
Recent Highlights
Clinical Trials
Other inpatient trials actively recruiting include Kinevant, which is aimed at assessing the safety and efficacy of Gimsilumab in subjects with acute lung injury or ARDS, and Celularity, evaluating the efficacy of natural killer cell infusions in adults with COVID-19.
In the outpatient setting, investigators are working with Eli Lilly, to assess the efficacy of potential monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19. Several convalescent plasma studies are currently in start-up and include collaborations with Johns Hopkins University, the Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund, and the NIH. College of Medicine – Phoenix and Banner – UMC Phoenix research teams are also participating in a multi-center, observational study aimed at identifying predictors of severe COVID-19 outcomes. The College of Medicine – Phoenix biorepository team is actively collecting blood samples from patients admitted and diagnosed with COVID-19 for future investigation.
Additional Highlights
- On May 11, during the college’s virtual graduation ceremony, Maricela Moffitt, MD, MPH, professor of Internal Medicine, was awarded the Stuart D. Flynn, MD, Master Educator teaching excellence award.
- From a high volume of applicants, Ricardo Correa, MD, was appointed to the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine Health Disparities Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) for his efforts with minorities and health care disparities in Graduate Medical Education.
- July of 2019, the Internal Medicine Center welcomed Jennifer Nelson, DO, to the clinic. Dr. Nelson is a graduate of the the Internal Medicine Residency at the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix. During her time with the program, she served as one of the chief residents, focusing on quality improvement and patient care at the hospital.
- In May, 2019, work being done by Radha Gopalan, MD, and Robin Blackstone, MD, to help obese patients become eligible for heart transplants was featured in Modern Healthcare.
- Guadalupe Federico, PhD, was selected to receive the 2019 Maria Teresa Velez Outstanding Mentor Award by the UA Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The prestigious award honors individuals who have significantly demonstrated an outstanding commitment to mentoring and who are making a difference within the University of Arizona. She will be presented the award during a ceremony on April 9.
Banner Southwest Liver Disease Symposium
- Residents and faculty from the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix's Internal Medicine Residency took top honors in an academic competition at the American College of Physicians.
- Audrey Lee, MD, received first place in the Patient Safety/Quality Improvement Poster competition.
- Tae Change, MD, placed first in the PGY1 Poster competition.
- Waseem Albasha, MD, Cris Molina, MD, and Maria Martin, MD, placed first in the Doctors’ Dilemma competition.
- Allison Bigeh, DO, placed second in the Oral Clinical Vignette competition.
- Victor Karikari, DO, placed third in the Case Report Poster competition.
- Cheryl O'Malley, MD, FACP, was awarded Chapter Laureate.
- Michael Fallon, MD, FACP, was named Researcher of the Year.