Category: Department News
Spotlight on Assistant Professor Joshua Niznik
UNC Geriatrics recognizes Joshua Niznik, PharmD, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Geriatric Medicine, for his recent accomplishments. Dr. Niznik was recently appointed to the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) editorial board, was lead author of a COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy study, and was interviewed for an AARP article on the … Continued
Dr. Alyssa Tilly Receives Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Physicians Award
The Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Physicians Award is an honor only six physicians every two years receive. Alyssa Tilly, MD, assistant professor in the Division of General Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, and the UNC Palliative Care Program, has been named a 2022 recipient. “I was overwhelmed with gratitude,” Dr. Tilly said. “I feel so fortunate to be able to work in a field … Continued
Dr. Kenichi Okuda Receives New Horizons Grant from Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute
Kenichi Okuda, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary Diseases & Critical Care Medicine, has been awarded a grant from the Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute (CFRI) for his project, “Pathways Maintaining Basal Mucin and CFTR-mediated Fluid Secretion in the Human Distal Airway.” As the principal investigator, Dr. Okuda will receive $140,000 over … Continued
Dr. Commins Explains How You Can Develop an Allergy to Red Meat if Bitten by This Tick
Dr. Scott Commins, MD, PhD, in the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, is an Alpha-gal Syndrome (red meat allergy) expert. He explains how a bite from a Lone Star Tick could impact your health. There’s the more subtle presentation. “They have terrible abdominal cramping and pain and diarrhea, maybe nausea and vomiting, and it’s all actually due to the same allergy,” … Continued
From Observing Patients to Artwork: Medical Humanities Program seeks to Improve Clinical Observation in Internal Medicine Residents
Each morning, Internal Medicine residents take their seats for Morning Report, a case-based resident-led discussion in which Internal Medicine residents share patient case material, develop their diagnostic skills, and solve cases together. But, four or five times a year, instead of analyzing a patient, the residents are presented with classical music, poetry, or Renaissance era … Continued
Dr. Stephan Moll Working with NASA to Study Blood Flow, Clot Formation in Zero Gravity
Are astronauts more likely to develop blood clots during space missions due to zero gravity? That’s the question NASA is trying to answer with help from UNC School of Medicine’s Stephan Moll, MD, professor in the Division of Hematology within the UNC Department of Medicine. A new publication in Vascular Medicine shows the results of an occupational surveillance program spurred by … Continued
Dr. Shakira J. Grant selected for PRIDE, hopes to encourage others to find their purpose
As an assistant professor in the Divisions of Hematology and Geriatric Medicine, and a board-certified Geriatric-Hematologist, Dr. Shakira J. Grant, MBBS, is no stranger to success, but she has had to overcome many challenges along the way. Now, selected for the 2022 Programs to Increase Diversity Among Individuals Engaged in Health-Related Research (PRIDE) cohort, she hopes this … Continued
Dr. Young Awarded NIH Grant to Study Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support
Dr. Laura Young, MD, PhD, an associate professor in the Division of Endocrinology, has received a grant from the National Institute of Health to increase uptake of diabetes self-management education. According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 37.3 million people live with diabetes. The challenges, costs, and complications of living with diabetes can be minimized with prop … Continued
Department welcomes two new communication specialists
The Department of Medicine would like to welcome two new communication specialists to the family. Kendall Daniels and Morgan Duerden will be providing a number of roles and services for the Department and its Divisions. Their focus will be telling patient and physician stories, highlighting clinical research and supporting internal and external communications through websites, ne … Continued
Kidney Transplants Saved Her Life — Twice
When Betsy Crais was a graduate student, she started having abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal symptoms and went to her doctor to find out what was wrong. “He showed me the X-rays—I had black holes all over my kidneys,” she says. Those “black holes” were cysts from polycystic kidney disease. That was more than 35 years ago. Since then, Crais has undergone two kidney transp … Continued