Voices of U of U Health
Monthly Momentos: December 2025
This ongoing blog series celebrates people, milestones, and achievements from across our health system. Content is adapted from monthly updates shared with the University of Utah Board of Trustees.
Setting a new record in research funding, bringing oral health services to unsheltered populations, library resources reach global audience of 3.8 million, and more.
Kudos
- Nathorn (Nui) Chaiyakunapruk, PharmD, PhD, professor of pharmacotherapy, was named a 2025 Clarivate “Highly Cited Researcher,” placing his publications among the top 1% most cited worldwide. His global health and health technology assessment research continues to influence policy and practice across infectious and non-communicable disease care.
- Jiahui (Alex) Li, MS, PhD, molecular pharmaceutics postdoctoral fellow/researcher, from the Kopeček /Yang lab, was featured as a Rising Researcher by American Association of Pharmaceutical Sciences (AAPS) Open, for her work to advance cancer treatment with HPMA-based therapeutics.
- The American Public Health Association recognized Brenda Heaton, PhD, associate dean for research and section head for population health at the School of Dentistry, as the inaugural recipient of the Scott L. Tomar Mid-career Public Health Professional Award. The award recognizes her leadership and impact in advancing oral health for underserved communities.
- Kara Dassel, PhD, FGSA, associate dean for academic affairs at the College of Nursing, received the Distinguished Faculty Award from the Gerontological Society of America and the Academy of Gerontology in Higher Education.
- Jaren Kump, a second-year master’s student in health and kinesiology and team captain for the University of Utah football team, was named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, honoring the nation’s top football scholar-athlete. He also earned a spot on the Rimington Trophy Watch List and is completing a thesis on why former athletes experience higher rates of obesity and depression with the aim of improving physical and mental health support for athletes after retirement.
Leadership Announcements
- Grace Lim, MD, MSc, MBA, was named chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, & Pain Medicine, effective February 2026. Lim joins the University of Utah from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine where she was a professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine and chief of the Division of Obstetrics & Women’s Anesthesiology at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.
- Michael A. Zimmerman, MD, was named chief of the division of transplant surgery. Zimmerman is a nationally recognized transplant and hepatobiliary surgeon specializing in liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation. He has been serving as professor of surgery in the Division of Transplant & Advanced Hepatobiliary Surgery at U of U Health, director of pediatric kidney transplantation at Primary Children’s Hospital, and director of transplant research.
- Tracey Nixon, MSN, RN, was named system chief nurse executive, providing system-wide leadership for nursing operations and practice across U of U Health.
- Donna M. Roach, MS, CHCIO, CDH-E, LFCHIME, LFHIMSS, was named system chief digital information officer, providing executive leadership and stewardship for U of U Health’s digital and information technology infrastructure.
- James Sanders, PhD, was named system chief analytics and insights officer, leading the Health System Insight Center, integrating data, analytics, and strategic intelligence to empower enterprise decision-making across clinical care, operations, strategy, and growth.
- Christian Sherwood, MA, was named system chief human resources officer to build a people-centered unified workforce experience, shape culture, and grow teams to meet the needs of our exciting future.
Achievements in Research
- U of U Health surpassed the half-billion dollar mark with $531 million in research funding for FY2025, a testament to the research community's perseverance. These investments support U of U Health's mission of delivering exceptional societal impact by fueling research, advancing knowledge, improving health in Utah and worldwide, and supporting the training of future scientific leaders.
- Half of people who die by suicide have no diagnosed psychiatric risk factors, such as depression. A new genetic study, led by Hillary Coon, PhD, professor of psychiatry, shows that people in this group of unexpected suicides are less likely to have genetic risk factors for depression. The results, published in JAMA Network Open, challenge common stereotypes about suicide risk and show that new approaches to risk prevention are urgently needed.
- The gut microbiome is intimately linked to human health and weight. Now, research led by June Round, PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology, and MD candidate Kendra Klag, PhD, identified a specific type of gut bacteria, called Turicibacter, that improves metabolic health and reduces weight gain in mice on a high-fat diet. If the results hold true in humans, bacteria-derived compounds could be effective therapeutics to promote metabolic health and healthy weight.
Achievements in Clinical Care
- Becker’s Healthcare named University of Utah Hospital to its list of Great Hospitals in America in 2025 for demonstrating a commitment to delivering outstanding patient experiences.
- The Association of Air Medical Services recognized the AirMed Perinatal Team at U of U Health with the Neonatal/Pediatric Transport Award of Excellence for outstanding contributions to neonatal and pediatric transport services.
Achievements in Education
- Representatives from the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine and other areas of U of U Health participated in the Association of American Medical Colleges’ annual Learn Serve Lead conference. Current and former medical school faculty participated as speakers or panelists in nearly 20 different conference sessions. U of U Health’s Scope Radio was at the conference hosting conversations with faculty, students, and administrators from medical schools and health systems around the US.
- In 2025, the Digital Publishing Unit at the Eccles Health Sciences Library (EHSL) helped 3,978 authors publish 2,423 scholarly works across various open access publications, educational repositories, and digital collections. A global audience of 3.8 million—across nearly 200 nations—accessed EHSL-hosted content more than 35 million times.
Community Collaboration
- For a third year, the School of Dentistry participated in the Larry H. Miller Group’s Season of Service event to provide oral health services for unsheltered populations in the Salt Lake area. The school provided 76 dental screenings, applied 56 fluoride treatments, seven child teeth cleanings, nine sealants, and distributed numerous dental hygiene kits. In 2025, the School of Dentistry participated in a total of 33 community outreach events for underserved populations.
