Pictured above: Pulmonary faculty Drs. Joseph Thachuthara-George, Aline Zouk and Hitesh Batra demonstrate the ION equipment.
Hitesh Batra, M.D., MBA (Associate Professor, Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care) performed the first robotic-assisted bronchoscopy using the Ion™ system in the state of Alabama on August 25. This new technology from Intuitive enables minimally invasive biopsy procedures to diagnose lung cancer. The system features an ultra-thin, ultra-maneuverable catheter that allows more precise navigation inside the lung, as well as offering added stabilization for the physician performing the procedure. Congrats to the entire team for implementing this exciting advance in interventional pulmonology!
More Good News for September 17, 2021
Timmy Lee, M.D., (Professor, Nephrology) will serve as the next Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Medicine. He will be responsible for building a culture of curiosity in the department and growing high-impact research across all divisions. Please join us in wishing Dr. Lee great success in his new role.
Omer Jamy, M.D., (Assistant Professor, Hematology & Oncology) and colleagues were published in Cancer for their investigation of sociodemographic factors on early mortality in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). The study found that patients over 40 and those residing in rural areas face survival rate challenges, highlighting the importance of awareness, access to care and timely referrals.
Infectious Diseases faculty Jeanne Marrazzo, M.D, MPH, (Professor and Director) and Jodie Dionne-Odom, M.D., MSPH, (Associate Professor) published an editorial in JAMA discussing the recent USPSTF screening updates for chlamydia and gonorrhea. They address several unanswered questions and note the need for more diverse and inclusive clinical research to extend the evidence base in the future updates.
Sushant Bhatnagar, Ph.D., (Assistant Professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism) and Jake Chen, Ph.D., (Professor, Informatics Institute) will investigate secreted protein networks affecting human pancreatic islet function in type 2 diabetes by using public omic databases. They aim to improve knowledge and identify therapeutic targets in patients with the disease.
Nephrology post-docs Drs. Anne Ramsey and Megan Rhoads have been selected to receive funding from the Karen L. Campbell, Ph.D., Trainee Support Program for Fellows as part of the Annual Meeting at ASN Kidney Week 2021. During the event, the recipients will serve as co-mentors to a group of students or residents. Congratulations, to you both!
Sujan Ravi, MD, MPH, (Assistant Professor, Gastroenterology and Hepatology) has joined the faculty after completing his fellowship at UAB. His clinical and research interests include improving health care delivery systems for patients with chronic liver diseases. He aspires to develop programs for autoimmune and cholestatic liver diseases.
Next week at Medical Grand Rounds: Will Bynum, M.D., Associate Professor in Family Medicine and Community Health at Duke University, will share the ENRICH Week keynote presentation, “The Shame Conversation: Authentically engaging with the risk of shame in the health professions” at noon on Wednesday, September 22, via Zoom. The presentation will be recorded and shared the following week.