Category: Infectious Diseases
Gay Answers Questions About COVID-19 Vaccines and Vaccine Trials
Cindy Gay, MD, MPH (Photo Credit: Jafar Fallahi) At the onset of the global pandemic, infectious disease colleagues at Carolina and across the U.S. pivoted quickly and formed the COVID Prevention Network (CoVPN). The network coordinates multiple studies, including the current phase 3 clinical trial for Moderna’s mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine. The overall goal of the national study i … Read more
Weber Says UNC Tests Every Patient For COVID-19, Pre-Surgery
David Weber, MD, MPH David Weber, MD, MPH, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases, professor of pediatrics, and professor of epidemiology with the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, was featured in a Blue Ridge Public Radio story that recognized how Mission Health decides to test surgery patients for COVID-19. Weber says testing surgery patients f … Read more
Sickbert-Bennett Discusses How To Safely Go Apple Picking
Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS, associate professor of infectious diseases, explained to USA Today that even if a farm doesn’t require it, people should practice social distancing by staying six feet apart from others, and always wear a face mask while enjoying outdoor activities such as apple picking. “Wearing your mask and keeping at least six f … Read more
Sickbert-Bennett Interviewed By WRAL After White House Ceremony Linked To 8 Covid Cases
Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS In a WRAL interview, Melissa Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS, associate professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases, commented on superspreader events and precautions that are needed after a recent White House ceremony was found to be linked to eight coronavirus cases. “The mask is our best protection to both contain our own secretions, … Read more
Gay, Darden-Tabb, Describe Challenges of COVID-19 Trial Participants
Cindy Gay, MD, MPH (photo credit: Hannah Critchfield, NC Health News ) and Noshima Darden-Tabb Cindy Gay, MD, MPH, associate professor in the division of infectious diseases, and Noshima Darden-Tabb, community engagement manager for Moderna’s UNC COVID-19 trial site, discussed the challenges associated with recruiting participants that represent those most impacted by the virus. … Read more
UNC Researchers Study COVID-19 Transmission Among NC Meat Packing Plant Workers and Farmworkers
Natalie Bowman, MD, MPH Led by Natalie Bowman, MD MPH, assistant professor of medicine in infectious diseases, UNC researchers are studying COVID-19 prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for transmission among meat packing plant and farmworkers in a new observational study, COFF-NC (COVID-19 in Farming and Food processing industries in North Carolina). Meat packing plants and f … Read more
Department of Medicine Grants & Funding: September 1 – September 30, 2020
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Jennifer Goralski, MD, received an NIH K23 grant to study “Quantitation and Spatial Registration of Airways Dysfunction With Dynamic 19F MRI In Cystic Fibrosis.” Division of Infectious Diseases Victor Garcia-Martinez, PhD, received an NIAID grant in the amount of $621,932 to study “In Vivo Evaluation of HIV Latency Reversal Strateg … Read more
Lin’s COVID-19 Research Highlighted In Endeavors Magazine
Jessica Lin, MD 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 are infected. “Of course I think … Read more
Boyce Leads Longitudinal COVID-19 Study in Chatham County
Ross Boyce, MD, MSc 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 about the disease that’s easier to … Read more
Herce Answers Common Questions About COVID-19 Clinical Trials in Spanish Language Video
Michael Herce, MD, MPH 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 by the coronaviru … Read more
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Sickbert-Bennett Tells Parents How To Safely Visit Museums During Pandemic
Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS 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 pandemic,” said Sickbert-Bennett, associate professor of medicine in th … Read more
Adimora Receives UNC’s Thomas Jefferson Award
Adaora A. Adimora, MD, MPH 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 the recipient. C … Read more