DECEMBER 2024 NEWSLETTER
The newsletter of the Feinberg School of Medicine Research Office
 |
Addressing the Growing Need for Implementation Science |
|
Translating medical research findings from the research laboratory into patient care, otherwise known as from “bench to bedside,” is far more complex than it sounds, but is imperative to improve human health. While many research programs end there, implementation science takes things a step further by moving from the bedside into the community. |
 |
Feinberg Scientists Identified As ‘Highly Cited’ on 2024 Clarivate List |
|
Ten Feinberg faculty members were named to the 2024 “Highly Cited Researchers” list, published by Clarivate Analytics. The annual list identifies investigators who have demonstrated significant influence in their field through the publication of highly cited publications over the preceding eleven years. |
 |
Esteemed Molecular Biologist Named Winner of 2025 Kimberly Prize |
| Distinguished biochemist Ron Evans, PhD, professor and director of the Gene Expression Laboratory and March of Dimes Chair in Molecular and Developmental Biology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, has been named the winner of the annual $250,000 Kimberly Prize in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. |
Faculty ProfileInvestigating the Underlying Mechanisms of Acute Lung InjuryLuisa Morales-Nebreda, MD, ’17 GME, is an assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care. As physician-scientist, her laboratory employs advanced technologies and techniques to identify novel intercellular signaling pathways between resident immune cell subsets and the injured alveolar epithelial-endothelial barrier that promote tissue repair throughout the lifespan. |
|
Staff ProfileStreamlining Research Processes to Support InvestigatorsZoe Vanella is a manager of research administration in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Feinberg. In her role, Vanella empowers investigators with tools and guides to streamline research administration. |
|
Student ProfileAnalyzing Host Response in Severe PneumoniaNikolay Markov is a PhD candidate in the Driskill Graduate Program. Now, under the guidance of Alexander Misharin, MD, PhD, and Scott Budinger, MD, he uses his skills to glean insights from large medical datasets. |
|
Campus Events |
||||||||
|
Research in the NewsUS News & World Report, November 25 HealthDay, November 24 TIME, November 15 |
NUCATS CornerCommunity of Practice for Clinical Research Staff Hosting Launch EventA new Microsoft Teams community was formed to support clinical research staff and aims to promote educational opportunities and lectures provided by ACCR, the IRB Office, NUCATS Institute and others. Digital channel boards and a Q&A series are meant to provide greater community and conversation, as well as link to available tools and resources. Additionally, networking events will take place to support greater in-person connectivity and feedback. Please join here: Clinical Research Professional Community of Practice | General | Microsoft Teams The Community of Practice will also be hosting an informational launch and open house on Wednesday December 18, from 12 to 1 p.m., in Ryan Family Atrium, west lobby area of the Lurie Research Building. The Microsoft Teams forum will be on display for your feedback and ideas, and light snacks and refreshments will be served. We encourage you to utilize this in-person event to network with other staff coordinating clinical research throughout Northwestern. |
|
Sponsored ResearchRegulation of Germinal Center Homeostasis by the BAF Complex
|
|
Sponsored ResearchDesigning for Sustainability: Co-designing and Testing the Efficacy of a Web-based Toolkit to Improve Cancer-related Emotional Distress and Anxiety for Rural Older Cancer Survivors
|
|
Breakthroughs PodcastStudying Social Networks to Address Health Inequities with Michelle Birkett, PhDUnderstanding the systemic drivers of health disparities within marginalized populations is complex. In this episode, Birkett explains how she uses network and quantitative methodologies to study the health of marginalized populations, particularly sexual and gender minority youth. She also discusses her new center, the Center for Computational and Social Sciences in Health, and the importance of transdisciplinary research. |
|
New FacultyErtuğrul Özbudak, PhDErtuğrul Özbudak, PhD, joined Feinberg in February as Robert Laughlin Rea Professor of Anatomy and professor of Cell & Developmental Biology. He obtained his undergraduate degree in physics at Bogazici (i.e., Bosphorus) University in Istanbul. He then obtained his doctorate in physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During his PhD program, he investigated the underlying causes of stochastic gene expression, the functional roles of feedback loops in generating bistability (hysteresis), triggering symmetry breaking and establishing cell polarity. Later, he completed his postdoctoral studies in the labs of the late Julian Lewis and Olivier Pourquie. To support his studies, Özbudak received the Merck/MIT computational biology predoctoral fellowship, as well as the Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie and European Molecular Biology Organization postdoctoral fellowships. Most recently, he was selected as an Alfred P. Sloan Research Faculty Fellow. |
|
Galter LibraryExpansion of the Clinical Librarian ServiceAs of this fall, the Clinical Librarian Service (CLS) offers support via chat, text and email to all Feinberg clinicians, faculty, fellows, residents and students working in inpatient and outpatient settings. |
|
High Impact ResearchAbdrabou AM, Ahmed SU, Fan MJ, Duong BTV, Chen K, Lo PY, Mayes JM, Esmaeili F, GhavamiNejad A, Zargartalebi H, Atwal RS, Lin S, Angers S, Kelley SO. Identification of VISTA regulators in macrophages mediating cancer cell survival. Science Advances. November 2024; 10(48):eadq8122-eadq8122. Bailey JI, Puritz CH, Senkow KJ, Markov NS, Diaz E, Jonasson E, Yu Z, Swaminathan S, Lu Z, Fenske S, Grant RA, Abdala-Valencia H, Mylvaganam RJ, Ludwig A, Miller J, Cumming RI, Tighe RM, Gowdy KM, Kalhan R, Jain M, Bharat A, Kurihara C, San Jose Estepar R, San Jose Estepar R, Washko GR, Shilatifard A, Sznajder JI, Ridge KM, Budinger GRS, Braun R, Misharin AV, Sala MA. Profibrotic monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages are expanded in patients with persistent respiratory symptoms and radiographic abnormalities after COVID-19. Nature Immunology. November 2024; 25(11):2097-2109. Becker ME, Martin-Sancho L, Simons LM, McRaven MD, Chanda SK, Hultquist JF, Hope TJ. Live imaging of airway epithelium reveals that mucociliary clearance modulates SARS-CoV-2 spread. Nature Communications. November 2024; 15(1):9480-9480. Beidas RS, Linn KA, Boggs JM, Marcus SC, Hoskins K, Jager-Hyman S, Johnson C, Maye M, Quintana L, Wolk CB, Wright L, Pappas C, Beck A, Bedjeti K, Buttenheim AM, Daley MF, Elias M, Lyons J, Martin ML, McArdle B, Ritzwoller DP, Small DS, Williams NJ, Zhang S, Ahmedani BK. Implementation of a Secure Firearm Storage Program in Pediatric Primary Care: A Cluster Randomized Trial. JAMA Pediatrics. November 2024; 178(11):1104-1113. |
Featured CoreBiostatistics Collaboration CenterThe mission of the Stem Cell Core Facility is to enable scientists at Northwestern to conduct stem cell research, particularly with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Patient-specific iPSCs offer unprecedented opportunities to study human developmental processes and disease, using human stem cell-derived somatic cells under each person’s unique genetic constellation. They also represent a unique and very important source of cells for cell replacement therapy. The mission of the Biostatistics Collaboration Center (BCC) is to support Feinberg investigators in the conduct of high-quality, innovative health-related research by providing expertise in biostatistics, statistical programming, and data management. Services Provided
|
NIH NewsPreparing for 2025 Application and Review Changes – Tips and Resources As everyone prepares for application dates for January due dates and beyond, NIH issued a reminder that multiple changes affecting extramural applications and reviews are coming. These changes and resources include:
NIH All About Grants Podcast: Fellowships and What’s Changing The applications and peer review processes are changing for fellowship applications due on or after January 25, 2025. These changes aim to better focus reviewers on the fellowship candidate’s preparedness and potential, research training plan, and commitment to the candidate; clarify and simplify language in the application and review criteria to ensure a broader range of candidates and research training contexts; and emphasize commitment to the candidate without undue consideration of sponsor and institutional reputation to reduce potential bias during review. Listen to a recent episode of NIH’s All About Grants Podcast. |
Funding Opportunities
|
Thank You For ReadingWe welcome your feedback. Please share it with us via email. |
|
|
