Having trouble viewing this email? View as Webpage
Breakthroughs, the newsletter of the Feinberg School of Medicine Research Office

MAY 2024 NEWSLETTER

The newsletter of the Feinberg School of Medicine Research Office

Leading Prostate Cancer Research for More than 20 Years

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men and is currently the second-leading cause of death in men in the U.S. About one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetimes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2023, an estimated 288,000 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed along with more than 34,700 related deaths, according to the National Cancer Institute.

These statistics can be staggering and reinforce the importance of the National Cancer Institute establishing seven Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) in prostate cancer across the U.S. beginning in 2001, one of which includes the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University’s Prostate Cancer SPORE.

Read this feature story

Trailblazing Biochemist Delivers Kimberly Prize Lecture

Influential biochemist Craig M. Crews, PhD, who pioneered the pharmaceutical field of targeted protein degradation, delivered the second Kimberly Prize in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Lecture to a full auditorium of Feinberg faculty, staff, fellows and students last month.

Read the full story

Faculty Profile

Improving Perinatal Health and Care for Sexual and Gender Minorities

Leiszle Lapping-Carr, PhD, ’19 GME, is an assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the Division of Psychology. Her clinical care and research focus on sexual and relationship health during the perinatal period. Her work uses mixed methods approaches to better understand the experiential aspects of the perinatal period, including mental health concerns, relationship functioning and sexual functioning  

Read more about her research

${image.getChild('description').value}

Staff Profile

Managing Software Applications that Support Research

Laura Wimbiscus, MS, is senior project manager and usability analyst for the Research Informatics Group (RIG) at Feinberg. She supports investigators by helping to manage critical research software scientists use to manage study participants, budgets and more.

Read more about her work

${image.getChild('description').value}

Student Profile

Transitioning Research to Address the Needs of the Pandemic

Ted Ling-Hu is a fifth-year PhD student in the Driskill Graduate Program. In the laboratory of Judd Hultquist, PhD, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, Ling-Hu utilizes informatics methods to assess the effects of viral mutations on disease severity and antiviral resistance. 

Learn more about his research

${image.getChild('description').value}

Campus Events

Thu
Aug 08

Assessment of Incivility During Surgical Mortality and Morbidity Conference - TIME Lecture Series - FAME

Online - 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Fri
Aug 09

Neurology Department Grand Rounds: Thomas Bleck, MD

Chicago - 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Fri
Aug 16

Pepper Center Rounds

No Location - 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Wed
Aug 21

Did My Learners Learn: Basic Inferential Statistics in Med Ed | FAME - Education Scholarship Session

Online - 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Research in the News

The New York Times, May 6
Are We Talking Too Much about Mental Health?
Jessica Schleider, PhD, was featured.

US News & World Report, April 30
When in Life Are People Most Lonely?
Eileen Graham, PhD, was featured.

NPR, April 21
New Guidelines Aim to Make Melatonin Safer for Kids
Nia Heard-Garris, MD, MBA, MSc, was featured.

Check out More Media Coverage

NUCATS Corner

NUCATS-IPHAM Public Health Seminar to Focus on Translating Research into Policy

As part of the Translational Applications in Public Health seminar series, Northwestern’s Office of Government Relations will discuss the current federal funding landscape for research agencies and how investigators can effectively position themselves to better engage with federal policymakers and to translate research findings and professional expertise into data-driven policymaking.

Jennifer Kunde and Caitlin Leach will present their online lecture from 12 to 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 30 via Zoom.

Register for the Zoom Event

${image.getChild('description').value}

Sponsored Research

Title: Linking In Vivo Hemodynamics with Outcomes in Type B Aortic Dissection Using 4D Flow MRI

  • PI: Bradley Allen, MD, MS, assistant professor of Radiology in the Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Imaging
  • Sponsor: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Read more about this project

Sponsored Research

Title: Microcircuits of the Subiculum and Epilepsy

  • PI: Gianmaria Maccaferri, MD, PhD, professor of Neuroscience
  • Sponsor: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Read more about this project

Breakthroughs Podcast

Driving Innovations in Biostatistics with Denise Scholtens, PhD

Feinberg is home to a team of premier faculty and staff biostatisticians who are a driving force of data analytic innovation and excellence. In this episode, Denise Scholtens, PhD, a leader in biostatistics, discusses the growing importance of the field of biostatistics and how she leverages her skills to collaborate on several projects.

Listen to the podcast episode

${image.getChild('description').value}

New Faculty

Patricia Robinson, MD, joined Feinberg in November as associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology and associate director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. She joined Northwestern from Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University where she was professor and associate dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. A medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer, Robinson’s clinical interests include the impact of metabolic syndrome on breast cancer outcomes, disparities in cancer treatment outcomes, health literacy, and participation in clinical trials.
${image.getChild('description').value}

Galter Library

Activate Your ORCID: Discover a Better Approach to Managing your Scholarly Identity

In the evolving landscape of academic research, ensuring your contributions are accurately attributed and easily discoverable is important. Enter ORCID iDs (Open Researcher and Contributor Identifiers), an important resource designed to streamline this process.

Read the Full Story

${image.getChild('description').value}

High Impact Research

Kim J, Bury MI, Kwon K, Yoo JY, Halstead NV, Shin HS, Li S, Won SM, Seo MH, Wu Y, Park DY, Kini M, Kwak JW, Madhvapathy SR, Ciatti JL, Lee JH, Kim S, Ryu H, Yamagishi K, Yoon HJ, Kwak SS, Kim B, Huang Y, Halliday LC, Cheng EY, Ameer GA, Sharma AK, Rogers JA. A wireless, implantable bioelectronic system for monitoring urinary bladder function following surgical recovery. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2024; 121(14):e2400868121-e2400868121.

Kosiborod MN, Petrie MC, Borlaug BA, Butler J, Davies MJ, Hovingh GK, Kitzman DW, Møller DV, Treppendahl MB, Verma S, Jensen TJ, Liisberg K, Lindegaard ML, Abhayaratna W, Ahmed FZ, Ben-Gal T, Chopra V, Ezekowitz JA, Fu M, Ito H, Lelonek M, Melenovský V, Merkely B, Núñez J, Perna E, Schou M, Senni M, Sharma K, van der Meer P, Von Lewinski D, Wolf D, Shah SJ. Semaglutide in Patients with Obesity-Related Heart Failure and Type 2 Diabetes. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2024; 390(15):1394-1407.

Li S, Lu D, Li S, Liu J, Xu Y, Yan Y, Rodriguez JZ, Bai H, Avila R, Kang S, Ni X, Luan H, Guo H, Bai W, Wu C, Zhou X, Hu Z, Pet MA, Hammill CW, MacEwan MR, Ray WZ, Huang Y, Rogers JA. Bioresorbable, wireless, passive sensors for continuous pH measurements and early detection of gastric leakage. Science Advances. 2024; 10(16):eadj0268-eadj0268.

Michelson KA, Rees CA, Florin TA, Bachur RG. Emergency Department Volume and Delayed Diagnosis of Serious Pediatric Conditions. JAMA Pediatrics. 2024; 178(4):362-368.

Review More Publications

Featured Core

Pathology Core Facility

The Pathology Core Facility (PCF) is a centralized, comprehensive, core laboratory providing histology, immunohistochemistry, molecular analysis and extraction and microscopic evaluation services for human tissue-based studies. PCF facilitates basic, translational and clinical research at Northwestern University, with laboratories in downtown Chicago.

Key services include:

  • Histology Lab
  • Tissue Microarray Technology
  • Immunohistochemistry Lab
  • Molecular Lab
  • Microscopy Lab
  • Biorepository

Get more information about PCF

NIH News

Announcing Revisions to the NIH Fellowship Review and Application Process

NIH announces the details of changes to the peer review process and applications forms for fellowship applications, to be implemented for applications submitted for due dates on or after January 25, 2025. The changes are intended to better focus reviewer attention on three key assessments: the candidate’s preparedness and potential, research training plan, and commitment to the candidate; ensure a broad range of candidates and research training contexts can be recognized as meritorious by clarifying and simplifying the language in the application and review criteria; and reduce bias in review by emphasizing the commitment to the candidate without undue consideration of sponsor and institutional reputation.

Increases for National Research Service Award Stipends and Childcare Subsidiaries

NIH announced stipend and childcare subsidy increases for the early career scholars on the NIH Kirschstein National Research Service Awards – this includes over 17,000 scholars. Stipends will be raised by four percent for predoctoral trainees and by eight percent for postdoctoral scholars in FY24. Additionally, the childcare subsidiary will be increased by an additional $500 (from $2500 to $3000) in FY24. Raising NRSA stipends and childcare are only two ways NIH has committed to fostering a strong and robust workforce. They will continue to assess policies and procedures to make improvements.

Read the Latest from NIH

Funding Opportunities

Discovery of Early Type 1 Diabetes Disease Processes in the Human Pancreas [HIRN Consortium on Beta Cell Death and Survival (CBDS)] (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

  • NIH, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
  • Deadline: July 9
  • Upper amount: Up to $550,000 per year, for a maximum project period of four years

Exploratory Grants in Cancer Control (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

  • Sponsor: NIH, National Cancer Institute (NCI)
  • Deadline: October 8
  • Upper amount: Up to $275,000 for a two-year period 

Confirmatory Efficacy Clinical Trials of Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Mental Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Required)

  • Sponsor: NIH, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
  • Deadline: October 15
  • Upper amount: Application budgets are not limited, but the maximum project period is five years

Thank You For Reading

We welcome your feedback. Please share it with us via email.

Breakthroughs, the newsletter of the Feinberg School of Medicine Research Office