VPCAT Scholars
VPCAT Scholars
Meet Our Scholars—Past and Present
Our scholars are at the heart of the VPCAT Research Scholars Program. Here we showcase both current and alumni VPCAT Scholars from all cohorts since the program’s inception. These scholars represent the foundation and continued success of VPCAT, demonstrating ongoing dedication to clinical and translational research during their time in the program and beyond. Use the accordion below to browse each cohort and learn more about the scholars who have helped shape, and continue to advance, the VPCAT community.
Emad Awad, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: emad.awad@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Utah, where I lead a research program focused on improving survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). With a PhD in Experimental Medicine from the University of British Columbia, my foundational work identified key predictors of OHCA survival through multiple peer-reviewed publications. My current research addresses a critical translational gap by developing artificial intelligence (AI) models that integrate physiologic markers, particularly end-tidal CO₂, with established clinical predictors such as presenting rhythm, defibrillation timing, and CPR quality. Using interpretable machine learning applied to large-scale Emergency Medical Services (EMS) datasets, I am creating clinical decision-support tools capable of real-time prediction of return of spontaneous circulation during active resuscitation. This work responds to an urgent clinical need: although OHCA remains a leading cause of death worldwide, clinicians lack sensitive, real-time physiologic guidance to optimize care during CPR. My long-term goal is to build a nationally recognized research program, advancing AI-driven decision support for cardiac arrest by developing accurate, interpretable models that can be embedded into EMS and emergency care workflows, ultimately improving survival outcomes.
Chen Chen, PhD, MSPH
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Cancer Population Science, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD
Email: chen.chen@hci.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences and Investigator at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah. I design and apply epidemiologic methods to understand how environmental hazards, such as air pollution and extreme heat, affect population health and equity in complex scenarios. Climate change is one example of a complex scenario, which affects the frequency, intensity, and distribution of many environmental hazards. Using modern causal inference and quasi-experimental methods, I incorporate new considerations raised by these changes. My research aims to provide clearly defined and as unbiased as possible epidemiologic estimates for these hazards, especially among under-studied and vulnerable subpopulations like rural communities. In the next few years, I will examine how individual and compounding environmental hazards influence cancer incidence and survivorship in the area we serve, aiming to provide evidence to improve cancer care continuum and reduce health disparities.
Matthew A. Christensen, MD, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Intermountain Health
VPCAT Mentor: Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Email: matt.christensen1@imail.org
I am an intensivist, biomedical informaticist, and Assistant Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Intermountain Medical Center. My research focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of clinical decision support systems to enable personalized critical care. Despite decades of research and high-quality trials, treatment for critical care syndromes, like sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome, remains mostly supportive and “one-size-fits-all,” and mortality remains high at 30-40%. While critical illness syndromes are well recognized, the patients and underlying pathobiology are highly variable. Trials of promising therapies may have failed not due to lack of effect, but because some patients may benefit while others may be harmed. Modern machine learning and artificial intelligence models can predict how individual patients will respond to treatments. However, there is an urgent need to understand how to deliver these models to the bedside. The goal of my work is to leverage human factors engineering and implementation science methods to understand how to use clinical decision support systems to accurately and safely deliver prediction models to the bedside to enable and evaluate personalized critical care.
Phrashiah Githinji, PhD, RD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Health & Kinesiology, College of Health, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lisa G. Aspinwall, PhD
Email: phrashiah.githinji@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health & Kinesiology at the University of Utah. My research focuses on improving cardiometabolic health by developing, implementing, and optimizing community-based lifestyle behavior interventions to prevent chronic disease. I am particularly interested in how digital health technologies such as mobile health applications, ecological momentary assessments, and wearable sensors can be leveraged to promote real-time, adaptive behavior change. My work bridges behavioral science and technology to create scalable, evidence-based programs that meet individuals where they are, especially in high-risk communities. I believe that by integrating continuous physiological and behavioral data, we can better understand daily influences on health behaviors and design more personalized and effective interventions. Currently, I am focusing my research on developing just-in-time adaptive interventions that use real-time data to prompt healthier dietary and physical activity decisions. My long-term goal is to build sustainable, community-informed digital health solutions that improve individual and population-level health outcomes.
Boyi Guo, PhD, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: boyi.guo@utah.edu
I'm an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at the University of Utah, where my research intersects Biostatistics, Computational Biology, and Population Health. Under the overarching goal of improving Precision Medicine, my lab develops computational tools to process, integrate, and analyze population-scale molecular and clinical datasets to uncover functional mechanisms that explain disease heterogeneity and predict individualized treatment effects. Most of our recent efforts have been focused on understanding how the dysregulation of cells leads to illness. Leveraging the state-of-the-art spatially resolved transcriptomics technologies, we identified cell populations susceptible to complex psychiatric disorders and localized their dysregulation in microcircuits and function regions of the brain. In the future, we plan to leverage growingly available population-scale molecular atlas to identify potential drug targets as well as how individuals react to different treatment regimes.
Laura A. Hallock, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The John and Marcia Price College of Engineering, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: laura.hallock@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, with courtesy appointments in the Kahlert School of Computing and the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and a Core Member of the Robotics Center at the University of Utah. I am the Principal Investigator of the Human–Robot Empowerment Lab (HRELab), where I work to improve independence after neurological injury by making rehabilitation more engaging and assistive devices easier to control. My current work comprises two projects that combine human–robot modeling and control frameworks with multiple sensing modalities (including ultrasound, surface electromyography, and motion capture), toward empowering individuals to freely engage with their environment, regardless of disability or impairment. First, I am working to improve post-stroke therapy outcomes by developing robot-mediated rehabilitation platforms for the upper limb that directly induce improved patterns of neuromotor engagement. Second, I am developing high-dimensional, biosensor-based control interfaces to grant tetraplegic users full volitional control of robot manipulators and other complex assistive devices, improving users’ quality of life and decreasing their reliance on caregivers.
Kevin G. Hicks, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology, College of Health, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Micah Drummond, PhD
Email: kevin.hicks@health.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology at the University of Utah. My research focuses on uncovering how human metabolism is regulated by direct enzyme–metabolite ligand interactions. Metabolites are not only biosynthetic precursors and cellular energy sources; they can function as regulatory molecules that directly modulate enzyme function and metabolic flux, yet the full scope of these regulatory interactions across human metabolism remains unknown. To address this gap, my lab develops innovative mass spectrometry-based metabolomics platforms, including MIDAS, to systematically map and characterize the enzyme–metabolite interactome. By revealing these regulatory networks, we aim to understand how metabolism adapts in health and becomes dysregulated in diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. This knowledge will deepen our understanding of metabolism and cellular physiology and open new avenues for therapeutic discovery, including allosteric drug development. Ultimately, our goal is to transform how we think about metabolic regulation and leverage these insights to improve human health.
Joshua A. Jacobs, PharmD, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julia E. Szymczak, PhD
Email: Joshua.Jacobs@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Medicine and a cardiovascular clinical pharmacist who uses health services research and pharmacoepidemiology to improve the quality and delivery of cardiovascular medication use. Across cardiovascular diseases, particularly heart failure, highly effective medications exist, yet many patients do not receive them consistently or equitably because care is fragmented, and the volume of clinical data can overwhelm clinicians. Navigating the healthcare system is also difficult for patients due to medical silos and limited support for medication optimization. I leverage large-scale datasets to identify patterns of suboptimal treatment, understand contextual barriers to optimal care, and evaluate strategies to improve medication use. My overarching goal is to create practical, scalable, data-driven solutions that break down these barriers and optimize medication therapy for cardiovascular disease at the population level. Ultimately, I aim to reduce the burden of care delivery by making high-quality cardiovascular treatment easier for clinicians to provide and easier for patients to receive, so patients with cardiovascular disease can live longer, healthier lives.
Jacqueline M. Kent-Marvick, PhD, RN, BSN
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Division of Health Systems & Science Across the Lifespan, College of Nursing, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Michael H. Andreae, MD, PhD, MSc
Email: jacqueline.kent-marvick@nurs.utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing, focused on improving women’s long-term cardiometabolic health. Women who experience pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes face a 7-to-10-fold greater risk for type 2 diabetes, yet most do not receive recommended follow-up care. This gap is especially pronounced in rural communities like the one where I grew up. My research uses community-engaged, mixed-methods approaches to understand women’s real-world barriers to prevention care. Building on my doctoral work in cardiometabolic risk communication and my postdoctoral training in implementation science and health policy, I am focused on developing interventions that integrate patient-facing education with provider-facing clinical decision support in the electronic health record. Next, I am preparing a K23 application to pilot-test an EHR-integrated, dual-facing intervention that improves postpartum cardiometabolic follow-up and long-term disease prevention.
Tae K. Lee, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Communication, College of Humanities, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lee Ellington, PhD
Email: tae.lee@utah.edu
I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Utah and a Member of the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. My research focuses on how message features, individuals’ values, and political ideology shape responses to health messages, with the goal of improving public health communication and support for prevention policies. Over my career, I have developed a program of research demonstrating how health messages can enhance the effectiveness of health communication. I am now expanding this work by integrating artificial intelligence tools to design and test adaptive, theory-driven messages that reach diverse populations more effectively. Through this research, I aim to develop communication strategies that promote cancer prevention and health behavior change.
Terrence T. Liu, MD, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julia E. Szymczak, PhD
Email: Terrence.Liu@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine. As a primary care clinician and health services researcher, I focus on how patients and providers use digital health technologies in primary care. Having started my medical training at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I saw firsthand how nimbly health systems pivoted to digital health tools, such as telehealth and patient portal-based communication; however, I also saw the pitfalls of hasty implementation, such as inadequate training for both patients and providers on how to optimally use these technologies. While such technologies hold great promise for enhancing access to care, inappropriate use may lead to unintended consequences such as wasted healthcare resources, primary care workforce burnout, and patient harm from medical errors. These experiences motivated me to better understand and improve how patients and healthcare teams use different digital health tools for managing common conditions in the primary care clinic. My current work examines the impact of telehealth on quality of care and investigates the role of portal-based communication between patients and providers in the management of chronic diseases. My research aims to develop evidence-based strategies that help patients and care teams use digital tools more effectively—improving health outcomes while strengthening the primary care workforce.
James L. Merle, PhD, MA, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Health System Innovation & Research, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jaclyn M. Winter, PhD
Email: james.merle@utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences. My scope of research is to develop and apply innovative implementation tools and methods to support researchers and service systems with the goal of increasing the rigor of implementation research while balancing pragmatism and user-centeredness. I have contributed to the implementation of evidence-based interventions over a range of programs and service sectors, including mental and behavioral health in schools and clinics, HIV prevention and linkage to care, genetic testing and counseling, family-based healthy weight interventions, cancer patient-reported outcomes, and job interviewing skills. Despite the development of evidence-based interventions to prevent and control health problems, there is a significant gap in the translation of this research into practice. Many research discoveries take over a decade to reach their intended populations, and many more never become routine practice. This has led to the establishment of implementation science, which seeks to reduce the translational gap; however, the field of implementation lags in terms of methodological rigor, transparency, and reproducibility. Therefore, throughout my academic research career, I hope to make significant contributions to a) implementation research methodology by studying ways to identify mechanisms of change that underlie the effects of implementation strategies across various socio-ecological contexts and b) implementation practice by collaborating with community interest-holders and applying implementation models, theories, and frameworks to enhance implementation, reduce health disparities, and ultimately improve population health.
Judy Y. Ou, PhD, MPH
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lisa G. Aspinwall, PhD
Email: judy.ou@hci.utah.edu
I am a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and an Investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah. My research investigates how environmental carcinogens influence cancer risk in people with genetic cancer-predisposing syndromes. These conditions can increase their lifetime cancer risk to nearly 100%, often leading to diagnoses before age 50. People with cancer predisposing syndromes are deeply concerned about their exposure to environmental carcinogens, yet the lack of research on this topic leaves them without clear guidance. To address this gap, I design epidemiologic studies that integrate advanced computational methods to uncover links between exposure to environmental carcinogens, diet, lifestyle, and cancer development. This research is becoming increasingly important because climate change is intensifying public exposure to carcinogens through rising air pollution, wildfires, and contamination of water and soil. My long-term goal is to translate these findings into personalized screening protocols and educational resources that empower patients, prevent cancer, and improve quality of life.
Alyssa R. Palmer, PhD, MA
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, College of Social & Behavioral Science, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: David W. Wetter, PhD, MS
Email: alyssa.palmer@psych.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and a trained clinical psychologist. My research focuses on identifying mechanisms of risk and resilience for early childhood mental health in the context of poverty. Early childhood is a rapid period of development when children are particularly sensitive to environmental experiences. Indeed, early experiences of poverty and housing instability can have widespread and long-lasting detrimental effects on almost all aspects of child development. My goal is to develop tools and methods that leverage rigorous, unbiased, and with-in person statistical methods to identify which young children are at risk for mental health challenges due to exposure to economic adversity. I additionally aim to implement and assess family and system-level interventions that reduce risk and promote mental health for these young children and their families. Through this work, I hope to address systemic mental health disparities with strength-based and community-engaged research approaches that can have scalable and lasting change.
Vanessa P. Patterson, PhD, MPH
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jaclyn M. Winter, PhD
Email: vanessa.patterson@pharm.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacotherapy and an Associate Member of the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. My research focuses on the intersection of cancer and cardiovascular disease, two of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. While these disease states frequently overlap, the ways in which they co-occur and evolve over time remain an understudied area of research. As cancer treatments continue to improve, and more patients are living longer, they are doing so with increased vulnerability to heart disease that may not be fully explained by the individual effects of cardiotoxic cancer therapy, poor management of chronic conditions, or disruptions to healthy routines. Using real-world data, I study combinations of risks to better understand how things like care teams, treatment patterns, patient characteristics, and other contextual factors interact to shape long-term cardiovascular outcomes for survivors. I am particularly interested in breast cancer as well as pediatric and young adult survivors, who may face complex care trajectories that challenge both coordination of care and risk monitoring. My goal is to generate evidence that helps clinicians make safer, more tailored treatment decisions for cancer survivors.
Jeanna T. Ryan, PhD, MPAS, MSCIS, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Physician Assistant Education & Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: David K. Turok, MD, MPH, FACOG
Email: jeanna.ryan@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Division of Physician Assistant Education and Sciences at the University of Utah, a Physician Assistant, and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a background in computer information systems (health informatics). My research focuses on the dynamic relationships between metabolic, reproductive, and sleep health to advance personalized care and wellness. In the U.S., overweight and obesity affect nearly three in four adults, fertility rates are at historic lows, and more than one-third of adults report insufficient sleep. Metabolic, reproductive, and sleep health are interconnected, and disruption in one may impact the others, increasing risks for chronic diseases, infertility, and suboptimal quality of life. Yet, current care and research models often treat these domains in isolation. I prioritize using data sources that offer scalable, real-world insights while minimizing disruption to participants’ daily lives, such as existing datasets, electronic health records, and user-friendly wearables and medical devices. The goal of my work is to apply informatics and technology and foster cross-sector collaboration to integrate these fields, enabling innovative, personalized strategies that reflect individual variability and improve long-term health outcomes.
Jessica E.S. Shay, MD, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Micah Drummond, PhD
Email: jessica.shay@hsc.utah.edu
I am a physician-scientist and Assistant Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at the University of Utah, where my research focuses on how modifiable metabolic pathways influence hepatocyte identity, regenerative capacity, and early malignant transformation. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) affects 40% of adults worldwide, yet we still lack a clear understanding of how sustained nutrient overload disrupts the cellular programs that maintain liver health. My work addresses this gap by examining how long-term metabolic stress reprograms hepatocytes at transcriptional, metabolic, and functional levels in ways that impair regeneration and initiate early cancer-promoting changes. Using advanced mouse models, lineage tracing, multi-omic profiling, and human biospecimens, I aim to identify the pathways and decision points that determine whether hepatocytes restore normal function or progress toward maladaptive, pre-malignant states. Although my studies leverage MASLD as a model system, the mechanisms uncovered are likely shared across diverse forms of chronic liver disease. My long-term goal is to translate these insights into strategies that enhance liver regeneration and prevent progression to hepatocellular carcinoma.
Jason M. Tanner, MD, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, FACS
Email: jason.tanner@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and an emergency physician-scientist working to improve outcomes for patients with acute ischemic stroke. My research focuses on how early mitochondrial dysfunction drives brain injury during acute ischemic stroke and on identifying endogenous mechanisms that may help protect vulnerable, yet still viable, tissue. I am particularly interested in a stress-response pathway that supports mitochondrial stability and cellular survival during the earliest phases of ischemia. By integrating experimental animal models of stroke with complementary cell-based systems and molecular assays, my work seeks to determine whether this pathway can be leveraged to reduce injury and promote early neurological recovery. These insights have the potential to expand therapeutic options and augment current reperfusion strategies, and offer new approaches for patients who currently have limited treatments available. My long-term goal is to build a translational research program that brings molecular discoveries into the time-sensitive environment of emergency care. Ultimately, I aim to strengthen the scientific foundation of emergency medicine and contribute to new strategies that improve the care and outcomes of acutely ill and injured patients.
Yasmine N. White, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Email: yasmine.white@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Utah and a fellowship-trained neonatologist. My research is focused on developing novel therapies for neonatal-specific diseases such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia-pulmonary hypertension. Most medications given to neonates were developed for adult indications and then extrapolated to neonates. Many medications are used “off-label.” My goal is to use large animal models of neonatal disease and computational pharmacology to test the efficacy of novel therapies for neonatal diseases and derive optimal dosing for early-phase clinical trials.
Melissa A. Wright, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Mollie R. Cummins, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI
Email: melissa.a.wright@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology. I specialize in autoimmune neurologic conditions affecting pediatric and young adult patients. My research interest is patient-centered interventions and their real-world implementation, with a specific objective to improve the transition of healthcare practices from pediatric to adult care for patients with autoimmune neurologic conditions, including demyelinating diseases. Young patients with relapsing demyelinating diseases are at high risk for cumulative neurologic disability. However, in an era of highly efficacious treatments, even patients with early disease onset may have minimal neurologic impairment with consistent treatment. Disease modifying therapy use is lower in adolescents and young adults, but there currently is a gap in understanding whether these lower rates relate to access, adherence, or other barriers to treatments essential to preventing disease progression, and importantly, how these barriers may be addressed. My research aims to explore barriers and facilitators to consistent disease modifying therapy use in this age group. The goal of my work is to develop targeted interventions to overcome specific barriers and improve the use of and adherence to disease modifying therapies in adolescents and young adults.
Yitong Xin, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, College of Social Work, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: David W. Wetter, PhD, MS
Email: yitong.xin@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work and a licensed social worker trained in EMDR therapy. My research focuses on psychedelic-assisted interventions and their role in mental health and substance use treatment, with an emphasis on trauma, harm reduction, and resilience. My commitment to this work has been shaped by more than a decade of clinical and research experience supporting individuals affected by trauma, substance use challenges, and treatment resistance. I study psychedelic-assisted interventions to better understand how these approaches may benefit individuals who have not responded to traditional treatments. My research aims to answer three core questions: who benefits most, what mechanisms drive meaningful and lasting change, and how these findings can inform safe, ethical, and equitable clinical practice. As psychedelic research continues to progress rapidly, important gaps remain in understanding long-term outcomes, clinical implementation, and access. My long-term goal is to build a research program that informs responsible and evidence-based integration of psychedelic therapies into mental health systems, particularly for communities with limited access to effective treatment.
Bijina Balakrishnan, PhD
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: Bijina.Balakrishnan@hsc.utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics at the University of Utah. My research is dedicated to investigating the molecular pathogenesis of rare metabolic disorders, with a particular focus on PGM1-CDG, a Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation (CDG) to identify the targets for novel therapeutic development. Currently, my primary project explores the pathophysiology of cardiac and skeletal muscle defects in PGM1-CDG, with the goal of translating these findings into innovative therapies that improve patient outcomes. Heart failure and myopathy affects over 20% of individuals with CDG, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Despite its severity, the mechanisms linking glycosylation defects to cardiac and skeletal muscle pathology remain poorly understood, and existing treatments are limited to supportive care. This underscores the urgent need for research into targeted therapies that address the root biochemical abnormalities and mitigate their impact on heart and muscle function. My goal is to establish effective, life-changing treatments through a combination of bench-to-bedside translational research and collaborations with clinicians, patient advocacy groups, and industry partners. As an aspiring leader in this field, I am committed to advancing our understanding of CDG-associated heart failure while contributing to therapies that transform the care of rare metabolic disorders.
Allison M. Bock, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology & Hematologic Malignancies, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: allison.bock@hci.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine and Division of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies at the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute. I specialize in treating patients with lymphoid malignancies and chronic lymphoid leukemias. My research focuses on improving outcomes for patients with lymphomas, especially those with aggressive B-cell lymphomas that can be a difficult to treat patient population. My current work focuses on improving outcomes for patients with lymphomas through the development of clinical trials with novel treatment strategies and outcome studies evaluating real-world and diverse patient populations, prognostic/predictive biomarkers and biological pathways and mechanisms that lead to therapy resistance. I am also interested in the design of clinical trials to maximize patient inclusion and access.
Teresa E. DeAtley, PhD, MPH
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Public Health, Department of Family & Preventive Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lee Ellington, PhD
Email: tess.deatley@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Division of Public Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. I am a social and behavioral scientist with expertise in measuring and addressing the impact of social determinants of health, primarily at the structural level, through a health equity lens. My research focuses on how governmental or organizational policies can reduce or heighten health disparities, especially for marginalized groups. While policies are essential for developing public health interventions and programs, they can also lead to unintended consequences, such as delays in care or barriers to adopting positive health behaviors. My goal is to expand my background in behavioral science with implementation science strategies and community engagement approaches to advance the use of equitable health policies in dissemination and implementation research. I aim to produce research that expands the use of evidence-based practices and health-promotion behaviors that support health equity for all communities.
Daniel A. Ermann, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology and Hematological Malignancies, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, FACS
Email: Daniel.Ermann@hci.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor and Clinical Investigator in the Division of Hematology/Hematologic Malignancies, specializing in patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). CLL is the most common form of leukemia in the western world currently affecting over 200,000 Americans nationally. Over the last 10 years there has been tremendous progress in the management and treatment of CLL, and currently this is managed with oral targeted therapies that can provide prolonged progression free intervals. My clinical research focuses on implementing new targeted therapies for patients with CLL, evaluating novel treatment combinations, and developing supportive clinical trials for the complications of CLL. I am also focused on outcomes research evaluating and improving on current standards-of-care across the spectrum of CLL management. My goal is to design and implement a new clinical trial evaluating a novel combination of therapies in CLL which may ultimately lead to a new standard of care treatment in CLL.
Danielle J. Green, MD, MSCI
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: David K. Turok, MD, MPH, FACOG
Email: Danielle.Green@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor and Clinical Investigator in the Division of Hematology/Hematologic Malignancies, specializing in patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). CLL is the most common form of leukemia in the western world currently affecting over 200,000 Americans nationally. Over the last 10 years there has been tremendous progress in the management and treatment of CLL, and currently this is managed with oral targeted therapies that can provide prolonged progression free intervals. My clinical research focuses on implementing new targeted therapies for patients with CLL, evaluating novel treatment combinations, and developing supportive clinical trials for the complications of CLL. I am also focused on outcomes research evaluating and improving on current standards-of-care across the spectrum of CLL management. My goal is to design and implement a new clinical trial evaluating a novel combination of therapies in CLL which may ultimately lead to a new standard of care treatment in CLL.
Tiffany F. Ho, MD, MPH, FAAFP
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Family & Community Medicine, Department of Family & Preventive Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Mollie R. Cummins, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI
Email: Tiffany.Ho@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor (Clinical Track) in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine Division of Family and Community Medicine and a board-certified Family Physician. My clinical practice spans all ages - from pregnant individuals and newborns to older adults - with a special focus on LGBTQ+ care (including gender-affirming care), reproductive health, and mental health. In my research, I address the significant healthcare disparities faced by transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals, many of which stem from systemic barriers like inadequate insurance coverage and other social determinants of health. These disparities lead to inconsistent access to quality, affirming care across the lifespan.
To tackle these challenges, I plan to use a community-based participatory research approach to conduct a mixed-methods study. This approach will not only quantify the health issues affecting TGD individuals at various stages of life, but also amplify their voices to drive meaningful changes in comprehensive, affirming care.
Melissa Ilardo, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jaclyn M. Winter, PhD
Email: melissa.ilardo@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics. My research asks, what if we celebrate what makes people unique and resilient, instead of what makes them ill? Human populations have inhabited nearly all of Earth's climates, adopting survival strategies that range from desert foraging to deep-sea diving. An extraordinary array of adaptation has arisen from these environments and lifestyles, resulting in physiological advantages. My research combines genetics and physiology to study evolutionary adaptation in these superhuman populations. By understanding and replicating their biology, we can leverage the power of natural selection to improve the wellness of all.
Catalina Jaramillo, MD, MSCI
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: Catalina.Jaramillo@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. I work as a pediatric transplant hepatologist caring for children with liver disease and liver transplant recipients. My research interest is in cholestatic liver diseases. My current focus is on the study of the familiality and natural history of Alagille Syndrome. This is an autosomal dominant inherited genetic condition which affects multiple organs leading to significant morbidity and mortality. My goal is to identify possibly affected family members of known Alagille Syndrome patients using the Utah Population Database. This approach has not been previously used in the study of Alagille Syndrome. Ultimately this will provide feasibility for future studies that may lead to new paradigms of diagnosis and prevention.
Claire E.F. Miller, MD, MSCS
Title: Research Instructor, Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lee Ellington, PhD
Email: claire.miller@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in Pediatric Hematology Oncology; I care for children diagnosed with leukemias and lymphomas as well as survivors of childhood cancers.
Cure rates for childhood cancers exceed 85% and as the population of survivors grows, it is important to study late effects of therapy. My research focuses on neurocognitive outcomes in survivors, an important outcome to study since dysfunction negatively impacts children's school performance, occupational attainment, and quality of life. Poverty is one risk factor for neurocognitive dysfunction that may exert effects by increasing parental stress and changing parenting behaviors. My research will examine associations between poverty, the experience of parental distress, parenting behaviors, and neurocognitive outcomes. In the future I will plan interventions to teach parenting behaviors that support neurocognitive development in young children diagnosed with cancer.
Eric T. Monson, MD, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Email: eric.monson@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor and researcher in child and adolescent psychiatry and pediatrics. My research focuses on the intersection of psychological trauma and suicide in youth. This issue is critical due to suicide being a leading cause of death in youth, is predicted with accuracy little better than chance, and is strongly associated with prior psychological trauma. Suicide is difficult to predict because of complex environmental and genetic interactions. A unique resource, the Utah Suicide Mortality Risk Study, allows me to leverage my combined skills in pediatric psychiatry, computational tools, and genetics to comprehensively evaluate youth exposed to trauma who died from suicide. This allows a significant reduction in complexity to identify risk factors. I am starting initial work to improve identification of youth with prior trauma exposure via natural language processing approaches to identify psychological trauma broadly within this population. These steps, followed by subsequent clinical and genetic analyses, will benefit from a career development award I will be applying for in 2025.
Jennifer M. Mundt, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Public Health, Department of Family & Preventive Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lisa G. Aspinwall, PhD
Email: jennifer.mundt@utah.edu
I am a sleep psychologist and a new faculty member (Associate Professor) in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. My research focuses on developing behavioral sleep interventions, with a particular interest in hypersomnia disorders and parasomnias. These disorders have been comparatively neglected in behavioral research, and my long-term goal is to establish evidence for novel treatments that can improve management of these disorders. My current projects include a randomized controlled trial treating narcolepsy-related nightmares and a pilot study treating nightmares in REM sleep behavior disorder. I am also examining the psychosocial impact of hypersomnia disorders on family members and the ways in which family members contribute to the management of these disorders. The overarching goal of my research is to leverage behavioral interventions to improve quality of life for patients (and their families) affected by sleep disorders.
Diana E. Naranjo, PhD, MPH
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD
Email: Diana.Naranjo@hsc.utah.edu
I am a Health Services Researcher and Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology at the Department of Internal Medicine within the University of Utah School of Medicine. My research aims to improve civilian, service member, and Veteran population health through implementation of data-driven practices and policies in neurotrauma and occupational/environmental exposures. My experience conducting health services research across a variety of clinical domains in large and complex systems of care has led to my use of mixed methodology (i.e., integration of quantitative and qualitative data), systems, and implementation science principles to understand and leverage drivers of decision-making in health care. Towards this end, my research also focuses on identifying factors at various tiers—patient, provider, and organization—that influence implementation and adoption of practices and interventions that generate improved and equitable brain health outcomes. As a first-generation American and scholar, I am especially passionate about leading research investigations that are representative of diverse perspectives and advance equity for all irrespective of education, geographic origin, and/or social class.
Jessica M. Page, MD, MSCI
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: jessica.page@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Intermountain Health with a primary research focus on stillbirth. My work focuses on improvement in stillbirth care and stillbirth prevention through improved understanding of causes and risk stratification. One of the major targets for improvement in stillbirth care is counseling regarding and performance of fetal autopsy. Despite being one of the highest yield tests for finding a cause of death, fetal autopsies are performed in a minority of cases, with only 20% of stillbirths in the U.S. having this done. This suboptimal evaluation leads to many cases being unexplained, impeding understanding of causes and improved risk stratification. My research aims to improve optimal stillbirth evaluation and identify individuals at increased risk of stillbirth in order to facilitate effective interventions to reduce the stillbirth rate.
Jennifer L. Pierce, PhD, CCC-SLP
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD
Email: jenny.pierce@hsc.utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Utah and a clinically certified speech-language pathologist. My research is focused on neurogenic voice disorders. In the voice disorder laryngeal dystonia, the current standard treatment is Botox injections. However, Botox does not typically improve the voice to normal, and it has to be repeated every 3-4 months indefinitely. I am interested in central and peripheral nervous system function in response to Botox treatment in
order to determine where dysfunction remains in the neural pathway during maximum benefit from Botox. I use a combination of tools to investigate nervous system and voice function. The goal of my work is to identify neural locations of dysfunction to inform future novel treatments to ultimately improve quality of life in these patients and related populations.
Erika M. Pliner, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The John and Marcia Price College of Engineering, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Michael H. Andreae, MD, PhD, MSc
Email: erika.pliner@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah and the Director of the Neuroergonomics & Occupational Biomechanics Laboratory. My research applies core competencies in biomechanics, ergonomics, and neuroscience to improve personal and occupational safety in high-stakes situations. High-stakes situations are circumstances where an error can lead to severe injury or fatality, such as a falling event. To tackle these problems, my team characterizes the individual, environmental, and interfacing factors of the situation. My unique set of expertise enables my team to investigate complex interfacing biomechanical and neural factors of safe and effective activity. This yields comprehensive knowledge that we leverage towards high efficacy safety interventions.
Aaron C. Shoskes, DO
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Vascular Neurology, Department of Neurology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: David K. Turok, MD, MPH, FACOG
Email: aaron.shoskes@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Neurology in the division of Vascular Neurology. My clinical experience caring for patients with stroke has led me to my area of research interest, which focuses on mechanisms and potential biomarkers of increased stroke and thrombosis risk among patients with cancer. Patients with cancer have an increased risk of development of ischemic stroke compared to the general population, and cancer-associated stroke is associated with worsened functional status and decreased life expectancy among patients with cancer. Presently, despite the increased risk of stroke in this population, mechanisms driving this risk remain poorly understood and there are no specific guidelines for stroke prevention in this population. In light of this, my research aims to elucidate biomarkers of increased stroke risk among patients with new diagnoses of cancer with the ultimate goal of tailoring early primary prevention strategies in these patients to prevent the development of stroke.
Gideon A. Stitt, PharmD, MS
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Michael H. Andreae, MD, PhD, MSc
Email: gideon.stitt@hsc.utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Utah. My research focuses on improving drug dosing in critically ill children, particularly those requiring continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Approximately 40% of children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) present with acute kidney injury (AKI). Sepsis is a leading cause of AKI in PICU patients, and need for dialysis is independently associated with increased mortality in this population (OR 9.7, p = 0.0049). The high mortality is suspected to be, in part, suboptimal drug exposure due to significantly altered antimicrobial disposition by the CRRT circuit. The majority of drugs prescribed to children on CRRT lack dosing information specific to this population. My goal is to improve upon current strategies for more efficiently deriving optimal drug dosing in these children, and ultimately to implement model-informed precision dosing methods that lead to rapid and repeatable achievement of the optimal drug exposure.
Chia Jie Tan, PhD, BCOP
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: David W. Wetter, PhD, MS
Email: chiajie.tan@utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacotherapy at the College of Pharmacy and my work centers on health economics and outcomes research, primarily in oncology. Currently, the value of novel cancer therapeutics is largely assessed based on the average clinical benefit estimated at the population level and often fail to adequately consider whether patients from diverse backgrounds have equal, timely access or derive optimal benefits from these treatments. One of my key research interests is to enhance existing value assessment methods, such as cost-effectiveness analyses, by incorporating considerations of how the health benefits and opportunity costs of novel cancer therapeutics are distributed across different patient subgroups. Additionally, I am interested in exploring whether patients from marginalized and underserved communities perceive the benefits and risks of these therapies differently compared to the general population using patient preference methods. Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that the value assessment of novel cancer therapeutics reflects the needs and perspectives of all patients, regardless of their background.
Megan C. Thomas Hebdon, PhD, DNP, RN, NP-c
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Health Systems & Community-Based Care, College of Nursing, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: meg.hebdon@utah.edu
I am a dual-doctorally prepared nurse scientist with advanced practice nursing experience in chronic illness management and lived experience as a ‘sandwich family caregiver’. My research addresses the intersections of early and middle adulthood; family caregiving in cancer, dementia, and childhood chronic illness; employment; and financial, physical, and emotional well-being through large datasets, qualitative approaches, and multi-level interventions. I am particularly interested in gendered and racialized power differentials with these experiences and the impact of health policies, such as paid family leave, on the well-being of family caregivers. With my research, I hope to inform health policy and clinical and community practice that will better support family caregivers in their homes, workplaces, and communities.
Alistair A. Thorpe, PhD
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Division of Health System Innovation & Research, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Mollie R. Cummins, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI
Email: alistair.thorpe@hsc.utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences. As an experimental psychologist, my research investigates why people may find some health decisions difficult and why some communication methods do not work as intended. From these insights, I develop and test strategies for making health information meaningful and memorable.
These topics are important for optimizing healthcare service delivery and improving patient outcomes because, despite advances in treatments and preventative services, people continue to face complex and stressful health decisions. My work aims to help people maximize the benefits of these advances and avoid the harms associated with healthcare underutilization (e.g., statin therapy for cardiovascular disease) and overutilization (e.g., antibiotics for viral infections).
Through this research, I hope to create and implement evidence-based strategies for sharing health information that resonate with intended audiences, respond promptly to novel health threats, and accurately reflect evolving clinical evidence.
Peilu Zhang, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Health System Innovation & Research, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, FACS
Email: peilu.zhang@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at the School of Medicine. My research field is behavioral economics. My research seeks to gain insights into human behavior, uncover underlying motivations, and create innovative ‘nudges’ to facilitate better decision-making and enhance overall well-being, through conducting both lab and field experiments with human participants. I am specifically interested in health-related behavior. Health outcomes are influenced by more than just medications or treatments; numerous behavioral factors involving patients, clinicians, and their interactions play a critical role. The application of behavioral economics in health research remains underexplored. As the sole behavioral economist in the School of Medicine, my goal is to lead the advancement of this field by applying behavioral economics principles to health studies. This includes understanding individual preferences in healthcare contexts, uncovering motivations behind health-related decision-making and behaviors, and designing interventions or nudges to improve both health outcomes and the effectiveness of clinical trials.
Ann M. Bruno, MD, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: Ann.Bruno@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and a Women’s Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) scholar in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. My research focuses on the prevention of obstetric venous thromboembolism, which is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Pregnant and postpartum individuals are at an elevated risk for venous thromboembolism resulting from venous stasis, an increase in prothrombotic factors, and individual and clinical factors (e.g., obesity, cesarean delivery, infection). The first two weeks postpartum are a particularly high-risk period but there are not evidence-based interventions to prevent thromboembolism in this patient population. My research aims to study interventions, such as pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis, that may be used to prevent thromboembolism, and understand the feasibility of a large-scale trial to directly measure efficacy and safety of interventions in the future. Long-term, a reduction in obstetric venous thromboembolism will translate to a reduction in maternal mortality.
Jonathan J. Chipman, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Mollie R. Cummins, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI
Email: jonathan.chipman@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Biostatistics in the Department of Population Health Sciences at the University of Utah, and I am a member of the Cancer Biostatistics Shared Resource at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. I develop clinical trial designs that leverage patient characteristics to increase the efficiency of a trial. The time for a drug to go from bench to bedside can take over 10 years, and there is an urgent need to identify efficacious interventions more quickly. Underpowered trials waste patient and financial resources. Adjusting for covariates in the randomization scheme and analysis is a robust and low-hanging approach to address this problem. For precision medicine trial designs, adjusting for covariates in randomization strengthens the ability to detect treatment effects among responsive population subgroups. My work aims to develop study design methods that increase the speed of identifying and delivering optimal population health interventions.
Catherine G. Derington, PharmD, MS
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Cardiology, University of Colorado Anschutz
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: catherine.derington@cuanschutz.edu
I am a clinical pharmacist and Research Assistant Professor in Cardiology at the University of Colorado Anschutz. I have experience working in several pharmacy settings, including retail pharmacy, inpatient care, and outpatient clinics. Although medications are the main method of treating most diseases, our fractured and siloed health system makes it difficult to effectively manage chronic disease with medications, causing unnecessary health events, costs, disparities in care. To this end, my research is focused on optimizing medication use for patients with chronic diseases, particularly hypertension and dyslipidemia, which are the leading causes of heart disease and death nationally and globally. With my team, I seek to challenge the status quo by identifying and testing creative solutions to improve medication use behaviors from multiple perspectives: prescribing and monitoring through clinicians, dispensing at pharmacies, and taking by patients. It is my hope that improving these behaviors will streamline care, leading to greater disease control across populations.
Margaret A. French, PhD, DPT
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training, College of Health, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: maggie.french@utah.edu
I am a physical therapist and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training in the College of Health at the University of Utah. My research focuses on improving the value of rehabilitation after stroke through understanding person- and system-level variability. Stroke is a leading source of healthcare spending and disability in the United States, creating an urgent need to achieve better outcomes in a more cost-effective manner. To achieve this goal, I partner with bioinformaticists, clinical teams, and data scientists to leverage large real-world data to understand sources of heterogeneity in functional outcomes and healthcare utilization after stroke. Through my work, I aim to change the way rehabilitation is delivered after stroke so that individuals obtain better functional outcomes more efficiently.
Natalia S. Harasymowicz, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD
Email: natalia.harasymowicz@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics and a member of Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah College of Health. My research interests focus on understanding the role inflammation plays in the progression of chronic diseases, including obesity, aging, and osteoarthritis(OA). OA is a family of diseases characterized by the degradation of articular cartilage, alterations in bone structure, inflammation, and fibrosis, and over 27 million people are estimated to suffer from OA in the US. One of the main risk factors for developing OA is obesity. However, the precise molecular and cellular events regulating the OA and obesity interactions remain unknown. My laboratory studies the role of immune cells in the progression of OA by utilizing novel molecular biology techniques such as next-generation sequencing and flow cytometry. We aim to target specific subpopulations of macrophages to understand their contribution to joint development, progression of OA, and obesity. My long-term goal is to apply the knowledge gained in my research to develop novel therapeutic targets to combat those diseases.
Zachary H. Hopkins, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: Zach.Hopkins@hsc.utah.edu
I am a dermatologist and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Utah. During my first year as faculty, I completed a one-year fellowship in complex medical and autoimmune dermatology. My primary clinical and research interest is providing patient-centered care to patients with autoimmune skin disease. My research focuses on improving the care of these patients by integrating high-quality patient-reported outcomes. These conditions are highly morbid and our primary goal in dermatology often revolves around improving these patients’ quality of life. To this need we must be able to measure, understand, and communicate our patient’s experience in meaningful ways. Patient-reported outcomes provide a powerful way to understand this experience in a measurable fashion. Despite the apparent need and their well-documented benefits to patient care, patient-reported outcomes are infrequently used in dermatology practice. My goal is to validate and develop patient-reported outcomes in these unique patient populations that can effectively support patient-centered care and accurately represent our patient’s lived experience. By better understanding our patients experience clinicians can better customize care and workflow to meet the unique needs of each patient and improve physician-patient communication.
Rana Jawish, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: rana.jawish@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine. My clinical interest is in improving women’s mental health and expanding access to mental health care for pregnant women with substance use and mood disorder. My research focus is to advance innovative neuromodulation modalities including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for the treatment of perinatal substance use and mood disorder. My specific focus is to develop a breakthrough treatment to address the ongoing epidemic of methamphetamine use disorder and to improve morbidity and mortality in pregnant women with methamphetamine use disorder and mood disorder. I am interested in identifying existing barriers and factors that are facing this underserved, vulnerable, understudied patient population.
Cali E. Johnson, MD, EdD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Email: Cali.Johnson@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Vascular Surgery at the University of Utah, and the Co-Director of the Aortic Program. My research focuses on patient-centered outcomes and shared decision-making in Vascular Surgery. I am particularly interested in frail, older patients with multiple comorbidities, and how perceptions of quality of life influence shared decision-making to pursue endovascular vs open surgical interventions. Patients often present to vascular surgeons with a medical problem that they want fixed, regardless of whether symptoms are affecting daily function, or if addressing the problem will alter their overall life-expectancy. Focusing on quality of life shifts the conversation from the technical aspects of surgical interventions to a more patient-centered approach, enabling surgeons to target what matters most to patients. My research seek to understand health-related quality of life measures are most important for older patients with carotid artery atherosclerotic disease, how different surgical approaches impact quality of life, and how we can support communication between patients, their caregivers, and surgeons. My current research aims investigate whether patient-reported outcome measures can relay relevant health-related quality of life information to inform surgical decision-making.
Dusti R. Jones, PhD, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Cancer Population Science, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lisa G. Aspinwall, PhD
Email: dusti.jones@hci.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Science at the University of Utah and the Center for Health Outcomes and Population Equity at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. My work also explores momentary experiences of emotion, stress physiology, and health behaviors, with the goal of intervening in real-world, real-time context to help people from historically marginalized populations achieve their health behavior goals. However, challenges exist in understanding the best moment to deploy interventions, what types of interventions should be deployed, and how a person’s current emotion and stress levels may influence whether an intervention will be successful. Using my background and training in mHealth and advanced statistical analyses, my work addresses these issues by which types of emotions may facilitate engagement with health behavior goals and resilience against stress among historically marginalized populations, and by using randomized control trials for ecological momentary interventions to determine when and what types of interventions should be deployed to best help people achieve their goals. Through this research, I hope to promote health behavior change and stress reduction among those most vulnerable to experiencing health inequities.
Alysse M. Loomis, PhD, LCSW
Title: Associate Professor, College of Social Work, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: David W. Wetter, PhD, MS
Email: alysse.loomis@utah.edu
I am an Associate Professor in the College of Social Work and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. My research focuses on developing and evaluating trauma-informed early childhood systems to promote well-being for young children who have experienced adversity and trauma. Trauma-informed approaches often include supports for providers, such as training, as well as targeted interventions for trauma-exposed children. As research has mounted highlighting the detrimental influence of childhood trauma on young children’s outcomes, trauma-informed approaches are increasingly embedded within schools, without a rigorous empirical base illuminating best practices or measurable outcomes for children. My current research focuses on trauma-informed preschools, namely whether and how trauma-informed approaches influence teacher and child well-being. I specifically focus on outcomes related to teachers’ trauma-informed attitudes and emotional regulation, student-teacher relationships, and children’s behavior and expulsion risk. My future research is focused on developing and testing tools to measure observational trauma-informed teaching practices in preschool settings, which will support more rigorous evaluations of trauma-informed school approaches.
John F. Pearson, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Stanford University
VPCAT Mentor: Katherine A. Sward, PhD, RN
Email: jfpearmd@stanford.edu
As a geographer turned physician, I actively harness big data and advanced geospatial analytics to dissect the dynamic interplay between health and environment. I am ambitiously driving towards becoming an NIH-funded authority in exploring the impacts of air pollution, wildfires, and neighborhood dynamics on surgical processes and outcomes. Specializing in sophisticated statistical and geospatial methodologies, I adeptly apply these two big data electronic health record registries. My collaborations with leading climate and geospatial scientists empowers my team to intricately model environmental hazards, enabling us to rigorously investigate their effects on post-surgical complications and patient recovery. I am for my research to not only shape environmental policy but also inform surgical scheduling, health systems planning, and pave the way for precise interventions based on geographic factors. These efforts are crucial in enhancing patient outcomes, particularly for vulnerable groups, amidst escalating climate challenges.
Nicole L. Pershing, MD, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jaclyn M. Winter, PhD
Email: nicole.pershing@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Utah. My research focuses on identifying determinants contributing to invasive bacterial infections in children. Young children are at higher risk for invasive bacterial infections leading to need for hospitalization, lifelong morbidity, and even death. Bacteria are ubiquitous in the world around us and within our own body, but comparatively rarely cause serious disease. E. coli is pioneering member of the healthy human gut microbiota in infants and remains present throughout life. E. coli invasive virulence is modulated by interactions with the immune system and bacterial viruses, or bacteriophages. I am investigating how E. coli bacteriophages alter inflammatory responses and bacterial invasiveness in inflammatory bowel disease and necrotizing enterocolitis, a devastating disease of preterm infants. The goal of my work is to leverage the interplay between bacteria, bacteriophages, and the immune system to design novel diagnostic, preventative and therapeutic strategies.
Abigail Pulsipher, PhD
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: David W. Wetter, PhD, MS
Email: abigail.pulsipher@utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Departments of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and Molecular Pharmaceutics and a Core Member of the Utah Center for Nanomedicine. I am committed to addressing critical gaps in the pathological understanding, evaluation, and management of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) through new approaches to identify novel biomarkers, optimize therapeutics and therapeutic delivery systems, and personalize clinical care. My lab focuses on developing and evaluating disease models, therapeutics, and diagnostic solutions for CRS by applying integrated omics to define molecular endotypes, map spatio-temporal inflammatory profiles, and identify predictive and prognostic biomarkers of clinical outcomes in CRS.
Rachna B. Reddy, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, College of Social & Behavioral Science, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Ingrid E. Nygaard, MD, MS
Email: R.Reddy@anthro.utah.edu
I am a field primatologist, biological anthropologist and an Assistant Professor of anthropology and environmental and sustainability studies at the University of Utah. I am also a research associate in human evolutionary biology at Harvard University. My research centers on understanding how social relationships contribute to health and well-being across the lifespan. My current focus is adolescence. Adolescence is a vulnerable period for developing lasting mental health problems. It is also a pivotal moment for learning how to build relationships that improve health. There is consequently a need to fundamentally understand adolescence as a unique period in human development. I aim to improve this understanding through comparative research on the handful of other species who also experience this multi-year life stage between pubertal onset and adulthood. These species include the primary subjects of my ongoing, longitudinal field research which occurs in Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo: our closest living relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos.
Naomi O. Riches, PhD, MSPH
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Division of General Obstetrics & Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Katherine A. Sward, PhD, RN
Email: naomi.riches@hsc.utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. My research focuses on identifying the social and environmental conditions that contribute to stillbirth using big data analytics. Stillbirth is a devastating event that impacts around 20k families each year in the US, with significant racial disparities. While many of the medical and genetic risk factors have been well established, nearly a third of stillbirths in the US do not receive an identifiable cause. The goal of my work is to ascertain which co-existing social and environmental factors are associated with fetal death and whether there are crucial exposure windows throughout pregnancy. Identifying modifiable factors, especially among those at highest risk, may lead to interventions to reduce the incidence of stillbirth.
Natalie A. Silverton, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Ingrid E. Nygaard, MD, MS
Email: natalie.silverton@hsc.utah.edu
I am a cardiac anesthesiologist in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Utah and my research is focused on noninvasive kidney hypoxia monitoring in cardiac surgery. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in cardiac surgery that is associated with significant increases in morbidity, mortality, and hospital costs. The pathophysiology of AKI is multifactorial but the common pathway is thought to be hypoxia from poor perfusion. Currently there are no therapies for AKI once the injury has occurred and the mainstay of treatment is prevention. Current methods, however, are not diagnostic until hours to days after injury has occurred. We are working on a large animal model to directly compare noninvasive surrogates of kidney hypoxia such as urine oxygen concentration and cutaneous near-infrared spectroscopy to invasive kidney oxygen measurements. We hope to establish the validity of these noninvasive surrogates and then to create intervention protocols based on what we have learned in order to reduce kidney hypoxia. If we can develop a real-time monitor of kidney hypoxia, we may be able to prevent AKI thus improving outcome.
Peter A. Taber, PhD
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lisa G. Aspinwall, PhD
Email: peter.taber@hsc.utah.edu
I am an anthropologist and clinical informaticist in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at the University of Utah. My work uses qualitative and ethnographic methods to understand the social dimensions of technology use in clinical settings. I am specifically interested in the ethical, legal, and social complexities of genomic medicine implementation. Implementation strategies that address disparities in genomic medicine access need both nuanced understandings of the context of low-resource healthcare settings and populations experiencing disparities, and significant stakeholder participation in the design of highly technical genomic medicine programs. My goal is to develop strategies grounded in ethnography and human centered design to develop a rich understanding of study contexts and stakeholder perspectives; facilitate stakeholder-driven design processes; ensure program feasibility; and improve stakeholder buy-in in genomic medicine implementations.
Casey R. Tak, MD, MPH
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: casey.tak@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacotherapy in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Utah. My research is focused on improving access to substance use treatment for pregnant and postpartum individuals with substance use disorders, particularly in rural communities. My current line of work aims to understand the experiences and preferences of perinatal individuals with medications for opioids use disorder. Postpartum represents the highest risk for return to use and overdose among perinatal individuals. By identifying treatment preferences and learning about individuals’ experiences with medications, we can gain a greater understanding of what constitutes optimal patient-centered treatment approaches. My approach will be to conduct one-on-one interviews as well as administer a discrete choice experiment with perinatal individuals who use opioids.
Victoria L. Tiase, PhD, RN-BC
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, FACS
Email: victoria.tiase@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at the University of Utah School of Medicine with over 25 years of experience as a nursing informatics leader, researcher, and clinician focused on applied clinical informatics. I have committed my career to pioneering new models of care that integrate data, technology, and other innovative digital health solutions to create nursing workload efficiencies and influence policy. Nurse burnout is persistent in the U.S. with nurses reporting concerns over their work environment, particularly those working in primary care and community clinics in underserved settings. Increased workload is reported as the main contributor. Although nurse burnout has been studied for decades, little has changed in the organization of clinical care, and the measurement of nursing workload is not well understood. My research is focused on obtaining a broad understanding of nursing workload through the application of electronic health record (EHR) data and data science. I will extend an existing untapped data source, EHR audit logs, to nursing activities and will create a model to quantitatively measure workload influencers. The goal of my work is to test scalable interventions that mitigate nurse burnout, improve nurse wellness, reduce costs, and ultimately, reduce health disparities.
Yizhen Xu, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jaclyn M. Winter, PhD
Email: yizhen.xu@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population Health Sciences at the University of Utah. I am interested in developing novel statistical machine learning and causal inference methods for evidence-based diagnosis of critical events. My current research focuses on learning the biomarker-disease dynamics of the Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Early manifestations of AD can initiate a decade or more before noticeable symptoms, causing irreversible brain structure changes by the time of clinical diagnosis. It is therefore imperative that we develop better ways to detect AD in its infancy to facilitate early interventions. However, AD pathophysiology is not directly measurable and highly heterogeneous, and current clinical diagnostic biomarkers are susceptible to error during the early stages of the disease. My approach assesses AD biomarkers using latent variable models to account for the unobservable disease process, and aims to integrate information from multiple studies by addressing the different but overlapping observation windows of the pathophysiological process.
Michelle J. Yang, MD, MSCI
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: michelle.yang@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Neonatology at the University of Utah and Intermountain Health. My research interest lies in the design and conduct of neonatal clinical trials with a focus on cardiopulmonary clinical pharmacology. My goal is to define neonatal pharmacometrics of commonly used cardiopulmonary medications, particularly for neonates with pulmonary hypertension. Especially within the first month of life, these infants are at an elevated risk of morbidity and mortality. However, the evidence on medications used to treat such disorders is often extrapolated from adult and older pediatric literature. Such extrapolation can lead to ineffective treatment with higher toxicity in this vulnerable patient population. By combining clinical pharmacology and pathophysiology to design, lead and analyze clinical trials, I aim to identify optimal therapeutic regiments for acute neonatal cardiopulmonary disorders.
Afua O. Asare, OD, PhD, MPH, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: afua.asare@utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Utah. My research focuses on improving vision health and health inequities in young children through the development and implementation of evidence-based health interventions at the point of care. Despite recommendations for routine vision screening to prevent vision loss in children, only 41% of children under 6 years get vision tests in America. Only 26% of children identified with vision impairment in their screening are referred to eye care. Vision impairment in children can negatively impact learning and may be permanent with delayed treatment for amblyopia. Limited guidance on evidence-based screening techniques and the appropriate timing of referrals to eyecare providers have been cited as significant challenges in primary care practice. My goal is to develop and implement a clinical decision support tool for primary care providers to improve access to vision screening and eye exams for children. The evidence-based tool, which would incorporate key patient factors such as social determinants of health, insurance type, and medical history, would enable primary care providers to make informed decisions on providing vision screening tests and referrals to eye care providers.
Stephan G. Bodkin, PhD, ATC
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training, College of Health, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: stephan.bodkin@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training at the University of Utah. My research interests are twofold: 1) to improve clinical decision making to return patients to activity safely and effectively following common orthopedic injuries, and 2) to investigate the underlying physiologic contributors to skeletal muscle dysfunction. Following traumatic joint injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament injuries, we observe impairments within the surrounding skeletal muscle that persists for years following the injury. These functional impairments contribute to declines in force production, aberrant movement patterns, and accelerated osteoarthritic symptoms. My current research line is aimed to assess changes in the skeletal muscle biology that occurs following an injury that may play a role in long-term patient outcomes. These investigations are designed to lead to clinical interventions, both exercise and dietary in nature, to restore muscle function and keep individuals active.
Katharine R. Clapham, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD
Email: katharine.clapham@hsc.utah.edu
I am a cardiologist and pulmonary hypertension specialist. I am interested in learning about common and rare genetic variants that contribute to cardiovascular disease. I plan to utilize large-scale biobanks to identify genetic variants that increase the risk for disease in order to better phenotype individuals and understand molecular mechanisms.
Dekker C. Deacon, MD, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: dekker.deacon@hsc.utah.edu
I am a practicing dermatologist and human genetics researcher at the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute. My research focuses on the characterization of rare melanocyte and melanoma subtypes, and the genetic changes that occur in these melanomas as they progress. Treatment options and prognosis for advanced stage melanomas have improved dramatically in the last decade with the advent of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). However, these advances are not equally applicable to all forms of melanoma. Acral lentiginous melanoma, which disproportionately affects persons with skin of color, is less responsive to ICB than other subtypes. On the other hand, lentigo maligna melanoma is generally responsive to ICB, but often presents with early-stage disease that precludes the use of ICB and results in morbid surgeries on the face. My laboratory employs the use of clinical specimens across this spectrum of disease to determine what genetic and transcriptional variation drives melanoma progression and treatment response. The ultimate goal of my research is to employ precision medicine to better match treatments with the specific risk of an individual melanoma.
Shreya Goel, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: shreya.goel@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics and a member of the Huntsman Cancer Institute Experimental Therapeutics Program and the University of Utah’s 3i Initiative. My research focuses on the development of novel and noninvasive molecular and functional imaging methods for quantitative visualization of disease progression and treatment response. I am particularly interested in developing and implementing safe imaging tools for pediatric neurological and muscular malignancies and disorders. Current clinical imaging modalities such as PET, CT, and MRI involve the use of ionizing radiation, potentially toxic contrast agents, and the need for sedation that precludes their frequent application in pediatric settings. My translational projects aim to harness the rapid advances in the field of optoacoustic imaging that combines light and ultrasound for the measurement of endogenous hemoglobin to evaluate hypoxia and vascularity at high spatiotemporal resolution. I plan to develop precise imaging biomarkers for noninvasive, longitudinal, and multiparametric assessment of chemoradiation therapy response and resistance in preclinical models of pediatric cancers. My long-term goal is to translate these technologies to the clinic such that pediatric patients who continue to respond can receive personalized treatment, while those who acquire resistance can be spared from toxic and ineffective therapies.
Whitney K. Hendrickson-Cahill, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Urogynecology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Katherine A. Sward, PhD, RN
Email: whitney.hendrickson@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Urogynecology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Utah. I am also one of the K12 Women’s Reproductive Health Research Scholars within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. My research focuses on urgency urinary incontinence and using more modern statistical approaches to efficiently utilize data as well as develop clinical tools to help clinicians and patients make more personalized informed treatment decisions. Urgency incontinence impacts more than 30% of women older than 30 and more than 50% of women aged 65 and older. Treatment outcomes for urgency incontinence have typically been focused on a single predictive value, reduction of leakage episodes, and the understanding that when symptoms return a new treatment should be considered. However, urgency incontinence is a dynamic chronic disease and thus my current work focuses on understanding how symptoms fluctuate after treatment, and how to classify patients into different treatment response categories. As a part of this work, I am also interested in specifically understanding how the aging process and dementia play into treatment response. The goal of this work is to be able to better guide patients in selecting a treatment that will lead to improvement and assist in determining when to pivot or add additional therapy.
Michael A. Incze, MD, MSEd
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Email: michael.incze@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Associate Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Utah where I practice primary care and addiction medicine. My research focuses on improving care transitions for patients with opioid use disorder. Events such as hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and involvement with the criminal justice system increasingly represent opportunities for patients to start medication-based treatment for opioid use disorder with buprenorphine, methadone, or extended-release naltrexone. Once initiated, it is incumbent to maintain treatment access across care settings; however, patients with opioid use disorder must often navigate geographic, insurance-related, ideological, and practical barriers without support, which may inhibit a successful transition to aftercare. I use principles of community-based research and implementation science to characterize barriers to successful care transitions and study multidisciplinary interventions that can enhance longitudinal support for patients across treatment settings, improving linkage to outpatient care, retention in treatment, and patient experience.
Zachary J. Kastenberg, MD, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Email: zachary.kastenberg@hsc.utah.edu
I am a pediatric surgeon, a health services researcher, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Utah. My clinical focus is childhood liver disease and my research is aimed at improving the efficiency with which we diagnose and manage biliary atresia – the leading cause of liver failure in children. Current diagnostic strategies frequently lead to identifying children late in the course of disease, often necessitating liver transplantation. My goal is to define population-based screening strategies that enable early diagnosis and that are cost-effective on a large scale. Our goal is to encourage large, diverse health systems to implement cost-effective screening programs for biliary atresia and to improve the timeliness of diagnosis and, ultimately, the long-term health outcomes for this vulnerable population.
Elizabeth M. Keating, MD, MSPH
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Ingrid E. Nygaard, MD, MS
Email: elizabeth.keating@hsc.utah.edu
I am a Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Global Health physician-scientist at the University of Utah. My research interest is in using implementation science methods to improve outcomes for pediatric injured patients in resource-denied settings. This is relevant because more than 95% of the 1900 daily pediatric injury deaths occur in resource-denied settings, with children in sub-Saharan Africa disproportionately affected. In sub-Saharan Africa, pediatric morbidity and mortality could be minimized if children with serious injuries received timely quality care. My preliminary research in Tanzania showed many delays in reaching definitive care for pediatric injured patients. Thus, my approach is to develop and pilot a locally-relevant, multicomponent intervention to streamline the triage process (e.g., patient assessment, stabilization, and disposition) for pediatric injury patients in Tanzania. This health systems intervention will work at the first level of medical contact in order to facilitate timely disposition and referrals and subsequently decrease the time to definitive care. My research agenda has the potential to improve outcomes for injured children in sub-Saharan Africa.
Eamonn Kennedy, PhD, MSc, BSc
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, FACS
Email: eamonn.kennedy@utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology at the University of Utah. My training and experiences as a Biophysicist led to the guiding the principle of my research; we live in a world increasingly driven by data, but traditional models are no longer adequate for the task of distilling information in insightful and useful ways. In clinical research, this gap between data collection and data-driven action continues to grow. It is particularly evident in areas where evidence is sparse, changeable, or heterogenous, such as for long COVID or when examining the chronic effects of traumatic brain injury – two areas where I am an active researcher. To address this, my current interests include machine learning for health and next-generation data harmonization and phenotyping pipelines applied to large Veteran cohorts who experience high rates of complex physical and mental health comorbidity. I also currently work on multimodal studies that combine innovations in benchtop experiments, ecological momentary assessment, and computational tools that together can allow us to reframe intractable problems in health sciences by synthesizing data insights from multiple sources.
Rebecca G. Kim, MD, MAS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lisa G. Aspinwall, PhD
Email: rebecca.g.kim@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, and a health sciences researcher working to address health disparities in chronic liver disease. It is known that fatty liver disease, the most common chronic liver disease, disproportionately affects vulnerable populations including non-White racial/ethnic groups and individuals with lower income and education levels. Risk factors for fatty liver disease, like diabetes, obesity, and substance use, affect these vulnerable populations as a result of social determinants of health (SDoH), or the conditions in which someone works and lives and their education, income, and healthcare access due to societal structures and policies. To understand and address SDoH for this population, it is critical to screen for these social factors in the clinical setting and trend them over time. To accomplish this, I aim to implement a feasible, acceptable, and sustainable screening approach in hepatology clinics affiliated with University of Utah Health. Ultimately, once screening for SDoH is an established part of clinical care, with the use of community engagement and mixed methods research, I aim to develop and implement interventions to decrease the burden of social factors and improve fatty liver disease related outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Makoto Kondo, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: makoto.kondo@utah.edu
My research is focused on early interventions for post-traumatic osteoarthritis (OA). OA is a debilitating musculoskeletal disease that causes significant societal and economic burdens in the United States. Post-traumatic OA occurs after a traumatic joint injury and often results in articular cartilage defects that are difficult to repair and a gold standard regenerative treatment algorithm has not been established. Cell therapies for cartilage have thus far been limited to autologous cell sourcing with inseparable quality control issues due to limited cell sourcing ultimately inhibiting scalability and widespread clinical adoption. My research focus is to restore cartilage integrity through a translational, cell-based therapy approach; scaffold-free, human juvenile cartilage-derived chondrocyte sheets. My overarching goal is to be a national leader in the development and dissemination of ‘sustainable’ cell-based regenerative medicine using scalable, affordable allogeneic cell sources for a reasonable target patient population.
Polina V. Kukhareva, PhD, MPH
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: David W. Wetter, PhD, MS
Email: polina.kukhareva@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Informatics at the University of Utah. My mission is to increase effectiveness, usability, and safety of health information technologies through research and evaluation. This is relevant because patients and clinicians are surrounded by increasing number of computer and phone applications. Many of these applications are poorly evaluated and might cause inefficiencies, confusion, burnout, and even patient harm. My unique approach to improving evaluation of such apps is through use of real-world data, including electronic health record (EHR) data. I want to change industry standards for the evaluation of health information technology. Currently, I lead an evaluation program for interoperable EHR-based applications.
Guillaume Lamotte, MD, MSc
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Sleep & Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Ingrid E. Nygaard, MD, MS
Email: guillaume.lamotte@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Utah and I care for people with movement disorders and autonomic disorders. My research focuses on finding new treatments for autonomic nervous system dysfunction in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease. A common manifestation of autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease is orthostatic hypotension. It causes considerable limitations and impairment in the quality of life and its presence in Parkinson’s disease is clinically meaningful in that it is associated with more rapid disease progression, shorter survival time, dementia, falls, hospitalization, and institutionalization. Available therapeutic options for Parkinson’s disease related orthostatic hypotension are limited and there is an urgent need for novel therapies. My goal is to implement innovative pharmacological and non-pharmacological (e.g., exercise) treatment strategies to treat neurogenic orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson’s disease.
Feea R. Leifker, PhD, MPH
Title: Research Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, College of Social & Behavioral Science, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: David W. Wetter, PhD, MS
Email: Fleifker@sa.utah.edu
I am a Research Associate Professor and Licensed Clinical Psychologist in the Department of Psychology and the Co-Director of the Behavioral Health Innovation and Dissemination Center at the University of Utah. I am broadly interested in the bidirectional relationship between mental health conditions and intimate relationship functioning, particularly among high-risk conditions such as PTSD and suicide. I have a growing focus on the development and dissemination of couple-based treatments for these conditions. In the case of many mental health conditions, relationship functioning can be negatively impacted for both partners, yet conversely supportive relationships can be highly protective or ameliorative. While not all individuals with mental health conditions are coupled, many are, and, for these people, couple-based interventions can be particularly powerful because they can confer additional benefits beyond individual psychotherapies. I have begun developing a couple-based suicide intervention, and my goal is to test the efficacy and effectiveness of that intervention and more broadly facilitate the dissemination and implementation of couple-based interventions throughout Utah.
Spencer W. Liebel, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Neurology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Mollie R. Cummins, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI
Email: spencer.liebel@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor and Clinical Neuropsychologist in the Department of Neurology at the University of Utah, a Research Health Scientist at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, and Team Neuropsychologist for Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer. My program of research utilizes cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques, neurocognitive assessments, and psychiatric symptoms evaluations to answer critical questions regarding concussion diagnosis, prognosis, recovery, and treatment. Concussion is recognized by the sports medicine community, United States military, and society at large as a major public health concern, and there is significant risk for these injures in virtually all sports at all competitive levels and in all branches of the armed forces. Yet, despite increased scientific and public awareness and significant advances in concussion research and clinical care over the last 20 years, sensitive and specific indicators of risk and recovery and effective treatment of the brain injury remain elusive. Thus, my research goals are to simultaneously develop novel biophysical signatures of brain health and treatments of brain injury in athletes and military service members with concussion in order to ameliorate myriad post-concussion negative consequences.
Shervin Rahimpour, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Adult Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: shervin.rahimpour@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the department of Neurosurgery at the University of Utah and Director of the Functional Neurosurgery Program. My clinical practice focuses on the surgical management of epilepsy, movement disorders, and pain. My research interests involve the use of invasive neuromonitoring to better understand how neurodegenerative disorders effect brain function in terms of brain activity and oscillations and how neuromodulation may alleviate these pathologic circuits. For example, speech impairment in Parkinson’s disease, which significantly impacts patient quality of life, is inadequately treated by deep brain stimulation. A better understanding of this pathological brain circuit could lead to improved outcomes for neuromodulation. I am interested in using intraoperative cortical and subcortical recordings to find the neural correlates of these speech deficits with ultimate goal of improving outcomes with patients undergoing deep brain stimulation.
Amiko M. Uchida, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Mollie R. Cummins, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI
Email: amiko.uchida@hsc.utah.edu
I am a gastroenterology physician-scientist improving the lives of patients with allergic gastrointestinal (GI) diseases that prevent people from eating and maintaining adequate nutrition. The allergic GI disease eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is increasingly common (~1 in 2000) with few treatments. Though the disease mechanisms of EoE, and particularly eosinophil function, are poorly understood, food elimination diets are a common form of EoE treatment. My research goals are to bridge science and medicine to address patient-oriented questions to better understand disease mechanisms. More specifically, I am working to understand how elimination diets and subsequent changes in the gut microbiota can affect EoE and eosinophil disease pathways. Further, I developed a novel in vitro assay that allows me to mechanistically interrogate eosinophils, which I hope will advance our understanding of eosinophils and revolutionize the way we manage EoE.
Robert J. Willer, DO
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD
Email: robert.willer@hsc.utah.edu
I am pediatric hospitalist specializing in the care of hospitalized children with bronchiolitis. Bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalization in children under 2 years old with greater than 100,000 children admitted to the hospital each year in the United States. While supportive care is the mainstay of treatment in bronchiolitis, there is very little research on how to best apply supportive care interventions such as nasal suctioning in hospitalized children with bronchiolitis. Suctioning is an important area of study as a patient’s need for frequent suctioning can be the sole reason for hospital admission and to keep the child in the hospital longer (until their suctioning needs decrease). My research aims to characterize suctioning practices in hospitalized children with bronchiolitis and compare outcomes across hospitals with different suctioning practices. My goal is to provide evidence to support best suctioning practices in hospitalized children with bronchiolitis, allowing children to receive appropriate care, possibly reducing unnecessary admissions, and shortening length of stay.
Jesse C. Christensen, PhD, DPT, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy & Athletic Training, College of Health, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: jesse.christensen@hsc.utah.edu
I am Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training at the University of Utah and Director of the Gait Lab at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. My research focuses on improving rehabilitation processes for medically complex older adults with lower limb impairments, particularly dysvascular lower limb loss. Nearly a million adults in the States are living with lower limb loss and this number is expected to double by 2050. Importantly, the vast majority of lower limb loss (>80%) result from dysvascular problems, compounded by underlying comorbidities, chronic physical inactivity, and history of poor health self-management. My goal is to implement innovative behavior health strategies in older adults at high risk for lower limb loss. I have a particular passion working with medically complex older adults with lower limb impairments and aim to use the knowledge gained from my research to continue working with this underserved population.
Rebecca K. Delaney, PhD, MS
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Division of Health System Innovation & Research, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Katherine A. Sward, PhD, RN
Email: rebecca.delaney@hsc.utah.edu
I am a developmental psychologist and Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences. My research focuses on designing and evaluating interventions that empower patients to be involved in their medical care and decisions. When patients are engaged in their care, they experience better health outcomes and well-being. However, challenges exist that impede patient engagement and patient-provider communication, such as lack of information, uncertainty due to complex diagnoses, and no clear best treatment options. To address these barriers, I create interventions—designed for and by patients—to improve clinical care and the health of patients with chronic health conditions. I use patient-centered methods, such focus groups and interviews, to inform the design and development of decision support tools. The tools can range from pamphlets to interactive apps to support patients. Through this research, I hope to improve clinical care and the long-term health of patients.
Brian Flaherty, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, FACS
Email: brian.flaherty@hsc.utah.edu
I am focused on improving the quality of care in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) by developing and implementing evidence-based practices for common conditions. Currently, numerous conditions commonly encountered in the PICU lack evidence to identify effective treatments leading to highly variable care between hospitals. This high variability means that some patients receive ineffective and potentially harmful care and some patients fail to receive effective therapies. A major barrier to research to develop evidence-based practices is lack of a large database to analyze the effects of treatments. My current research is focused on creating a large, national database to enable comparative effectiveness research to identify effective treatments for common conditions treated in the PICU. I will initially use this database to study the medications used in the care of bronchiolitis, the most common diagnosis in the PICU. Future work will focus on implementing the effective bronchiolitis therapies.
Evan V. Goldstein, PhD, MPP
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Health System Innovation & Research, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Mollie R. Cummins, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI
Email: evan.goldstein@hsc.utah.edu
I am an investigator with a background in health policy and health services research and advanced training in the social sciences. Broadly, my research evaluates the quality and use of health services by underserved and vulnerable patient populations, especially mental health services; the impact of public policies on health care; and the effectiveness of suicide prevention interventions. Persons of less privileged socioeconomic status, persons of color, and sexual and gender minorities take their own lives at alarming rates in our country. However, many vulnerable community members often cannot access critical suicide risk detection or prevention services. My long-term goal is to establish a translational research program to understand modifiable social and health system determinants of suicide risk and racial and ethnic disparities in suicide. Through this work, I seek to provide health systems and policymakers with knowledge and tools for implementing culturally-competent interventions and making measurable progress in reducing disparities in suicide outcomes among young and working-age adult populations.
Samantha J. Gustafson, PhD, AuD, CCC-A
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing, Indiana University
VPCAT Mentor: Lisa G. Aspinwall, PhD
Email: sjgustaf@iu.edu
I am a clinically-trained pediatric audiologist. I strive to improve the quality-of-life of children who are Deaf/hard of hearing by improving their communication and academic outcomes. My research focuses on how children with typical hearing learn to successfully listen in complex and noisy classroom environments and how hearing assistive technology (e.g., hearing aids, remote microphone systems, cochlear implants) can help children who are Deaf/hard of hearing overcome listening challenges in their classrooms. By using a combination of brain- and behavior-based methods, my current line of research describes the underlying mechanisms and consequences of competing noise and distractors on listening outcomes like speech recognition and listening effort. These findings will inform future work aiming to identify children who are at risk for increased communication difficulty (i.e., listening-related fatigue, slowed academic progress) and pinpoint potential windows for intervention to mitigate consequences of these listening-related challenges.
Kathleen M. Job, PhD, DABCP
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Email: kate.job@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and a board-accredited clinical pharmacologist. My research focuses on advancing clinical care by integrating physiology and pharmacology into approaches for designing, conducting, and interpreting clinical trials in children and pregnant individuals with chronic disease. Her current work will determine optimal dosing of asthma drugs in pregnant individuals. In this population, optimal dosing involves balancing appropriate drug exposure to control symptoms in the mother with minimized drug exposure to the fetus. The optimal dose that achieves this balance in pregnant individuals is unknown for most drugs. Dosing is likely different in this population because anatomic and physiologic alterations due to normal growth and pregnancy can affect drug disposition substantially. The lack of appropriate dosing information is an urgent, unmet public health need that can result in harm to the mother and the baby.
Schola N. Matovu, PhD, RN
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Acute & Chronic Care, College of Nursing, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lisa G. Aspinwall, PhD
Email: schola.matovu@nurs.utah.edu
I am a gerontological nursing researcher and Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing. In my role as a researcher, I strive to advance science and contribute to alleviating health inequities experienced by marginalized older adults in the global community, particularly those with caregiving responsibilities. And, as an educator and leader, I endeavor to prepare future leaders who will advance science and health equity through the lenses of advocacy, service, and empowerment. My foundational research focused on understanding experiences and psychosocial well-being of grandparent-caregivers for grandchildren affected by HIV/AIDS in Uganda. Over the next 12 months, I will be advancing my program of research by piloting a project in Uganda that will use a formative community-engaged research approach to inform the development of an intervention designed to promote economic empowerment, peer group support, and health of grandmothers who provide primary care for grandchildren in Uganda. I am also planning to submit a career development award (K01) in March 2022. My roles outside of academia, include being a co-founder and Executive Director of Nurse-to-Nurse Global Initiative, a nonprofit whose mission, in part, is to promote the leadership and professional development of nurses, especially those working in under resourced settings.
Lindsay J. May, MD, FRCPC
Title: Former Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
I am a pediatric cardiologist specializing in heart failure and transplantation. My research interest is the influence of family and community factors in pediatric heart failure outcomes, such as hospital readmission and quality of life. This is relevant because children with heart failure are at high risk of hospital readmission, need for heart transplant, and poor quality of life. Although family and social context are known to be important determinants in adult heart failure outcomes, little is known about these in pediatrics. These topics are relevant because the resources available to support patients and families once they leave the hospital, and caregiver support are highly varied. My unique approach is to determine which subpopulations are at risk of poor outcomes, then use qualitative methods and patient-reported outcome measures to understand the challenges our families face when caring for a child with heart failure, and assess patient and caregiver quality of life.
Jennifer Ose, PhD, MSc, Diploma
Title: Professor, Management and Data Management in Clinical Trials, Hochschule Hannover
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: jennifer.ose@hs-hannover.de
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at the University of Utah and a member in the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program at Huntsman Cancer Institute. I earned my doctorate degree in cancer epidemiology (summa cum laude) from the Medical Faculty at the University of Heidelberg, Germany and completed a master’s in Public Health and a master’s equivalent in Nutrition. I am a molecular and cancer epidemiologist whose research focuses on modifiable lifestyle factors and biologic factors in cancer prevention and prognosis. Furthermore, I am interested in reproductive concerns in patients diagnosed with early-onset colorectal cancer. I received pilot funding from the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program at Huntsman Cancer Institute and the Utah Grand Challenges program to address pressing research questions, such as body composition, cachexia, and reproductive concerns in cancer patients.
Afaf E. Osman, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology & Hematologic Malignancies, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Matthew T. Rondina, MD, MS
Email: Afaf.Osman@hci.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies. I primarily treat patients with myeloid blood cancers. My research focuses on leukemia precursor conditions. Germline genetics strongly influence the risk of leukemia in some families. On the other hand, somatic mutations increase the risk of leukemia in older individuals with precursor conditions. Clonal hematopoiesis and clonal cytopenias are newly recognized myeloid leukemia precursor conditions. The mechanisms promoting leukemogenesis in individuals with clonal hematopoiesis are poorly understood. My translational projects aim to elucidate the roles of intestinal microbiome and chronic inflammation in fueling the progression to myeloid malignancies. Ultimately, I plan to develop preventative and therapeutic interventions to delay the progression to myeloid leukemia in at risk populations.
Anna L. Parks, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology & Hematologic Malignancies, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: Anna.Parks@hci.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology & Hematologic Malignancies at the University of Utah and a faculty member of the Center on Aging. My clinical experiences caring for older adults with non-malignant hematologic disease led to the guiding the principle of my research: to apply aging research methods to understand the experience of older adults with non-malignant hematologic disorders and to use these insights to improve their care. Many older adults do not meet clinical trial inclusion criteria, clinical trials do not measure the outcomes that are most important to them, clinical guidelines base recommendations on chronologic age rather than function, and older adults have complexities that limit applicability of current evidence. To address these issues, I use the power of administrative data to examine outcomes in older adults with non-malignant hematologic disease, create measures that better reflect their experience, and incorporate information gleaned about the older adult patient experience into healthcare systems to improve outcomes.
Chelsey R. Schlechter, PhD, MPH
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Health System Innovation & Research, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: Chelsey.Schlechter@hci.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences and the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah. My research aims to improve population health and health inequities through implementing evidence-based practices for chronic disease prevention and control in community and healthcare settings. Despite the development of evidence-based practices and programs to prevent and control chronic disease, there is a significant gap in the translation of this research into practice. Many research discoveries take over a decade to reach the populations they were intended to reach, and many more never become routine practice. I use principles of community-engaged research, implementation science, and behavioral science to develop and evaluate interventions to improve implementation of evidence-based practices, particularly among underserved populations (e.g., rural, low socioeconomic status, racial/ethnic minority). My research also focuses on understanding the multilevel level factors that influence implementation, and understanding the factors that influence individuals’ engagement in health promoting behaviors and evidence-based interventions.
Nasser Sharareh, PhD, MSc
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Division of Health System Innovation & Research, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Michael W. Varner, MD
Email: nasser.sharareh@hsc.utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Health System Innovation and Research within the Population Health Sciences Department. My research is focused on addressing health disparities and social determinants of health, specifically, food insecurity. Food insecurity is a leading cause of health disparities and a modifiable social determinant of health that has not been addressed yet. A major barrier in addressing food insecurity is that current measures of food insecurity lack granularity, consideration of access barriers (e.g., geographical, informational), and real-time data to inform timely interventions. I am investigating information seeking data captured by United Way’s 211 system to develop a real-time surveillance system to detect local hotspots of food insecurity. Through this research, I will be working with related stakeholders and will capitalize on my expertise in machine learning, geographic information system methods, and health services research to address food insecurity. While food insecurity is the core of my VPCAT program, on a side project, I use claims and demographic data and work with behavioral scientists and stakeholders to address opioid-related issues by informing community-level interventions.
Elizabeth Siantz, PhD, MSW
Title: Assistant Professor, College of Social Work, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: e.siantz@utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work. My research focuses on the development and implementation of integrated behavioral health and primary care services and strengthening the roles of peer support specialists across a range of settings. This work is in response to the fact that persons with behavioral and mental health needs experience many years of life lost compared to the general population, largely due to poorly managed chronic care conditions and limited access to high quality medical care. This inequity is especially prominent in racial and ethnic minority populations. While there are existing evidence-based practices that address these inequities, organizations and health systems are challenged to adopt them. Thus, I use implementation science methodology to support clinical settings in translating such scientific knowledge into routine use. I am especially interested in using external practice facilitation to support the implementation of a peer-based chronic disease self-management programs in primary care settings for persons with mental illness.
Tammy K. Stump, PhD, MS
Title: Instructor, Department of Dermatology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD
Email: Tammy.Stump@hci.utah.edu
I am a social and health psychologist in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Utah. My research focuses on health promotion among populations with an elevated risk of cancer. Individuals with a known cancer risk often face the challenge of not only managing negative emotions but also engaging in multiple screening and preventive health behaviors to maintain health. Primarily, my research focuses on prevention of skin cancers, including melanoma, among at-risk individuals. In this area, I have developed and validated a novel self-report measure of sun protection and exposure, which can integrate with sensor-based measures of ultraviolet radiation and physical activity. I have used these measurement tools to evaluate sun exposure following genetic counseling for melanoma risk and to characterize the contexts of unprotected sun exposure among melanoma survivors and young adults with an elevated melanoma risk. I seek to apply these methods and findings to develop mobile health interventions that are guided by a nuanced understanding of the multiple factors that influence behavior, including the interplay among health behaviors (such as sun protection and outdoor physical activity).
Kristina I. Suorsa-Johnson, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: David W. Wetter, PhD, MS
Email: kristina.suorsa-johnson@hsc.utah.edu
I am an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the University of Utah. My clinical and research interests focus on patients with differences of sex development; congenital conditions where chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomic sex development is atypical. Controversies exist about what constitutes best practices in differences of sex development healthcare, including a transition towards delaying urogenital and gonadal surgeries until patients can participate in decisions. However, there is limited research examining the decision-making process for adolescents and young adults with differences of sex development. Within this population, I am specifically interested in examining the impact of stigma on decision making. Insight into adolescents and young adults’ decision making will support the development of decision support tools, such as decision aids and educational interventions, to promote shared decision making.
Echo L. Warner, PhD, MPH
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Health Systems & Science Across the Lifespan, College of Nursing, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Michael W. Varner, MD
Email: Echo.Warner@hci.utah.edu
I am a cancer health outcomes researcher with a special emphasis on adolescents and young adults who experience cancer as patients and/or care partners. Cancer experiences during adolescence and young adulthood are unique because most people to do not expect to be diagnosed with cancer, nor to take on the role of caring for an ill family member or friend with cancer at this age. While young adults are increasingly taking on caregiving roles for aging parents and grandparents, they are also some of the most advanced consumers of digital technology. I am especially interested in how the use of digital and social technologies influences cancer health outcomes during and after cancer experiences. I foresee many new and exciting discoveries in the future of cancer care as the fields of oncology, health communication, and machine learning/artificial intelligence collide. As a first generation college student from a rural community, I am passionate about designing and conducting research that is community-based and advances health equity for all regardless of race, gender identity, religion, education, geography, or class, and this is a common theme throughout my research.
Hediyeh Baradaran, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Vagelos College of [EW3.1]Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: hb2862@cumc.columbia.edu
My research interests include the imaging evaluation of cerebrovascular disease, including intracranial and extracranial atherosclerosis. Vascular disease is a major contributor to stroke and cognitive dysfunction. Despite this general knowledge, how specific plaque components contribute to cerebrovascular ischemia is unclear. My research utilizes imaging techniques to improve detection and reporting of carotid atherosclerosis in order to identify those at risk for stroke and cognitive dysfunction.
Alycia Bristol, PhD, RN, AGCNS-BC
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Health Systems and Science Across the Lifespan, College of Nursing, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, FACS
Email: alycia.bristol@nurs.utah.edu
I am an adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist and Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing. My research aims to improve health outcomes and care coordination for older adults and family caregivers during hospitalization. Frequent transfers of older adults between hospital units may limit and delay discharge planning for patients. Moreover, caregivers may be excluded during intra-hospital transitions, potentially limiting caregiver preparedness for discharge. I seek to explore the connection between intra-hospital transitions and discharge readiness. This unique consideration will support future interventions targeting patient and caregiver experiences and outcomes during hospital stays and transitions to community settings.
Jonathan Constance, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD
Email: jonathan.constance@utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and board accredited clinical pharmacologist. My laboratory investigates drug interactions with the potential to affect the activity of life-saving chemotherapy among children with cancer. As a state of polypharmacy is inherent in the treatment of cancer, drug interactions are inevitable, but not well understood. By studying the patterns of medications used as well as their pharmacokinetics, we can identify the most likely drug interactions to affect chemotherapy. We have identified opioids as a class with high potential to interact with chemotherapy. Opioids work by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, but these same receptors are often highly expressed in cancer tissue. Using blood cancer cells, we have demonstrated therapeutically relevant concentrations of opioids can block the cancer killing activity of molecularly targeted chemotherapy.
Michelle Debbink, MD, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: Michelle.Debbink@hsc.utah.edu
I’m an Assistant Professor of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Utah and have a PhD in health policy/social epidemiology. As a clinician, I manage high risk pregnancies, a vantage point from which I have witnessed the impact of maternal morbidity and mortality. I’m intensely interested in identifying ways to reduce and eliminate the persistent racial inequities in maternal and infant outcomes in the US. Black, Indigenous and other women and birthing people of color and their infants die or are injured at alarming rates in our country, and many of these outcomes are preventable. I approach this issue from a community and geographic lens, rather than focusing on individual patients’ comorbidities. My research focuses on understanding how hospital, neighborhood, and community structures can be leveraged to support maternal health resilience and reduce risks, as well as the ways in which institutional and social structures can mitigate the impacts of structural racism.
Robert Dood, MD, MSCE
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, FACS
Email: Rob.Dood@hsc.utah.edu
We have a good idea how to treat stage I endometrial cancer and stage I ovarian cancer, but it’s unclear what to do when a woman has both. This can happen in up to 20% of endometrial cancer cases depending on age, but we still have a tough time distinguishing synchronous stage I endometrial tumors from an endometrial cancer that has metastasized to the ovary (stage IIIA). If we misdiagnose, these patients would be missing out on life prolonging adjuvant treatments. We currently rely on clinical and pathologic criteria to distinguish these entities, which can be subjective and prone to error. I seek to use a unique paradigm and skillset to address this problem: (1) use large database studies to generate a signal → (2) validate with translational science and biologic endpoints → (3) generate algorithms to change practice, informed by the new data. In this case I will use the SEER database to see if synchronous primary uterine and ovarian cancers behave differently than stage IIIA uterine cancers, controlling for adjuvant treatment. I will then perform pilot genomic analysis on already sequenced tumors in our ORIEN cancer network, looking specifically at targets that could be easily assessed with the commercially available Foundation Cdx test, and Lynch syndrome loci. These could then be used for accurate diagnosis, and guide future treatment options. This study will then be repeated in the larger Utah Population Database which has more available synchronous primary cancers, and family data.
Danielle Groat, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Intermountain Health
VPCAT Mentor: Katherine A. Sward, PhD, RN, FAAN
Email: danielle.groat@imail.org
My research focuses on critically ill patients and exposures that affect health outcomes during the post-discharge timeframe. Exposure to poor outdoor air quality is known to increase the risk of hospitalization and mortality, however, little is known about the impact of household indoor air quality on critical illnesses and recovery. Ascertaining household indoor air quality can be difficult over large populations and intrusive at the individual level. To better understand the impact of household indoor air quality on health outcomes in critically ill patients, I employ computational approaches for measuring and estimating air quality in homes across Utah. I use machine learning methods to derive models that predict household air quality across various timeframes using heterogenous datasets while leveraging informatics infrastructure. Having reliable estimates of indoor air quality will facilitate studies that assess the combined impact of outdoor and indoor air quality on relevant outcomes in critical illnesses.
Sumati Gupta, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: sumati.gupta@hci.utah.edu
I am a medical oncologist focused on the treatment of genitourinary cancers, especially urothelial cancer. My research is focused on the treatment of ARID1A mutated urothelial cancer. ARID1A mutated urothelial cancer is a complex heterogeneous disease with no targeted therapy available. ARID1A mutations have a multifaceted role in carcinogenesis and are accompanied by other oncogenic alterations. My approach is unique because it characterizes the pathways affected in ARID1A mutated cancer and creates combination approaches to effectively treat the disease. I plan to create a system of classification of ARID1A mutated urothelial cancer based on activated oncogenic pathways and optimized combination strategies to target these. The project involves clinical and genomic database studies and analyses, preclinical studies and clinical trials.
Guillaume Hoareau, PhD, DVM
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Michael W. Varner, MD
Email: guillaume.hoareau@utah.edu
I am an Associate Professor with the Emergency Medicine Division and a veterinary emergency and critical care specialist. My interest lies in clinical conditions leading to ischemia-reperfusion injury, specifically hemorrhagic shock and cardiac arrest. I study resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to manage those conditions. My research has focused on novel strategies to mitigate ischemia-reperfusion observed with those cutting-edge interventions. I have a particular interest in hemorrhage control strategies relevant to military applications. I am interested in characterizing the mechanisms of injury in patients treated with REBOA or ECMO. Specifically, I seek to discover pathways that could serve as targets to improve patient outcomes ultimately.
Skyler Johnson, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: skyler.johnson@hci.utah.edu
I am a cancer clinician and health outcomes researcher with special interest in non-traditional cancer treatment decision making and cancer misinformation. Foregoing recommended cancer therapies in favor or non-traditional cancer treatments can have dire consequences, making addressing health misinformation a critical public health goal. My research program studies the sociodemographic, clinicopathologic, healthcare system factors, attitudes, beliefs and exposure to complementary and alternative medicine use that may influence the quality and outcomes of cancer care. This research will help guide meaningful efforts to improve patient and physician communication, clinical management and healthcare policy.
Joseph Letourneau, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: David W. Wetter, PhD, MS and John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: joseph.letourneau@hsc.utah.edu
I am an infertility specialist and Co-Director of the University of Utah Oncofertility Program. In the past 50 years, chemotherapy has greatly increased the number of young adults who survive cancer. However, treatments meant to target cancers often cause a devastating side-effect: infertility. Preserving fertility, by freezing eggs or embryos before chemotherapy, can improve one's chances of building a family post-cancer. Fertility preservation can also have a positive impact on quality of life in survivorship. Through research and advocacy, I aim to help improve our understanding of how to build a healthy family after cancer treatment.
Sabrina Malone-Jenkins, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD
Email: sabrina.malonejenkins@hsc.utah.edu
As a clinician in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), I provide care for critically ill newborn infants and understand the importance of personalized clinical care in improving outcomes. I’ve been part of a team that implemented a rapid targeted diagnostic gene panel of 4,503 established disease-causing genes (RapSeq) in the NICU and showed a reduction in the number of invasive procedures, diagnostic clinical testing, and lengths of stay among all critically ill neonates tested. As the physician lead for the rapid Whole Genome Sequencing (rWGS) project in the Primary Children’s Hospital (PCH) Center for Personalized Medicine, I am integrating clinical genetic testing into the NICU, cardiac intensive care unit, and pediatric intensive care unit at PCH. I also serve as the principal investigator for the Utah NeoSeq project which is a research pipeline for rapid whole genome sequencing in the NICU. The sequencing is being done at ARUP and the analysis through the Utah Center for Genetic Discovery. My current study is unique in that it involves prenatally identifying patients with specific clinical phenotypes, sequencing at the time of delivery, and having results within the first week after birth. Infants with the clinical phenotype of arthrogryposis, non-immune hydrops fetalis, or skeletal dysplasia often experience a prolonged diagnostic odyssey during their NICU stay. Starting with these three complicated phenotypes, I am working toward my long-term goal of improving care for newborn infants by integrating the application of genomics in the NICU to provide precision medicine and focused clinical care.
Larissa McGarrity, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lisa G. Aspinwall, PhD
Email: larissa.mcgarrity@hsc.utah.edu
I am a clinical psychologist in the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation who works closely with the Comprehensive Weight Management Center. My research focuses on psychological health for patients before and after bariatric surgery. The existing research on obesity and bariatric surgery overwhelmingly emphasizes patient risk factors for poor outcomes (e.g., psychopathology, disordered eating) at the expense of understanding and building interventions to enhance protective factors (e.g., adaptive coping styles, social support, self-esteem). I am particularly interested in patient resilience, or the ability to thrive in the face of weight-related stress and stigma. This research has the potential to inform guidelines and improve patient-centered healthcare from a biopsychosocial model of weight management.
Daniel Mendoza, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, College of Mines and Earth Sciences, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Email: daniel.mendoza@utah.edu
I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences and hold joint appointments in the Department of City & Metropolitan Planning, Pulmonary Division in the School of Medicine, and NEXUS Institute. My research focuses on environmental exposure and health disparities and resulting impacts on vulnerable populations. The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on social and environmental injustices where the most socioeconomically disadvantaged populations are further marginalized. I study the impacts of social and environmental determinants on health outcomes and subsequent economic costs towards developing enactable policy solutions. My goal is to develop personalized health risk assessments based on an individual's genotype and environmental exposure so that they can make informed decisions for preventative purposes.
Henrik Odéen, PhD, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Radiology Research, Department of Radiology & Imaging Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Mollie R. Cummins, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI
Email: henrik.odeen@hsc.utah.edu
I’m a Research Instructor in the Radiology Department with a PhD in Physics. Our research group is working on Magnetic Resonance Imaging-guided non-invasive interventions using focused ultrasound. Focused ultrasound can be used for thermal ablation, to liquify tissue, and to excite or inhibit neural activity. Our group is mainly working on applications in the brain, breast and spine. One of my recent projects is investigating using micro- and nano-bubbles for non-thermal ablation of brain tumors.
Rebecca Overbury, MD, MS
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: rebecca.overbury@hsc.utah.edu
I am a clinician, a researcher, and the director of the Adult Center for Childhood Onset Rheumatic Disease. My research interests focus on the implementation of better management and subsequent outcomes in patients diagnosed with or suffering chronic rheumatic and autoimmune disease in adolescence and young adulthood. Current health care processes do not adequately serve the needs of these adolescents and young adults, and the process of transitioning from pediatric sub-specialty care to adult sub-specialty care is dangerous and costly. My research aims to incorporate patient-oriented interventions, before, during, and after this transition, to maximize the short and long-term physical and psychosocial health of this vulnerable and unique patient population.
Candace Reno-Bernstein, PhD
Title: Biology Expert Consultant, Sepal AI & Padi Open Water Scuba Instructor, Dive Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Matthew T. Rondina, MD, MS
I studied hypoglycemia as a complication in the treatment of diabetes. Hypoglycemia is the cause of death in up to 10% of people with diabetes at risk for hypoglycemia. My research suggests that sudden death during hypoglycemia is caused by cardiac arrhythmias, but it is not clear how arrhythmias develop. By determining the mechanisms of hypoglycemia-induced cardiac arrhythmias [EW5.1]in pre-clinical animal models, my research will potentially lead to better treatment options to reduce the risk of death from hypoglycemia in people with diabetes.
Kevin Shah, MD
Title: Program Director, Heart Failure Outreach, MemorialCare
VPCAT Mentor: Michael W. Varner, MD
My clinical work is primarily focused on taking care of patients at risk for and with established heart failure, and those who may benefit from heart transplantation or mechanical circulatory support. My research interests focus on reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) within the South Asian community. South Asians represent almost 25% of the global population and are at greater risk for premature and aggressive CVD when compared to other Asian populations. The reasons behind this are a combination of a high burden of traditional risk factors for heart disease, genetic predisposition, and lifestyle choices. Through health screening events in partnership with our local India Cultural Center of Utah, I am presently collecting data (i.e., demographics, traditional, and novel risk markers) to identify the CVD risk factors among Utah’s local South Asians. Our efforts are supported by our established, local Community Advisory Board (CAB) of South Asians in Utah. The CAB will be instrumental in informing my short-term goal, which is to develop and pilot a Utah South Asian health intervention program that incorporates tailored lifestyle interventions and education aimed at reducing the risk of CVD. My long-term goal is two-fold: 1) to create a South Asian CVD Registry able to support longitudinal studies to identify CVD risk factors, and 2) to develop and implement CVD health intervention programs for the South Asian community.
Djin Tay, PhD, RN
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Health Systems & Science Across the Lifespan, College of Nursing, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Email: Djin.Tay@nurs.utah.edu
I am interested in how patients and caregivers make decisions for serious illness. In the past decade, cancer treatment has rapidly evolved with therapies that have dramatically improved cancer survival in advanced cancer; however, these treatments are costly and only work for a minority of patients. Yet, little research has examined the ripple effects of this paradigm shift in cancer treatment on end of life, decision making, caregiving, and bereavement outcomes. By leveraging the UPDB and linked claims and cancer registry data, we can better understand how population changes in cancer care delivery affects outcomes at the end of life through bereavement. Understanding the cost, benefits, and spillover effects related to immunotherapy can provide insight on ways to improve the quality and value of care of patients and families with in advanced cancer.
Adam L. Ware, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatri[EW5.1]cs, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: adam.ware@hsc.utah.edu
I am a pediatric cardiologist focused on identifying and treating cardiovascular risks in children. Most cardiovascular risk factors such as abnormal cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity start in childhood and contribute to the progression of blood vessel diseases that cause heart attack and stroke. In my clinical practice and research. I evaluate the impact of those risk factors on the blood vessels in children and evaluate treatments to prevent blood vessel disease.
Tsegaselassie Workalemahu, PhD, MSc
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Mollie R. Cummins, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI
Email: tsegaselassie.workalemahu@hsc.utah.edu
I am an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the division of maternal-fetal medicine. I aim to develop a research program investigating the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms related to obstetric complications (and their short- and long-term adverse outcomes). Presently, there are knowledge gaps regarding the causes of pregnancy loss and its recurrence. These knowledge gaps have prompted the use of diagnostic tests and treatments that increase cost, anxiety and even cause harm without clear efficacy. If the genetic factors that are relevant for pregnancy loss and normal pregnancy are determined, expensive but non-specific, diagnostic evaluations and interventions for couples suffering the loss could be avoided. In my study, I am proposing to determine specific genetic mutations that cause pregnancy loss by conducting whole genome sequencing analysis of DNA from families.
Jenny G. Alderden, PhD, APRN
Title: Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Boise State University
VPCAT Mentor: Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, FACS
Email: jenny.alderden@nurs.utah.edu
I am a practicing critical care nurse that studies pressure injuries (bed sores). In the ICU, a tool is used called the Braden scale to predict pressure injury risk in order to allocate preventive interventions that are not feasible for every patient due to cost or time. However, the Braden scale was developed in 1987 and lacks predictive validity in the ICU today because it lacks specificity. I am working on developing a pressure injury risk prediction model using data readily available in the electronic health record. Accurately predicting pressure injuries will enable nurses to identify the highest risk patients and implement preventive interventions.
Jessica N. Cohan, MD, MAS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: jessica.cohan@hsc.utah.edu
I am a practicing critical care nurse that studies pressure injuries (bed sores). In the ICU, a tool is used called the Braden scale to predict pressure injury risk in order to allocate preventive interventions that are not feasible for every patient due to cost or time. However, the Braden scale was developed in 1987 and lacks predictive validity in the ICU today because it lacks specificity. I am working on developing a pressure injury risk prediction model using data readily available in the electronic health record. Accurately predicting pressure injuries will enable nurses to identify the highest risk patients and implement preventive interventions.
Brett D. Einerson, MD, MPH, FACOG
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: brett.einerson@hsc.utah.edu
I am a physician-scientist in the Department of OBGYN. Childbirth is a leading driver of health system cost. Yet efforts to control runaway spending, and to make childbirth more patient-centered, have been largely ignored. Through research, advocacy, and leadership, I aim to help health systems deliver cost-conscious, patient-centered care to pregnant women.
Tanya M. Halliday, PhD, RD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Health & Kinesiology, College of Health, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Matthew T. Rondina, MD, MS
Email: tanya.halliday@utah.edu
My research emphasis is in obesity and metabolic disease prevention, and treatment via lifestyle interventions. Obesity and metabolic disease prevalence are high and represent a substantial personal and societal burden, but treatment remains challenging. I work to understand how exercise of differing modalities impacts hormonal and behavioral indices of appetite regulation and food intake in adults with obesity and prediabetes. A second arm of my research focuses on developing efficacious interventions to prevent weight regain following intentional weight loss. The mission of my research program is to develop and refine individualized, evidence-based interventions for the prevention and management of obesity and its related co-morbidities.
Boyu Hu, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Hematology & Hematologic Malignancies, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lisa G. Aspinwall, PhD
Email: boyu.hu@hsc.utah.edu
My research focuses on developing novel treatment strategies and therapy combinations for relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients who harbor deficiencies in their DNA damage repair pathways. These patients remain an area of unmet need as they have poor survival outcomes and limited effective treatment options. I am proposing a phase I dose escalation clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of combining the PARP inhibitor talazoparib with the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax as preclinical data suggests there may be added benefit to inhibiting both proteins. If the combination is proven to be both safe and efficacious, this therapy will be incorporated into the treatment paradigm of relapsed/refractory CLL.
Eileen S. Hwang, MD, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: eileen.hwang@hsc.utah.edu
The Vitreous is a transparent gel in the back of the eye. Age-related changes in the vitreous gel can help certain retinal diseases. Currently, there is one medication available that can cause age-related changes in the vitreous, but this medication is somewhat toxic, not very effective, and is, therefore, not often used. We know that with age, glycosaminoglycans are lost from the surface of collagen fibrils. My research plans to test whether this causes the fibrils to aggregate into fibers, causing vitreous liquefaction, and posterior vitreous detachment. By investigating why and how the vitreous changes with age, I aim to discover safer and more effective medication to treat these changes.
Lindsay T. Keegan, PhD
Title: Research Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Michael W. Varner, MD
Email: lindsay.keegan@utah.edu
I am interested in integrating mathematical and statistical methods with epidemiological questions to address the spread and control of infectious diseases. My work focuses on understanding the dynamics of a number of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens that spread primarily in healthcare facilities. I am working to develop a new method to estimate 'who infected whom' for bacterial infections in healthcare facilities by extending existing methods for viral pathogens and accounting for the intricacies of bacterial genomics. This unique approach will trace how pathogens are spreading through healthcare facilities and will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.
Alan Taylor Kelley, MD, MPH
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Matthew T. Rondina, MD, MS
Email: Alan.kelley@hsc.utah.edu
As a VA primary care physician, I wonder why Veterans sometimes do not access healthcare services in timely or in appropriate ways. Of particular concern are Veterans who are socioeconomically or medically vulnerable—what about them? My current secret-shopper study will compare appointment wait times inside and outside the VA for some of the most vulnerable Veterans—those with addiction and mental illness. Understanding how access compares across settings is critical when deciding where Veterans can and should get their care.
Andrew J. Knighton, PhD, CPA
Title: Scientist, Intermountain Healthcare
VPCAT Mentor: Katherine A. Sward, PhD, RN
Email: andrew.knighton@imail.org
My research focuses on increasing adherence to evidence-based care. Healthcare outcomes improve when clinicians follow evidence-based practices consistently. Despite this, a multi-year translation gap persists between discovery and consistent, daily application of evidence-based practice (EBP) in inpatient settings. My research is focused on having implementation scientists work with clinicians using implementation frameworks to aid in creating systematic, hypothesis-driven approaches to (1) understand barriers to adherence and (2) use that information to better design how best to use EBP in different contexts.
Ming Y. Lim, MBBCh, MS
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Hematology & Hematologic Malignancies, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD
Email: ming.lim@hsc.utah.edu
I am an adult non-malignant hematologist in the Division of Hematology and Hematological Malignancies. My clinical and research interest is in congenital bleeding disorders, specifically persons with hemophilia. Despite federal funding and support since 1975, access to care remains a critical barrier for persons with hemophilia. My research examines access to, and the use, delivery, and outcomes of health care services to understand the needs of persons with hemophilia in the state of Utah. By increasing access to care, this reduces disease-related morbidity and mortality, and the high economic burden of this disease.
Jody L. Lin, MD, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Katherine A. Sward, PhD, RN
Email: jody.lin@hsc.utah.edu
My research is in shared decision making for children with medical complexity, who make up less than 5% of all children and have poor outcomes in spite of accounting for over 40% of pediatric health expenditures. They face numerous complex decisions that bias toward intensive interventions but should instead focus on individual preferences and values. Currently, I am using surgical decision making for neuromuscular scoliosis as a test case to move this research forward.
Kate I. Minick, PhD, PT, DPT, OCS
Title: Director of Research Quality for Rehabilitation Services, Intermountain Health
VPCAT Mentor: Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Email: kate.minick@imail.org
My research focuses on addressing the striking lack of implementation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in rehabilitation. By improving clinical quality through care standardization and removing unwarranted variation in practice, my research aims to improve patient-centered outcomes and reduce costs.
Shardool Patel, PharmD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: shardool.patel@utah.edu
I am a clinical pharmacist and investigator at VA Salt Lake City IDEAS Center. My research focuses on optimizing surgical transitions of care for Veterans. The recently implemented MISSION Act allows Veterans greater access to care outside the VA, but concurrent care within and outside the VA has shown increased risks of fragmented care, medication safety issues, and other negative outcomes. My research will leverage informatics to phenotype postoperative courses, identify risk factors for fragmented care, and incorporate risk indicators into an existing point of care information display, which can then be used by clinical staff.
Vikas Sharma, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: vikas.sharma@hsc.utah.edu
I am the surgical lead for the surgical management of atrial fibrillation (AF) with a broader vision to establish University of Utah as a comprehensive AF center of excellence. This will include multidisciplinary, prospective research studies designed to contribute to the understanding of AF. My multi-disciplinary pilot project is aimed at providing initial data and a trend for the use of human amniotic membrane (AM) as a pericardial substitute to decrease post-operative AF, with future aims to procure NIH funding for a large-scale multi-institutional trial. I plan to explore use of AM in other post cardiac surgical morbidities, such as post-operative adhesions.
Brian C. Stagg, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Mollie R. Cummins, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI
Email: brian.stagg@hsc.utah.edu
My goal is to improve outcomes for patients with glaucoma using predictive modeling, implementation science, and health informatics (clinical decision support). Glaucoma is a complex chronic disease that can cause irreversible vision loss. There is a lot of excitement about using predictive modeling (such as artificial intelligence) to help with diagnosis and decision making in glaucoma. My focus is on the next step—how to bring these predictions to the clinic to help the physician and patient make better decisions.
Lisa J. Taylor-Swanson, PhD, MAcOM
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Health Systems & Science Across the Lifespan, College of Nursing, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Lisa G. Aspinwall, PhD
Email: lisa.taylor-swanson@nurs.utah.edu
Acupuncture is indicated by the American College of Physicians as a first-line treatment for chronic pain and I am conducting cutting-edge work to further potentiate effectiveness of acupuncture. Millions of people suffer from chronic pain, which results in disability, reduced quality of life, and great financial hardship. Further, people taking opioid medications are at risk for non-fatal and fatal overdose. My work aims to develop a tailored acupuncture intervention that will be translated to acupuncture education and, eventually, to wide-scale implementation in large healthcare delivery systems.
Matthew D. Alexander, MD
Title: Neuroradiologist, Department of Interventional Radiology, Sutter Medical Group
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: Matthew.Alexander@sutterhealth.org
Nathan R. Blue, MD, MSCI
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Email: nathan.blue@hsc.utah.edu
Kimberly D. Brunisholz, PhD, MST
Title: Director, Population Health Research, Value and Evidence Scientific Engagement, Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
VPCAT Mentor: Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Email: kbrunish@its.jnj.com
Adriana M. Coletta, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Health & Kinesiology, College of Health, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, FACS
Email: adriana.coletta@hci.utah.edu
David S. Curtis, PhD, MS
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Family & Consumer Studies, College of Social and Behavioral Science, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD
Email: david.curtis@fcs.utah.edu
Mark W. Dodson, MD, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Intermountain Health
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: mark.dodson@imail.org
Peter C. Fino, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Health & Kinesiology, College of Health, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: peter.fino@utah.edu
Isaac E. Hall, MD, MS
Title: Nephrologist, CommonSpirit Nephrology Durango
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Dustin B. Hammers, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, Indiana University
VPCAT Mentor: Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD
Email: HammersD@iu.edu
Audrey L. Jones, PhD
Title: Research Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: Audrey.Jones@hsc.utah.edu
Michael J. Jurynec, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Rena D'Souza, DDS, MS, PhD
Email: mjurynec@genetics.utah.edu
Elizabeth A. Middleton, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: elizabeth.middleton@hsc.utah.edu
Dominik Ose, MPH, DrPH
Title: Professor, Health and Healthcare Sciences, Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau University of Applied Sciences
VPCAT Mentor: Julie M. Fritz, PhD, PT, ATC
Email: Dominik.Ose@fh-zwickau.de
Ami B. Patel, MD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology & Hematologic Malignancies, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: ami.patel@hci.utah.edu
David C. Rozek, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio
VPCAT Mentor: Julie M. Fritz, PhD, PT, ATC
Email: rozekd@uthscsa.edu
Windy D. Tanner, PhD, MSPH
Title: Visiting Associate Professor, Division of Public Health,Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: windy.tanner@hsc.utah.edu
Lauren H. Theilen, MD, MS
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
VPCAT Mentor: Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, FACS
Email: lauren.theilen@hsc.utah.edu
Ramya Thota, MBBS
Title: Oncologist, Department of Oncology, Intermountain Health
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: ramya.thota@imail.org
Lindsay Visnovsky, PhD, MS
Title: Research Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Katherine A. Sward, PhD, RN
Email: lindsay.visnovsky@hsc.utah.edu
Jennifer K. Workman, MD, MS
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: jennifer.workman@hsc.utah.edu
Robert A. Campbell, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis
VPCAT Mentor: Kimberly E. Hanson, MD, MHS
Email: campbell.r@wustl.edu
Bhagirath Chaurasia, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor, Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: bhagirath-chaurasia@uiowa.edu
Jacqueline L. Eaton, PhD, MS
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Health Systems & Science Across the Lifespan, College of Nursing, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: jacqueline.eaton@nurs.utah.edu
Jason P. Glotzbach, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Katherine A. Sward, PhD, RN
Email: jason.glotzbach@hsc.utah.edu
Avery E. Holton, PhD
Title: Professor, Department of Communication, College of Humanities, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: avery.holton@utah.edu
Lyen C. Huang, MD, MPH, FACS
Title: Associate Professor, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Kimberly A. Kaphingst, ScD
Email: lyen.huang@hsc.utah.edu
David E. Jones, PhD
Title: Lead Health Scientist, Office of Advanced Molecular Detection, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Youjeong Kang, PhD, MPH, FHFSA
Title: Assistant Professor, Center for Data Science, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: ykang40@emory.edu
Brent M. Kious, MD, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Barbara B. Brown, PhD
Email: Brent.Kious@hsc.utah.edu
Catherine J. Lee, MD, MS
Title: Associate Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, University of Washington
VPCAT Mentor: Katherine A. Sward, PhD, RN
Email: cjlee@fredhutch.org
Yu Kuei Lin, PhD
Title: Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, & Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Michigan
VPCAT Mentor: Rena D'Souza, DDS, MS, PhD
Email: yuklin@med.umich.edu
Laura A. Pace, MD, PhD
Title: Director of the Neuroimmune Axis Disorders Program, Meliora Bio
VPCAT Mentor: Rena D'Souza, DDS, MS, PhD
Brennan R. Payne, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, College of Social and Behavioral Science, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Barbara B. Brown, PhD
Email: brennan.payne@utah.edu
John D. Rolston, MD, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Neurosciences Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: jrolston@bwh.harvard.edu
Jessica N. Sanders, PhD, MSPH
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Family Planning, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Janice M. Morse, RN, PhD, FAAN
Email: jessica.sanders@hsc.utah.edu
Douglas W. Sborov, MD, MS
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Hematology & Hematologic Malignancies, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Kristen A. Keefe, PhD
Email: Douglas.Sborov@hsc.utah.edu
Marcela C. Smid, MD, MS, MA
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Janice M. Morse, RN, PhD, FAAN
Email: marcela.smid@hsc.utah.edu
Randa Tao, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona
VPCAT Mentor: Kimberly E. Hanson, MD, MHS
Email: tao.randa@mayo.edu
Dongngan T. Truong, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University
VPCAT Mentor: Jakob D. Jensen, PhD
Email: dongngan.truong@emory.edu
Brian T. Bucher, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Adi V. Gundlapalli, MD, PhD
Email: brian.bucher@hsc.utah.edu
Daniel L. Carlson, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Family & Consumer Studies, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: daniel.carlson@fcs.utah.edu
Melissa M. Cortez, DO
Title: Associate Professor, Division of General Neurology, Department of Neurology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Janice M. Morse, RN, PhD, FAAN
Email: melissa.cortez@hsc.utah.edu
Anna R. Docherty, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: anna.docherty@utah.edu
Heather A. Hayes, PT, DPT, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, College of Health, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Kristen A. Keefe, PhD
Email: heather.hayes@hsc.utah.edu
Stacey Knight, PhD, MStat
Title: Cardiovascular and Genetic Epidemiologist, Intermountain Heart Institute Cardiovascular Research, Intermountain Health & Adjunct Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: stacey.knight@imail.org
Michelle L. Litchman, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Health Systems & Science Across the Lifespan, College of Nursing, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Adi V. Gundlapalli, MD, PhD
Email: michelle.litchman@nurs.utah.edu
Marta L. McCrum, MD, MPH
Title: Associate Professor, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie M. Fritz, PhD, PT, ATC
Email: marta.mccrum@hsc.utah.edu
Brock B. O'Neil, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Kimberly E. Hanson, MD, MHS
Email: Brock.ONeil@hci.utah.edu
Leah A. Owen, MD, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: leah.owen@hsc.utah.edu
Ithan D. Peltan, MD, MSc
Title: Associate Professor, Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Intermountain Health & Adjunct Associate Professor, Division of Public Health, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Adi V. Gundlapalli, MD, PhD
Email: ithan.peltan@imail.org
Jacob O. Robson, MD, MS
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: jacob.robson@hsc.utah.edu
Anthony J. Schaeffer, MD, MPH
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie M. Fritz, PhD, PT, ATC
Email: anthony.schaeffer@hsc.utah.edu
Karen C. Schliep, PhD, MSPH
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Public Health, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: karen.schliep@utah.edu
Aaron M. Secrest, MD, PhD, MBA
Title: Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Kristen A. Keefe, PhD
Email: aaron.secrest@hsc.utah.edu
Jonathan R. Skirko, MD, MHPA, MPH
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Arizona
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: jskirko@arizona.edu
Megan E. Vanneman, PhD, MPH
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: megan.vanneman@hsc.utah.edu
Omar E. Wever-Pinzon, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: omar.wever.pinzon@hsc.utah.edu
Katherine J.W. Baucom, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, College of Social & Behavioral Science, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: katherine.baucom@psych.utah.edu
Patrick D. Carroll, MD, MPH
Title: Neonatologist, Intermountain Health
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: patrick.carroll@imail.org
Monique E. Cho, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: Monique.Cho@hsc.utah.edu
Elisabeth D. Conradt, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Child & Family Mental Health & Community Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine
VPCAT Mentor: Janice M. Morse, RN, PhD, FAAN
Email: liz.conradt@duke.edu
Adam H. de Havenon, MD, MSCI
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Vascular Neurology, Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: adam.dehavenon@yale.edu
Christopher C. Duncan, MD
Title: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Natividad Acute Rehab Unit
VPCAT Mentors: Julie M. Fritz, PhD, PT, ATC
Bethany G. Everett, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University
VPCAT Mentor: Julie M. Fritz, PhD, PT, ATC
Email: everett.284@osu.edu
Karen J. Gibbins, MD, MSCI
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: gibbins@ohsu.edu
Jia-Wen Guo, PhD, RN
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Health Systems & Science Across the Lifespan, College of Nursing, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Kimberly E. Hanson, MD, MHS
Email: Jia-Wen.Guo@nurs.utah.edu
Ahmad S. Halwani, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Hematology & Hematologic Malignancies, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Michael A. Rubin, MD, PhD, MS
Email: ahmad.halwani@hci.utah.edu
Anna R. Ibele, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Kristen A. Keefe, PhD
Email: anna.ibele@hsc.utah.edu
Priyanka Kanth, MSCI, FACG, AGAF, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: priyanka.kanth@hsc.utah.edu
Anne V. Kirby, PhD, OTR/L
Title: Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy, Trinity College Dublin
VPCAT Mentor: Bert N. Uchino, PhD
Email: ANNE.KIRBY@tcd.ie
Younghee Lee, PhD
Title: Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University
VPCAT Mentor: Janice M. Morse, RN, PhD, FAAN
Email: amazon@snu.ac.kr
John S. Magel, DSc, PT
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training, College of Health, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Bert N. Uchino, PhD
Email: Jake.Magel@hsc.utah.edu
Sarah Majercik, MD, MBA
Title: Surgeon and Director of Trauma Research, Department of General Surgery, Intermountain Health
VPCAT Mentor: Siam Oottamasathien, MD
Email: sarah.majercik@imail.org
Cindy B. Matsen, MD, MSCI
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Bert N. Uchino, PhD
Email: Cindy.Matsen@hsc.utah.edu
Megan M. Reynolds, PhD, MA
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, College of Social and Behavioral Science, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: megan.reynolds@soc.utah.edu
Rashmee U. Shah, MD, MS
Title: Clinical Research Scientist, Associate Professor, Reality Labs, Meta Platforms
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: Rashmee.Shah@utah.edu
Edward A. Stenehjem, MD
Title: Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Medicine
VPCAT Mentor: Kimberly E. Hanson, MD, MHS
Email: eddie.stenehjem@cuanschutz.edu
Anne Thackeray, PhD, PT, MPH
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training, College of Health, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Janice M. Morse, RN, PhD, FAAN
Email: A.Thackeray@m.cc.utah.edu
Joseph E. Tonna, MD, MS
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: joseph.tonna@hsc.utah.edu
Jaclyn M. Winter, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Kimberly E. Hanson, MD, MHS
Email: Jaclyn.Winter@utah.edu
Nancy A. Allen, PhD, ANP-BC
Title: Professor, Division of Health Systems & Science Across the Lifespan, College of Nursing, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie M. Fritz, PhD, PT, ATC
Email: nancy.allen@nurs.utah.edu
Jeremiah A. Alt, MD, PhD, FACS
Title: Research Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Kristen A. Keefe, PhD
Email: Jeremiah.Alt@hsc.utah.edu
Adam P. Bress, PharmD, MS
Title: Professor, Division of Health System Innovation & Research, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Michael A. Rubin, MD, PhD, MS
Email: Adam.Bress@hsc.utah.edu
Mingnan Chen, PhD, MSc
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Michael B. Cohen, MD
Email: mingnan.chen@utah.edu
Andrew J. Gawron, MD, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine
VPCAT Mentor: Siam Oottamasathien, MD
Email: andrew.gawron@hsc.utah.edu
Lori M. Gawron, MD, MPH, FACOG
Title: Professor, Division of Family Planning, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: lori.gawron@hsc.utah.edu
Heidi A. Hanson, PhD, MS
Title: Group Leader, Biostatistics and Multiscale Systems Modeling, Oak Ridge National Library
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: Hansonha@ornl.gov
Noah A. Kolb, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, Larner College of Medicine
VPCAT Mentor: Jennifer J. Majersik, MD, MS
Email: noah.kolb@uvmhealth.org
Stephen H. McKellar, MD, MSc
Title: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery, Intermountain Health
VPCAT Mentor: Siam Oottamasathien, MD
Email: stephen.mckellar@hsc.utah.edu
Miguel M. Paz Soldán, MD, PhD
Title: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: mateo.pazsoldan@hsc.utah.edu
Anandh Babu Pon Velayutham, PhD, MS, MPhil
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Michael A. Rubin, MD, PhD, MS
Email: anandh.velayutham@utah.edu
Ana C. Sanchez-Birkhead, PhD, WHNP-BC, APRN
Title: Retired Faculty (Associate Professor, Division of Health Systems & Science across the Lifespan, DCollege of Nursing, University of Utah)
VPCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Deborah M. Stephens, DO
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: deborah_stephens@med.unc.edu
Alexandra L. Terrill, PhD, MS
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Occupational & Recreational Therapies, College of Health, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Kristen A. Keefe, PhD
Email: alex.terrill@hsc.utah.edu
Brooks R. Keeshin, MD
Title: Professor, Division of Pediatric Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: brooks.keeshin@hsc.utah.edu
Susana W. Keeshin, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: Susana.Keeshin@hsc.utah.edu
Deanna L. Kepka, PhD, MPH
Title: Professor, Division of Health Systems and Science Across the Lifespan, College of Nursing, University of Utah
PCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: deanna.kepka@utah.edu
Brian M. McGinley, MD
Title: Professor, Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: Brian.McGinley@hsc.utah.edu
Thomas A. Miller, DO
Title: Physician, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, MaineHealth
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: tamiller@mmc.org
Robert J. Bollo, MD, MS, FAANS, FACS, FAAP
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: robert.bollo@hsc.utah.edu
Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD, FACS
Title: Professor, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Kimberly E. Hanson, MD, MHS
Email: benjamin.brooke@hsc.utah.edu
Melissa Cheng, MD, MOH, MHS
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Janice M. Morse, RN, PhD, FAAN
Email: Melissa.cheng@hsc.utah.edu
Jane M. Dyer, PhD, CNM, FNP, MBA
Title: Retired Faculty (Associate Professor, Division of Health Systems & Community-Based Care, College of Nursing, University of Utah)
VPCAT Mentor: Paul C. Young, MD
Summer B. Gibson, MD
Title: Associate Professor and Chief, Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, Department of Neurology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: summer.gibson@hsc.utah.edu
Skyler G. Jennings, AuD, PhD, CCC-A
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Health, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Kimberly E. Hanson, MD, MHS
Email: skyler.jennings@hsc.utah.edu
Sujee Jeyapalina, PhD, MS
Title: Research Associate Professor, Division of Plastic surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: sujee.jeyapalina@hsc.utah.edu
Giavonni Lewis, MD, FACS
Title: Professor, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Michael A. Rubin, MD, PhD, MS
Email: Giavonni.lewis@hsc.utah.edu
Catherine M. Loc-Carrillo, PhD, MSc
Title: Life & Health Coach, The Hormetic Path
VPCAT Mentor: Julie L. Wambaugh, PhD, CCC-SLP
William T. Lowrance, MD, MPH
Title: Chief Medical Officer, Vesica Health & Urolog[EW18.1]ic Oncologist, Division of Urologic Oncology, Department of Urology, Bon Secours Mercy Health
VPCAT Mentor: Michael B. Cohen, MD
Email: will.lowrance@hsc.utah.edu
Scott McNally, MD, PhD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Clinical Radiology, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Janice M. Morse, RN, PhD, FAAN
Email: scott.mcnally@hsc.utah.edu
Jose N. Nativi Nicolau
Title: Professor, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine and Science
VPCAT Mentor: Kimberly E. Hanson, MD, MHS
Email: nativinicolau.jose@mayo.edu
Quynh C. Nguyen
Title: Intramural Investigator, NIH National Institute of Nursing Research
VPCAT Mentor: Janice M. Morse, RN, PhD, FAAN
Email: quynh.nguyen3@nih.gov
Robert Schlaberg, MD, Dr Med, MPH
Title: Vice President and Distinguished Scientist, Infectious Disease, Illumina, Inc.
VPCAT Mentor: Paul C. Young, MD
Email: rschlaberg@illumina.com
Adam M. Spivak, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: adam.spivak@hsc.utah.edu
Vanessa W. Stevens, PhD
Title: Research Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentor: Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: vanessa.stevens@hsc.utah.edu
Gail L. Towsley, PhD, NHA
Title: Professor, Division of Health Systems & Science Across the Lifespan, College of Nursing, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Paul C. Young, MD
Email: gail.towsley@nurs.utah.edu
Yelena P. Wu, PhD
Title: Professor, Department of Dermatology, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
VPCAT Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Email: yelena.wu@hsc.utah.edu
Erin K. Zinkhan, MD, BSBE
Title: Neonatologist, Intermountain Health & Adjunct Associate Professor, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: erin.zinkhan@hsc.utah.edu
Heather D. Campbell, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: cheather@wustl.edu
Richard K. Gurgel, MD, MSCI
Title: Professor, Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
VPCAT Mentor: Leigh A. Neumayer, MD, MS, FACS
Email: richard.gurgel@hsc.utah.edu
Gang Luo, PhD
Title: Professor, Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, University of Washington
VPCAT Mentor: Michael B. Cohen, MD
Email: luogang@uw.edu
Jeremy Meier, MD
Title: Professor, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: jeremy.meier@hsc.utah.edu
Niloy J. Samadder, MD
Title: Professor, Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Mayo Clinic Arizona
VPCAT Mentor: Michael B. Cohen, MD
Email: Samadder.Jewel@mayo.edu
Robert L. Schmidt, MD, PhD, MBA
Title: Clinical Pathologist (Deceased)
VPCAT Mentor: Michael B. Cohen, MD
Emily R.M. Sydnor Spivak, MD, MHS
Title: Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine
VPCAT Mentor: John D. Phillips, PhD
Email: emily.sydnor@hsc.utah.edu
Jessica Ann Walsh, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine
VPCAT Mentor: Leigh A. Neumayer, MD, MS, FACS
Email: jessica.walsh@hsc.utah.edu
Theresa L. Werner, MD
Title: Professor, Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine
VPCAT Mentor: Leigh A. Neumayer, MD, MS, FACS
Email: theresa.werner@hci.utah.edu
Tellen D. Bennett, MD, MS
Title: Professor, Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: tell.bennett@cuanschutz.edu
Rafael Firszt, MD
Title: Specialist, Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, Rocky Mountain Allergy, Tanner Clinic
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Anne C. Kirchhoff, PhD, MPH
Title: Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: anne.kirchhoff@hci.utah.edu
Holly L. Spraker-Perlman, MD, MS
Title: Professor, Division of Pediatric Palliative Care, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: Holly.Spraker-Perlman@hsc.utah.edu
Brandon A. Zielinski, MD, PhD
Title: Clinical Associate Professor and Chief, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: bzielinski.florida@gmail.com
Phillip T. Burch, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Mississippi
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: pburch@umc.edu
Karin Chen, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: karin.chen@seattlechildrens.org
Aimee O. Hersh, MD
Title: Professor, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: aimee.hersh@hsc.utah.edu
Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD
Title: Professor, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: adam.hersh@hsc.utah.edu
Siam Oottamasathien, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: siam.oottamasathien@childrens.harvard.edu
Catherine M.T. Sherwin, PhD
Title: Vice President Clinical Pharmacology & Pharmacometrics, Differentia Bio
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Victoria L. Wilkins, MD, MPH
Title: Associate Professor, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: victoria.wilkins@hsc.utah.edu
Susan L. Benedict, MD
Title: Retired Faculty (Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah)
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Pamela A. Clarkson Freeman, PhD, MSW
Title: Senior Associate, Annie E. Casey Foundation
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: gafpac7@gmail.com
Mark N. Fluchel, MD
Title: Professor, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: Mark.Fluchel@seattlechildrens.org
Chuanchau J. Jou, DO, PhD
Title: Pediatric Cardiologist, Wasatch Pediatric Cardiology
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: jerry_jou@hotmail.com
Tracy A. Manuck, MD, MS
Title: Professor, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department Obstetrics & Gynecology, UNC School of Medicine
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: tmanuck@med.unc.edu
Ryan R. Metzger, PhD
Title: Medical Writer & Research Consultant, RM Biosciences
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: metzger2020@gmail.com
Marcia L. Feldkamp, PhD, PA, MSPH
Title: Retired Faculty (Research Professor, Division of Pediatric Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah)
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Eliotte L. Hirshberg, MD
Title: Professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: ellie.hirshberg@imail.org
Lauri A. Linder, PhD, APRN, CPON
Title: Professor, Division of Health Systems & Science across the Lifespan, College of Nursing, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: lauri.linder@nurs.utah.edu
Shaji C. Menon, MBBS, MD, MS
Title: Pediatric Cardiologist, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: Shaji.Menon@hsc.utah.edu
Joshua D. Schiffman, MD
Title: Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: joshua.schiffman@hci.utah.edu
Aditya K. Kaza, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Harvard University
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: aditya.kaza@cardio.chboston.org
Nelangi M. Pinto, MD
Title: Professor, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Washington School of Medicine/Seattle Children's Hospital
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: Nelangi.Pinto@seattlechildrens.org
Julie H. Shakib, DO, MS, MPH
Title: Professor, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: julie.shakib@hsc.utah.edu
Mandy A. Allison, MD, MSPH
Title: Professor, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: mandy.allison@cuanschutz.edu
Krow Ampofo, MBChB
Title: Professor, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: krow.ampofo@hsc.utah.edu
Cammon B. Arrington, MD
Title: Pediatric Cardiologist, Stanford Children's Health Specialty Services
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Kimberly S. Bennett, MD, MPH/MSPH
Title: Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: kim.bennett@ucdenver.edu
Anne J. Blaschke, MD, PhD
Title: Professor, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: anne.blaschke@hsc.utah.edu
Kristine A. Campbell, MD, MSc
Title: Professor, Division of Safe & Healthy Families, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: kristine.campbell@hsc.utah.edu
Per H. Gesteland, MD, MSc
Title: Professor, Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: per.gesteland@hsc.utah.edu
Maija Holsti, MD, MPH
Title: Professor, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: maija.holsti@hsc.utah.edu
Nicole L. Mihalopoulos, MD, MPH
Title: Physician, Ever Better Health
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Elizabeth V. Saarel, MD, FAAP, FACC, FHRS
Title: Pediatric Cardiologist, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, St. Luke's Health System
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Tamara D. Simon, MD, MSPH
Title: Professor, Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: tamarasi@usc.edu
Kathleen Ventre, MD
Title: Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Albany Medical College
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Andrew S. Zeft, MD
Title: Pediatric Rheumatologist, Center for Pediatric Rheumatology and Immunology, Cleveland Clinic
PCAT Mentors: Carrie L. Byington, MD & Heather T. Keenan, MDCM, PhD
Email: zefta@ccf.org