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News

Congratulations to Karen Cyndari!

Karen was selected as a Tinsley Harrison Scholar for the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation.  The program provides Scholars with an opportunity to attend career development programming with division chiefs and leaders in academic medicine across subspecialties, present their original research, and be paired 1:1 with a mentor to help establish connections outside the scholar’s home institution. Background about Dr. Tinsley Harrison, editor of Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine.

Congratulations to Jon Day, MD!

Please join us in congratulating Jon Day who was recognized at the Education Center Outstanding Resident & Teacher of the Year Awards, 2023.  Jon received the Francois M. Abboud Award.  This award is presented annually to recognize and support a resident in the Department of Internal Medicine who has carried out the most meritorious research work during residency.  Jon is also an R38 StARR Scholar.  The Stimulating Access to Research during Residency (StARR) program is a 1-year opportunity dedicated to immersing residents in a research experience.​  Congrats, Jon!

Congratulations to Haley Pysick, MD!

Please join us in congratulating Haley Pysick who was recognized at the Education Center Outstanding Resident & Teacher of the Year Awards, 2023.  Haley received the Outstanding Junior Resident of the Year Award.  Haley is also an R38 StARR Scholar.  The Stimulating Access to Research during Residency (StARR) program is a 1-year opportunity dedicated to immersing residents in a research experience.  Congrats, Haley!

Congratulations to PSTP alumnus John Selby!

Please join us in congratulating John Selby, MD, PhD, (PSTP alumnus 2014) who was named as a recipient to one of the 2023 University of Iowa Physicians (UIP) Awards.  Dr. Selby is the winner of the UI Physician Award:  Best Consulting Provider.  This award is given to an individual in recognition of his or her outstanding consulting or specialized services to the inpatient and ambulatory surgery patients of UI Health Care.

Congratulations to PSTP alumni Lyndsay Harshman, MD, MS and Alejandro Pezzulo, MD!

Please join us in congratulating Lindsay and Alejandro who have been selected to the second cohort of Stead Family Scholars (July 2023). The goal of this program is to recognize and advance the development of outstanding early-career faculty who are becoming internationally recognized leaders in their respective fields of research. Alejandro (PSTP alumnus 2017) is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine-Pulmonary, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine.  Lindsay (PSTP alumna 2016) is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics-Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, and also serves as the Pediatric Residency Assistant Program Director for Research and an Assistant Program Director for the Physician Scientist Training Pathway.  Both were selected to present their research programs to the Steads at the Stead Family Scholars Symposium, October 19, 2023.

Congratulations to Rachel Genova!

Please join us in congratulating Rachel Genova who was the recipient of the 2023 Internal Medicine Resident of the Year 2023!  To watch the full ceremony, a recording of the live broadcast can be found on YouTube.  Congrats, Rachel!

Congratulations to PSTP Graduating Residents!

Please join us in congratulating John Smestead, Cory Wilson and Arya Zandvakili who were recognized at the 2023 Internal Medicine Graduation for Residents.  Congrats John, Cory, and Arya!

Congratulations to Nanmeng Yu!

Please join us in congratulating Nanmeng Yu on achieving FIRST PLACE for Best Poster by a Resident or Fellow. This distinction was part of the 54th Annual Department of Internal Medicine Research Day held October 20-21, 2020, virtually.

Nanmeng’s poster: “Understanding the role of soluble immune checkpoints in anti-tumor immunity” Congratulations!

University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine celebrates 150 years (1870-2020)!

Celebrating University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine's  Sesquicentennial: 1870-2020. The mission of University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine is to inspire and educate world-class health care providers and scientists for Iowa, the nation, and our global community. As part of University of Iowa Health Care-a comprehensive, integrated academic health system that includes University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and University of Iowa Physicians-the UI Carver College of Medicine is an integral part of  the UI Health Care mission: Changing Medicine. Changing Lives.

Congratulations to Steven Seyedin!

Congratulations to  Dr. Steve Seyedin (PSTP Radiation Oncology) on receiving the “Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award for Residents and Fellow Physicians". Other nominees for this award from the PSTP included: Cat Pinnaro, MD (PSTP Pediatrics) and Sarah Wernimont, MD, PhD (PSTP OB/GYN). Well done all!

Faisal Fect​o: Appointed as an Associate Editor, BMC Neurology

Congratulations to Dr. Faisal Fecto who has been appointed to the Editorial Board of the journal BMC Neurology as an Associate Editor. BMC Neurology is part of the BMC series of open access journals published by the Springer Nature group. BMC Neurology publishes articles on all aspects of the prevention, diagnosis and management of neurological disorders, as well as related molecular genetics, pathophysiology, and epidemiology. 

Faisal Fecto: Awarded the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Research Education Grant (R25)!

Congratulations to Dr. Faisal Fecto who has been awarded the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Research Education Grant (R25) for Residents and Fellows in Neurology to support his research during residency and beyond. This program integrates research into neurology residency to launch the careers of physician-scientists. Dr. Fecto is part of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Clinical Neuroscientist-Training Program and Physician Scientist Training Pathway, which provide structured pathways through integrated clinical and research training curricula.

Dr. Fecto's research focuses on exploring genetic etiologies, pathologic hallmarks and neuroimaging correlates of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that can be used to drive clinical trials to identify novel rational therapies.

Luis Vargas-Buonfiglio: Awarded a Minority Trainee Development Scholarship (MTDS)!

Join us in congratulating Dr. Luis Vargas-Buonfiglio who was awarded a Minority Trainee Development Scholarship (MTDS) from the American Thoracic Society (ATS). The MTDS is awarded to a select few candidates from underrepresented minority groups each year who show particular promise within the fields of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine and research. Dr. Vargas received travel support to attend the ATS 2018 International Conference in San Diego. Each MTDS recipient is also provided the opportunity to present their winning abstract at the conference.

Christine Cho:  Selected as Finalist for the 2017 Society for Leukocyte Biology (SLB) Presidential Award!

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Christine Cho who is a finalist for the 2017 Society for Leukocyte Biology (SLB) Presidential Award.  Three finalists are chosen each year in the junior faculty/postdoctoral scholars category and Dr. Christine Cho earned one of those top spots.  Dr. Cho is an Infectious Diseases fellow and a trainee in the Carver College’s Physician-Scientist Training Pathway.  She is also a member of Dr. Bill Nauseef’s lab.  Dr. Cho will deliver an oral presentation as well as present a poster at the 50th Annual Meeting of the SLB in early October in Vancouver, British Columbia.  Congratulations on this impressive achievement, Dr. Cho, and good luck in Vancouver!

Anthony (Tony) Fischer: NIH K08 Award!

Please join us in congratulating PSTP alumni Dr. Tony Fischer, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics - Division of Allergy, Immunology and Pulmonary, University of Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, on receiving his NIH K08 award, National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute, titled: "Initial Attachment of Bacteria to Mucus Strands in Cystic Fibrosis".  He is also a member of the Michael Welsh Laboratory.  Congratulations on this impressive award, Dr. Fischer!

Alberto Serrano Pozo: Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship Award!

Please join us in congratulating Alberto Serrano Pozo on receiving an Alzheimer's Association Clinical Fellowship (AACF), for his research titled: "How do support cells in the brain called astrocytes impact nerve cell function in Alzheimer's disease?". Dr. Serrano Pozo will use this 2-3 year, $175,000 award to pursue research into studying the transcription changes that occur in reactive astrocytes in Alzheimer's disease brains. The results of these studies could provide new information on the role of astrocytes in the healthy brain and in Alzheimer’s disease. This work could also shed new light on how plaques and tangles in the brain may influence the characteristics of astrocytes. Ultimately, this information could reveal new targets for the development of treatments that regulate astrocyte function to help slow or prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Congratulations on this impressive award, Dr. Serrano Pozo!

Georgina Aldridge and Johnson Zhang: NINDS R25 Funding!

We are proud to announce that Georgina Aldridge and Johnson Zhang competitively won NINDS R25 funding for their research projects during residency. This program integrates research into neurology residency to launch the careers of physician-scientists. Dr. Aldridge and Dr. Zhang are part of the University of Iowa Department of Neurology Clinical Neuroscientist-Training Program, which provides an integrated clinical and research training curriculum. Congratulations on this impressive achievement, Dr. Aldridge and Dr. Zhang!

Alejandro Pezzulo: Parker B. Francis Fellowship Award!

Dr. Alejandro Pezzulo, Fellow in Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, has won a prestigious Parker B. Francis (PBF) Fellowship in Pulmonary Research. Under the guidance of a formally identified mentor—in this case, Division Director Dr. Joeseph Zabner—Dr. Pezzulo will use this 3-year, $156,000 award to pursue research into the role of two enzymes, HDAC6 and HSP90, in airway goblet cell metaplasia and its resultant impact on cystic fibrosis. Congratulations on this impressive award, Dr. Pezzulo!

(Related: Dr. Pezzulo is a member of another research team that recently won one of four Convergence Seed Grants from the Pappajohn Biomedical Institute.)

Lyndsay Harshman: K23 Award!

Dr. Lyndsay Harshman, Associate of Pediatrics, Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, was awarded a K23 NIDDK of $146,145 for her research titled, "Cognitive Profiles and Neuroimaging Correlates in Mild to Moderate Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease". Congratulations on this impressive award, Dr. Harshman!

Sarah Holstein: R01 Award!

PSTP alumna Dr. Sarah Holstein, Associate Professor, Internal Medicine - Division of Oncology & Hematology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, was awarded an R01 NCI of $117,336 for her research titled, "RAB Geranylgeranylation, a Novel Therapeutic Target in Multiple Myeloma". Congratulations on this impressive award, Dr. Holstein!