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FEBRUARY 3, 2025
What you will learn in this week's Bulletin:
- Renal Medicine announces new Fellowship Program Director
- Colleen Kraft, MD, spearheads new ASM Health Scientific Unit
- The Hospitalist magazine spotlights Khaalisha Ajala, MD, MBA
- Emory News Center interviews Rheumatology researchers
- 2025 Emory Physician Scientist Symposium
- 2/7 Ease of Research Town Hall
- Black History Month Celebrations
Scroll down to read more!
DOM ANNOUNCEMENTS
The most recent update on federal funding from the Senior Vice President for Research
On Wednesday, January 29, Emory's Senior Vice President for Research, Deborah Watkins Bruner, RN, PhD, FAAN, sent an email update on the pause on federal grants, NIH Clinical Trials, HHS and NIH information, as well as the NSF review panels. They also announced the Office of SVPR's new webpage, which provides guidance about the grants lifecycle and posts publicly available information as it becomes available. At this fluid moment, they recommend continuing funded research and preparing submissions unless we hear otherwise and believe study sections will resume in February. Emory and the DOM will keep you updated as we learn more.
Jason Cobb, MD, named Program Director for the Emory Nephrology Fellowship
We are pleased to announce that Jason Cobb, MD, has been named the Program Director for the Emory Nephrology Fellowship. Before stepping into this new role officially on Saturday, February 1, Dr. Cobb had served as the Associate Program Director since 2017.
Dr. Cobb has been a leader in education with several leadership roles at Emory and with national organizations. His educational roles include serving alongside Jeanie Park, MD, as the co-PIs of the NIH R25 Summer Undergraduate Program in Emory Renal Research (SUPERR).
He is also the faculty advisor for the Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program (KDSAP) at Emory College, which provides kidney health screenings in underserved areas and gives students exposure to the field of nephrology. He is a former member of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Workforce and Training Committee and received the ASN Distinguished Educator Award (2023).
The DOM's Office of Education would like to extend their gratitude to James Bailey, MS, the fellowship's outgoing Program Director. We all thank, Dr. Bailey, for his dedicated service in this role since 2002.
Colleen Kraft, MD, spearheads the new American Society for Microbiology Health Scientific Unit
The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) recently announced the launch of the ASM Health Scientific Unit, which will address critical health issues through microbial science.
This new unit will be spearheaded by newly appointed Scientific Director Dev Mittar, PhD, and ASM Health Chair, Colleen Kraft, MD, (Infectious Diseases). Together they will lead the unit alongside an interim Scientific Advisory Council comprising 14 experts representing diverse sub-disciplines of health-related microbiology.
The Hospitalist magazine spotlights Khaalisha Ajala, MD, MBA
Last month, Emory at Grady hospitalist and Emory Division of Hospital Medicine (EDHM) faculty member Khaalisha Ajala, MD, MBA, was featured on the cover of The Hospitalist magazine as part of a feature on U.S. hospitalists’ work on global health. In the story, she describes how her work as the founder of a U.S.-based nonprofit, A Tribe Called Health, prompted her to volunteer first with Emory Health Against Human Trafficking, annually visiting a children’s orphanage in northern Thailand with Emory medical students, and then Emory’s Global Health Scholars Residency Program.
In the residency program, she serves as medical faculty for both Emory and Ethiopian medical residents at Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa. She has also done recent volunteer work in Accra, Ghana, and Dharamsala, India.In her work closer to home, Dr. Ajala is an Assistant Professor engaged in numerous advocacy efforts, particularly for underserved populations. She participated in the Leadership in Health Policy (LEAHP) Program as well as the Vot-ER Health Fellowship.
She serves as the Assistant Site Director for Education for more than 60 physicians and advanced practice providers including ongoing coordination of a variety of educational topics including understanding Medicare and Medicaid for our patients, community resources for the unhoused, and trauma-informed care.
Dr. Ajala joins another Hospital Medicine faculty member featured on the cover of The Hospitalist, Annie Massart, MD, who was chosen to highlight a feature on best practices for bedside rounding in October 2023.
Emory News Center interviews Rheumatology researchers
In a recent Emory News Center article, "New research from Emory University provides insight into reduced COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in lupus patients", Katia Faliti, PhD, and Iñaki Sanz, MD, from DOM's
Division of Rheumatology are interviewed.
Read an excerpt of the article below and click the button to read the full story.
A recent study by Emory University researchers provides new insights into why the mRNA vaccines developed to fight COVID-19 in 2021 are less effective in patients with autoimmune diseases. By providing insights into the cellular processes behind that lessened protection the new study published in Nature Immunology highlights that lupus patients may require tailored vaccination strategies to enhance protection against COVID-19. The findings could also offer insights into the potential and limits of alternative ways to create immunity to COVID-19 through vaccines.
Final Reminder for Abstracts:
2025 Emory Physician Scientist Symposium
2025 Emory Physician-Scientist Symposium
Friday, April 4 | HSRB I and II
Abstract Deadline: Thursday, February 6
This collaboration across Physician Scientist Training Programs at Emory is aimed at anyone with clinical training and who devotes time to clinical, basic, or translational research. There will be career development scientific information sessions and networking opportunities. Abstracts must be limited to 350 words and include sections for: background, methods, results, and conclusions.
All DOM faculty are invited to attend the Faculty Education, Enrichment, and Development (FEED) Conference virtually on March 28. After last year's success, this year's theme will again focus on the exciting topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI)!
Why should you attend?
- Cutting-Edge Insights: Learn about the latest updates in AI at Emory, including its impact on education, clinical practice, and research.
- Hands-on Learning Opportunities: Choose from multiple breakout sessions tailored to different interests, such as transforming clinical care, leveraging digital tools, and exploring the pearls and pitfalls of AI's role in research.
- Expert Discussions: Engage with thought leaders on the integrity of scientific publications in the age of generative AI.
- Practical Applications: Learn about AI applications that can enhance productivity and support work-life integration
- Networking: Connect with peers and experts in the field, fostering opportunities for collaboration and further engagement in faculty development initiatives.
Atlanta Business Chronicle honors Ugochi Ohuabunwa, MD
Please join us in congratulating Geriatrics and Gerontology faculty member, Ugochi Ohuabunwa, MD on her recent recognition by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. She was selected for their 2025 Health Care Champion Award which honors frontline healthcare heroes.
Dr. Ohuabunwa will be recognized in the Innovator of the Year - Senior Health Category, at their awards ceremony in March 2025.
Woodruff Health Science Communications Reminders
The Woodruff Health Sciences Center communications team recently shared the following resources. They look forward to further amplifying all of the great work being done throughout the schools, departments, centers, and institutions.
- Photography services rates: Jack Kearse’s rates for photography services have changed to align with market value. You can see the latest rates on the WHSC site here. If you need photography, please fill out the Photo & Video request form to initiate a project.
- Social media coordination: The Woodruff Health Sciences Center LinkedIn page was recently launched to amplify news items, leadership announcements, and staff awards. If you have content that would would like for WHSC to share, please reach out to healthsciences@emory.edu.
- Media training: If you have a need for trained media spokespeople on specific topics, feel free to connect with Georgia Parmelee or your media contact who can help arrange a small-group training or seminar-style presentation for a larger group.
Questions? Please contact Brian Katzowitz, Associate Vice President for Communications, Woodruff Health Sciences Center.
February is American Heart Month. Over the next few weeks, we look forward to spotlighting our Division of Cardiology team members.
To kick off the month, we invite you to celebrate National Wear Red Day. By wearing red, you can help bring attention to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in women. This Friday, wear your favorite red item, and get your colleagues, community, and loved ones involved too!
Planning to celebrate with us? Capture the moment and send us your photos through email or tag us on social media with the hashtag #WearRedDay.
Grady UpToDate Announcement
Recently, Grady, Emory, and Morehouse made a joint decision to no longer specifically fund UpToDate on the Grady campus. Part of that decision was based on the fact that all school-based providers have existing access through their Emory accounts. Please click the button to download the tip sheet for information on how to best use UpToDate in a variety of environments.
Please note that Grady will continue to explore additional online educational options.
RESEARCH CORNER
February DOM Ease of Research Initiative Town Hall
When: Friday, February 7, 2025, noon–1 p.m.
Where: Hybrid: SOM 178P, Zoom
Guests: Robin Ginn, Associate Vice President in the Office for Clinical Research (OCR), and
Donald Harvey, Executive Director, Woodruff Industry-Sponsored Clinical Trials (WISC)
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
This February and year-round, we want to take the time to honor and recognize the Black community and their immense contributions to the United States. This month, we also will spotlight the outstanding achievements and team members right here in the Department of Medicine. Last year, we shared the story, "Emory’s Department of Medicine gets intentional about increasing the number of Black Female Professors." Read an excerpt below and click the button to read the full article.
"Representation is everything. I have witnessed each of these amazing Black women Professors attain levels in their career to which I aspire. They teach me, mentor me, sponsor me, and cheer for me. They are my motivation to be to the next generation what they have been to me. In seeing them, I see myself."
—Zanthia Wiley, MD, FHM, FIDSA (Infectious Diseases)
Save the Dates: Emory Black History Month Events
We hope that you will join Emory in celebrating this month, keep scrolling to see what's planned. Stay tuned for more updates over the upcoming weeks!
Emory Univerisity's Race and Difference Colloquium Series
noon–1:30 p.m. |Robert W. Woodruff Library (Jones Room)
Come hear from local and national speakers presenting academic research on contemporary questions of race and intersecting dimensions of difference. Lunch is provided and an RSVP is requested.
Monday, February 3: Jeremiah Favara, Gonzaga University,
You can be Black and Navy Too: Race and inclusion
Monday, February 10: Moon Charania, Spelman College
Archive of Tongues: An Intimate History of Brownness
Monday, February 17: Brandi T. Summers, Columbia University,
How to Kill a (Black) City: Urbicide and Power Geometries of Place in Oakland, CA
Monday, February 24: Lashawanda Pittman, University of Washington
Grandmothering While Black: A Twenty-First-Century Story of Love, Coercion, and Survival
James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference: Critical Approaches to Race, Racism & Health Equity in the Early 21st Century
Friday, February 7 | noon–1:30 p.m. |Woodruff Library (Floor 3)
Chandra L. Ford
Professor, African American Studies
Professor, Behavioral, Social and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health
Soul Food Gospel Fest 2025
Sunday, February 16 | 3–5 p.m | Emory Student Center Multipurpose Rooms
Soul Food Gospel Fest is an annual concert hosted by the Voices of Inner Strength Gospel Choir that brings together various choirs and groups during Black History Month. Soul food and refreshments will be served.
21st Annual Hamilton E. Holmes Memorial Lecture: AI For Equity
Wednesday February 19 | 5–6:30 p.m. | Zoom
Join the Emory SOM community for the 21st Annual Hamilton E. Holmes Memorial Lecture. This lecture series is hosted each year in honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Holmes, who was the first African American to graduate from Emory School of Medicine.
This year's lecture, titled "AI for Equity: Shaping the Future of Healthcare," will be delivered by Anant Madabhushi, PhD, Director of AI Health at Emory University with moderator, Jeff Livingston, Founding Partner of EdSolutions Center for Education Market Dynamics.
MEDICINE GRAND ROUNDS
Tomorrow's Medicine Grand Rounds
#MedicineGrandRound
Tuesday, February 4 | noon–1 p.m. | Zoom
Zoom Link Meeting ID: 940 3699 7411
Passcode: MGR
Topic: Diagnostic Stewardship
Speaker: Eli Wilber, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Infectious Diseases
Emory University School of Medicine
For more information about Medicine Grand Rounds, visit bitly.com/grandround.
STAFF NEWS
DOM staff honored during the
School of Medicine's second annual awards ceremony
Newcomer Award: Emily Twa, Department of Medicine
In her first year as senior business manager in the Department of Medicine (DOM), Emily Twa tackled complex, high-impact projects. Her accomplishments include leading the planning and implementation of the DOM’s emergency preparedness and site safety plans, coordinating detailed faculty compensation letters with external benchmarks, creating a survey to collect Emory Clinic physician metrics for incentives, and developing an electronic review process for faculty recruitment packets.
The Clinical and Translational Science Alliance (CTSA) Informatics Research team includes Sreekar Anugu, Ryan Birmingham, Barney Chan, Nita Deshpande, Dileep Gunda, Venkatesh Javvayi, Matthew Pagel, Michael Proctor, Chad Robichaux, Julia Schneider, and Megan Schwinne.
Team Excellence Award | Research/Science Department of Biomedical Informatics: Clinical and Translational Science Alliance (CTSA) Informatics
The Clinical and Translational Science Alliance (CTSA) Informatics Research team was recognized for their critical contributions to clinical and translational research, including clinical data extraction, infrastructure building, analytics, and machine learning. A major achievement was deploying a homegrown sepsis prediction model in the Epic EMR environment. The team adapted workflows and data, developed processing pipelines, created standard operating procedures, and supported ongoing model evaluation and development. Their work enabled the predictive model to identify sepsis onset up to six hours earlier than the CDC’s sepsis-3 criteria.
We're hiring: DOM Staff Openings
Check out the latest list of open staff jobs within the DOM. See a job you are interested in or know someone who would be a good fit? Click the job title below to read the full description and apply.
IN THE NEWS
Recent Department of Medicine News
The Atlantic | What an undervaccinated America would look like (Boghuma Titanji quoted)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Atlanta struggles to reduce HIV rates (Colleen Kelley quoted)
Infectious Disease Special Edition | As HHS Secretary, could RFK Jr. actually damage the U.S. vaccine program? (Walter Orenstein quoted)
MedicalBrief | Experts probe why COVID jab less effective in lupus patients – US study (Emory University research featured, Katia Faliti, and Iñaki Sanz quoted)
EVENTS
DOM Ease of Research Initiative Town Hall: Robin Ginn and Donald Harvey
Friday, February 7 | noon–1 p.m. | Zoom
James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference: Critical Approaches to Race, Racism & Health Equity in the Early 21st Century *New*
Friday, February 7 |noon–1:30 p.m. | Floor 3, Woodruff Library
Introducing Insight: Revolutionizing Research Administration at Emory *New*
Wednesday, February 12 | noon–1:30 p.m. | Zoom
21st Annual Hamilton E Holmes Memorial Lecture: AI For Equity
Wednesday, February 19, 5–6:30 p.m. | Zoom
DOM CV Review Session (Registration is closed)
Wednesday, February 26 | 8–10 a.m. | Zoom
Faculty Education, Enrichment, and Development Conference (FEED)
Friday, March 28 | 8 a.m.–noon | Zoom
2025 Emory Physician-Scientist Symposium
Friday, April 4 | HSRB I and II
11th Annual Health Services Research Day
Tuesday, May 6 | 8 a.m.–3 p.m. | Claudia Nance Rollings (CNR) Building (Rollins Auditorium)
RYSE Health Equity Day
Tuesday, May 20 | Hybrid: Grady Hospital Trauma Auditorium and Zoom
GIVE TO US
The Department of Medicine includes more than 800 faculty members across our ten divisions. Your support for our work can make a difference to health care locally and globally. Click the button below to learn more about making an impact through your support for the DOM. For general department giving inquiries, please contact Ashley Michaud, Executive Director of Development, at 404-778-1250.
STAY CONNECTED
Please send photos and news from your division to deptofmed@emory.edu and visit the Department of Medicine's blog, EmoryDailyPulse.com.
The Emory University Department of Medicine is a component of the Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University, which includes the Emory Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health; Yerkes National Primate Research Center; Winship Cancer Institute; and Emory Healthcare.