during the judging portion of the poster contest during the 2024 Internal Medicine Research Academic Half Day for the Department of Medicine.]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/research_ahd_05.23.24_cdm_img_4914_card.jpg?itok=98BlAS76×tamp=1718065740 "Residents and faculty—including Drs. Anthony Witten (wearing mask) and Kevin Moynahan (center)—mingle during the judging portion of the poster contest during the 2024 Internal Medicine Research Academic Half Day for the Department of Medicine.")
Residents got twice the bang for their buck at this year’s Internal Medicine Research Academic Half Day with both a traditional poster contest as well as – for the first time ever – oral vignettes during the event’s activities. Multiple DOM faculty participated as judges. See photo gallery and announcement of who won.
![[Drs. Mari Ricker and Andrew Weil were part of a panel discussion on the role of integrative medicine in the future of U.S. healthcare, April 24, 2024, in the HSIB Forum]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/weil_card_0.jpg?itok=Mn6VMrZq×tamp=1716596379 "Drs. Mari Ricker and Andrew Weil were part of a panel discussion on the role of integrative medicine in the future of U.S. healthcare, April 24, 2024, in the HSIB Forum")
Panel discussion with pioneers in integrative health care, cooking demonstrations, public open house highlight debut of new complex. DOM faculty were prominent at each, if only in attending. See who was there with two mini-photo galleries and a video.
![[Portrait of University of Arizona Health Sciences immunologist Deepta Bhattacharya]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/bhattacharya-deepta-phd_immuno_klh2920_card.jpg?itok=MwbR7kA1×tamp=1718643406 "Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, has been selected to lead the Center for Advanced Molecular and Immunological Therapies at the University of Arizona Health Sciences. (Photo by Kris Hanning, UArizona Health Sciences Office of Communications)")
The Center for Advanced Molecular and Immunological Therapies will be led by Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, a renowned immunologist at the College of Medicine – Tucson.
![[Chair of the UArizona Chapter of the Academy of Medical Education Scholars, or AMES, Tara Carr, MD (far right), presents plaques to newly inducted members, Holly Bullock, MD, MPH (OB-GYN), Saman Nematollahi, MD (Infectious Diseases), Joy Bulger Beck, MD (GGP-General Internal Medicine), Jennifer Plitt, MD (GGP-Palliative Medicine), and Amy Mitchell, MD (OB-GYN). Missing from the photo are other new members, Maria Bishop, MD (Hematology-Oncology), Steven Dudick, MD (OB-GYN), and Aaron Mason, MD (Surgery).]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/wims_new_ames_members_4.23.24_card.jpg?itok=Zp_WwN-m×tamp=1715214039 "Chair of the UArizona Chapter of the Academy of Medical Education Scholars, or AMES, Tara Carr, MD (far right), presents plaques to newly inducted members, Holly Bullock, MD, MPH (OB-GYN), Saman Nematollahi, MD (Infectious Diseases), Joy Bulger Beck, MD (GGP-General Internal Medicine), Jennifer Plitt, MD (GGP-Palliative Medicine), and Amy Mitchell, MD (OB-GYN). Missing from the photo are other new members, Maria Bishop, MD (Hematology-Oncology), Steven Dudick, MD (OB-GYN), and Aaron Mason, MD (Surgery).")
Four DOM faculty were inducted recently into the UArizona Chapter of the Academy of Medical Education Scholars, or AMES, at the College of Medicine – Tucson and three others from the department won research grants. Find out who they were here.
![[Illustration of how the Multi-Institutional Transformation and Graduate Student Support Initiative (MITSI) works to build bridges and transform institutions to support graduate STEM education for indigenous and Latinx students.]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/mitsi-concept-model-800x600px.jpg?itok=jnRL_bT6×tamp=1715194713 "Illustration of how the Multi-Institutional Transformation and Graduate Student Support Initiative (MITSI) works to build bridges and transform institutions to support graduate STEM education for indigenous and Latinx students.")
UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson faculty are encouraged to apply to participate in NAU Flagstaff program to build bridges and transform institutions in support of graduate STEM education among indigenous and Latinx students.
![[Elizabeth B. Juneman, MD, FACC]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/juneman_elizabeth_b.-md_card-sarver_card.jpg?itok=O_K37m3z×tamp=1715287881 "Elizabeth B. Juneman, MD, FACC")
Women We Admire, a membership organization comprised of accomplished women executives and leaders across the U.S. and Canada, included University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson cardiologist Elizabeth B. Juneman, MD, among the 2024 Rising Star Women of Medicine.
![[From left, Dr. Kent Kwoh, Arthritis Center director and Rheumatology division chief; infectious diseases specialist and Valley Fever Center for Excellence researcher Dr. Fariba Donovan; DOM Ambulatory Medicine Clerkship co-director, allergist and integrative medicine specialist Dr. Randy Horwitz; geriatrician and director of the UArizona Climate & Health Group Dr. Julia Jernberg; and emergency medicine professor emeritus and Sarver Heart Center member Dr. Art Sanders]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/lhwa_climate_change_5.4.24_img_4586_card.jpg?itok=IV9wtgKw×tamp=1718728811 "From left, Dr. Kent Kwoh, Arthritis Center director and Rheumatology division chief; infectious diseases specialist and Valley Fever Center for Excellence researcher Dr. Fariba Donovan; DOM Ambulatory Medicine Clerkship co-director, allergist and integrative medicine specialist Dr. Randy Horwitz; geriatrician and director of the UArizona Climate & Health Group Dr. Julia Jernberg; and emergency medicine professor emeritus and Sarver Heart Center member Dr. Art Sanders")
Arthritis Center director and Rheumatology division chief Dr. C. Kent Kwoh moderated the panel which included the DOM’s Drs. Fariba Donovan, Randy Horwitz and Julia Jernberg and Emergency Medicine’s Dr. Art Sanders. A related KJZZ story with Dr. Jernberg was picked up by over 1,000 media outlets. See mini-photo gallery.
![[Closeup photo of a needle being injected into a syringe with blue background.]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/curiel-needle-2024_card.jpg?itok=ccbyxU9l×tamp=1716315402 "Closeup photo of a needle being injected into a syringe with blue background.")
Dermatology division chief and UArizona Skin Cancer Institute co-director, Dr. Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski presented the work in San Diego on the effect of melanoma drug TVEC on patients with cutaneous invasive squamous cell carcinoma, or cSCC.
![[Hesham Sadek, MD, PhD]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/sadek-hesham-78098-1000x750px.jpg?itok=4LwJKjsW×tamp=1714434628 "Hesham Sadek, MD, PhD")
Dr. Hesham Sadek brings experience and an impressive research portfolio from Dallas’ UT Southwestern, where he was associate director of the Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine and a professor of internal medicine/cardiology with joint appointments in biophysics and molecular biology.
![[Hem-Onc physician Aaron Scott, MD, under the spotlight in new UArizona Cancer Center 'Cancer Bytes' video]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/cancer_bytes_w_dr.aaron_scott_1280x760px.jpg?itok=4Ug8Gzts×tamp=1713491026 "Hem-Onc physician Aaron Scott, MD, under the spotlight in new UArizona Cancer Center 'Cancer Bytes' video")
The latest UA Cancer Center newsletter highlights Dr. Aaron Scott in a “Cancer Bytes” video, Dr. Juanita Merchant as NCI equity leadership team member, Dr. Janet Funk as presenter at breast cancer research symposium, Lisa Quale as Skin Cancer Institute sun safety ambassador advocate, and T32 postdoc training opportunities.
![[UArizona gastroenterologist Dr. Josh Melson presents on colorectal cancer screening at the TMC Internal Medicine Grand Rounds in the hospital’s Marshall Auditorium on April 5.]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/tmc-im-gr_drjmelson_4.5.24_dsc_6364_card.jpg?itok=LDtQsPwe×tamp=1713591788 "UArizona gastroenterologist Dr. Josh Melson presents on colorectal cancer screening at the TMC Internal Medicine Grand Rounds in the hospital’s Marshall Auditorium on April 5.")
UArizona gastroenterologist and director of the Cancer Center’s High-Risk Clinic for Gastrointestinal Cancers, Dr. Josh Melson draws a lively audience for April 5 presentation. See mini-photo gallery.
![[Slice of image for flyer on 4.5.24 TMC Internal Medicine Grand Rounds lecture with UArizona Cancer Center's Joshua Melson, MD, on colorectal cancer screening]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/tmc_im_gr_2024.04.05_colorectal_cancer_card.jpg?itok=02reEEDv×tamp=1712016689 "Slice of image for flyer on 4.5.24 TMC Internal Medicine Grand Rounds lecture with UArizona Cancer Center's Joshua Melson, MD, on colorectal cancer screening")
With its first lecture on Valley fever complete and a second, Friday, April 5, on colorectal cancer, Tucson Medical Center attendings, residents and medical students are eager to hear high-level CME content from DOM faculty. It’s a win-win for all parties.
![[Members of the 2020-21 cohort of PRIDE research trainees participate in winter 2020 meeting with mentors and principal investigators in Tucson.]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/aire_2020-01_img_9329_card-2.jpg?itok=XkjKwTPt×tamp=1711751676 "Members of the 2020-21 cohort of PRIDE research trainees participate in winter 2020 meeting with mentors and principal investigators in Tucson.")
A five-year federal grant renewal to diversify the biomedical research workforce focused on lung health and sleep disorders will expand to address pandemics and disparities in respiratory infections.
![[Jennifer Carew, PhD, welcomes Translational Medicine Symposium attendees and introduces opening keynote speaker Northwestern University’s Devalingam Mahalingam, MD, PhD, who spoke on oncolytic virotherapy.]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/card-transltnl_med_symp_3.22.24_dsc_6292.jpg?itok=t2xV0viZ×tamp=1711152039 "Jennifer Carew, PhD, welcomes Translational Medicine Symposium attendees and introduces opening keynote speaker Northwestern University’s Devalingam Mahalingam, MD, PhD, who spoke on oncolytic virotherapy.")
Led by host Dr. Jennifer Carew, the inaugural conference, March 22 in the HSIB Forum, occurs at time of renewed interest in translating basic science from laboratory investigations to practical diagnostics, therapies, procedures and policies to improve health care in clinical settings for all.
![[Kathryn Pulling, one of three graduating COM-T students who'll join the 2024-25 intern class for the Internal Medicine Residency Program - Tucson Campus, extends a fist skyward in celebration]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/card_10-24_0213_comt_match_day_2024-1064.jpg?itok=WRAF1VIC×tamp=1710895438 "Kathryn Pulling, one of three graduating COM-T students who'll join the 2024-25 intern class for the Internal Medicine Residency Program - Tucson Campus, extends a fist skyward in celebration.")
The Department found out who its 42 incoming interns for the Internal Medicine Residency Program will be and 108 College of Medicine – Tucson graduating medical students discovered where they’ll train as resident physicians, including Drs. Sai Parthasarathy and Indu Partha’s daughter. See the list and a mini-photo gallery.
![[Portrait of a man standing in a suit in front of the Arizona Arthritis Center sign.]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/kwoh_kent-md_01092024_klh3063-card.jpg?itok=0gCSIAQH×tamp=1710528916 "C. Kent Kwoh named American College of Rheumatology Master")
Presented with the Association of Rheumatology Professionals, the ACR/ARP Master Award is one of the highest honors the college bestows. It serves as a career achievement milestone for accomplished rheumatologists like Dr. Kwoh, who's been UArizona Arthritis Center director and Division of Rheumatology chief since 2013.
![[Zoe Diana Draelos, MD, 2024 Alumni of Year for UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson, College of Engineering]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/zoe_draelos-aoy_com-t_coe_gg5a03qbkaawghz_card.jpg?itok=divc_667×tamp=1710435337)
Dr. Zoe Diana Draelos, considered one of the most influential women in cosmetic science, was a member of the Class of 1983 and did her internship and residency training in dermatology at the College of Medicine – Tucson as well. She earned her UArizona engineering degree in 1979.
![[Video screenshot for “Expert Insights: Why Study Insulin Resistance?” by the UArizona Health Sciences]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/1x_widescreen/public/expert_insights_video_on_insulin_resistance_card.jpg?itok=6jNXZ7GH×tamp=1709057913 "Video screenshot for “Expert Insights: Why Study Insulin Resistance?” by the UArizona Health Sciences")
The diabetes researcher in the Division of Endocrinology and Center for Disparities in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism talks about the importance of studying insulin resistance to advance patient treatment in “Expert Insights” video featured in UArizona HealthSciences Connect newsletter.