Author Archives: Kim Morris

A multidisciplinary team of interventionalists, electrophysiologists, and cardiac imaging specialists in the division of cardiology implanted the 100th WATCHMAN device on September 16. Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac dysrhythmia, is associated with a high risk for stroke in many patients. To reduce this risk, many patients are prescribed...

Heather Boykin, DNP, a nurse practitioner on the inpatient palliative care consult team with years of experience in dialysis, and Emily Chang, MD, assistant professor in the division of nephrology and hypertension, have partnered to form the Kidney Palliative Care Clinic (KPCC), a unique collaboration and the first of its...

Racial and ethnic diversity among healthcare professionals is crucial to providing high quality healthcare that is accessible, equitable, and culturally competent. The provision of culturally competent healthcare requires a community that thinks intentionally about inclusion at all levels. It also requires a workforce that represents the population and communities that...

Heart failure has always had one of the highest readmission rates of any condition and approximately 80% of patients presenting to the ED with heart failure are admitted. These are costly encounters and historically, patients have had few alternatives when their oral diuretic regimens fail. The Outpatient Diuresis Clinic at...

Seth Berkowitz, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the division of general medicine, is principal investigator for a five-year “R01” grant to support a randomized clinical trial involving 200 individuals with Type 2 diabetes and food insecurity. In partnership with Community Servings and Massachusetts General Hospital, the $2.9 million grant from...

Jessica Lin, MD, MSCR, assistant professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases, is featured in a new Endeavors article recognizing researchers who are helping to make UNC the most cited university in the nation for coronavirus research. Lin leads a study exploring how COVID-19 spreads within households after members...

Ross Boyce, MD, MSc, assistant professor in the division of infectious diseases, is currently leading a longitudinal study in Chatham County to understand how and why SARS-CoV-2 is spreading through this population — data that are direly needed since most of the current data rely on “imperfect disease markers,” or information...

Michael Herce, MD, MPH, MSc, assistant professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases, participated in a Q&A video, in Spanish, in an effort to reach Latino communities and encourage participation in COVID-19 clinical trials. The Latino communities in North Carolina and across the U.S. have been disproportionally affected...

In a recent "Joint Action" rheumatology podcast, Leigh Callahan, PhD, the Mary Link Briggs Distinguished Professor of Medicine in the division of rheumatology, allergy and immunology, highlights changes that are needed in health care systems and polices to reduce the impact of osteoarthritis, a leading cause of disability. She also...

Saira Sheikh, MD, assistant professor of medicine in the division of rheumatology, allergy and immunology, discussed the nuances of allergy symptoms and those commonly associated with COVID-19 in an interview with WRAL’s Go Ask Mom. While the symptoms are similar, like cough and occasionally shortness of breath in kids with...

Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS, told WRAL’s Go Ask Mom that while museums may be open, that doesn’t mean everyone can go back to visiting them like they did in the past. “Whatever the activity — playing sports, going to the beach or visiting a museum — there is risk during the...

The annual Thomas Jefferson Award recognizes a UNC faculty member who, through personal influence and performance of duty in teaching, writing and scholarship, has best exemplified the ideals and objectives of Thomas Jefferson. UNC faculty members nominate candidates for the honor, which carries a cash prize; a faculty committee chooses...