On The Cutting Edge | October 2025

October 24, 2025

Award Announcements

Congratulations!

Emre Arpali, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
Division of Transplant Surgery

Donate Life Wisconsin - Impact/Innovation Grant

Donate in 360: A Virtual Reality Experience of Saving Lives

Adrienne Cobb, MD, MS
Assistant Professor
Division of Surgical Oncology

MCW Cancer Center - Clinical Trial Concept Pilot Grant

Gender Disparities in Clinical Trial Accrual

Terri deRoon-Cassini, MS, PhD
Professor
Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery

AHW 2025 MCW-Led Momentum Grant

From Social Determinants to Individual Prevention: A Comprehensive Intervention to Address Firearm Injury

Anai Kothari, MD, MS
Assistant Professor
Division of Surgical Oncology

AHW 2025 Community-Led Momentum Grant

Actions to Eliminate Low-Value Surgical Services and Related Health Inequities

Dr. Michael J. Dunn Summer Research Poster Contest

Congratulations to the 10 medical student researchers selected as winners of the Dr. Michael J. Dunn Summer Research Poster Contest, held in conjunction with the Medical Student Summer Research Day poster session!

Investigating Pharmacological Inhibition of AP-1 and Basal-Luminal Fate-Switching in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Troy Biermann
Medical Student
Mentor: Nikki Lytle, PhD

Investigating the Role of Jun Activation in Basal to Luminal Fate Switching and Chemotherapy Resistance in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Alexander Eng
Medical Student
Mentor: Nikki Lytle, PhD

In Case You Missed It

Faculty Mentorship/Student Help: The Division of Research has an established process for matching research residents and medical students with faculty members for research opportunities. These opportunities are to be strictly for volunteer work done by the student. Specifics on task work is completely up to the faculty member’s discretion. If you are interested in mentoring, please fill out this Qualtrics survey.
NIH Scientific Data Sharing Website: Whether you are involved in an NIH-funded project and want to understand which sharing policies apply to your research and how to comply, or you are a researcher looking to access scientific data from NIH-affiliated repositories, this site is for you. | More information
Department of Surgery Intranet Site: Funding Opportunities, Cultural Complications/Grand Rounds/Quality Minute presentations, Surgery Sparks of Gratitude, Global Surgical Programs, Finance/Reimbursement links, DOS Phone list, and resources for logos/fonts/templates. | More Information
Abstract Deadlines and Meeting List: List is updated weekly. | More Information

Faculty Feature

Upcoming Events

HRPP Professionals Meetings
- Tuesday, October 28 | Spooky Stories from the HRPP
- Tuesday, December 2 | QA/QI, Case Reports and NHSR Projects
Research Connection Series
- Beginner Series
  - Thursday, Nov. 13 | IRB Submissions Part 2
  - Thursday, Dec. 11 | OCRICC
- Intermediate/Advanced Series
  - Thursday, Nov. 13 | MCW QA/I Team & Post Approval Monitoring
  - Thursday, Dec. 11 | Consent & Enrollment of Vulnerable Research Participants

SurPASS Tip of the Month

Research Security and Other Support Disclosure Requirements

The NIH recently released notice NOT-OD-25-133 on the subject of Research Security and Other Support documents.

MCW will be publishing a new policy soon, RS.GN.190, Other Support Disclosure Requirements. This policy will define and outline the requirements for Senior/Key Personnel to undergo approved training in research security requirements and disclosure of relevant sources of support.

I will be reaching out to faculty who need to complete this training. MCW’s Office of Research recommends Senior/Key Personnel that were part of an application submitted in the October (and to be submitted in November) NIH grant cycle take this training at their earliest convenience. It will be required for JIT and RPPRs, which are typically submitted under a tight timeline.

Starting with the February 2026 NIH Cycle I, all Senior/Key Personnel will need to have this training completed BEFORE any applications can be submitted to the NIH.

The Research Security and Other Support training is part of CITI training and should take approximately 1 hour to complete.

Please contact Lynn Cummings with any questions!

Clinical Research Tip of the Month

Become a Preceptor for Summer Medical Student Research

The Medical Student Summer Research Program (MSSRP) offers MCW medical students the opportunity to engage in mentored research experiences during the summer enrichment of Phase 1. Through these 8- or 10-week full-time fellowships, students participate as members of active research teams and gain exposure to how scientific discoveries translate into new treatments, devices, and clinical practices. Publishing and presenting are key program goals.

Faculty interested in serving as preceptors are invited to submit potential Summer 2026 research projects via the OSSA Faculty Survey (select “Summer Project Mentor”). Once submitted, your project will appear on the MSSRP tab of the shared student project list.

If you plan to serve as a preceptor, please notify your division administrator to ensure departmental tracking and planning.

Key dates for medical students:

Intent to Apply deadline: December 20 at 11:59 p.m.
Application & Proposal deadline: February 15 at 11:59 p.m.

For questions, contact Chamia Gary, SAMS/MSSRP Program Manager.

GRANT$ Alert

AHW Momentum 2026 Grants
$250,000 over 2 years
LOI due: October 27, 2025
If invited, full application due: February 23, 2026

Successful project will engage a collaborative team of investigators to demonstrate impact on the identified health need during the project period.

Extramural Loan Repayment Program
Application period: September 1, 2025 to November 20, 2025

The NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) are programs established by Congress and designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers. The Extramural LRP repays up to $50,000 annually of a researcher's qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research. Research funding from NIH is not required to participate in the Extramural LRP. LRP awards are based on an applicant's potential to build and sustain a research career.

Abstracts Alert

Southwestern Surgical Congress (SWSC) Annual Meeting
April 12-15, 2026 | Tucson, AZ
Abstract deadline: October 27, 2025

Presentation Types: Oral; Video; Mini Oral

The American Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AAES) Annual Meeting
April 18-20, 2026 | Lexington, KY
Abstract deadline: November 1, 2025

More information can be found here.

The Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS) Annual Meeting
April 30-May 2, 2026 | Atlanta, GA
Abstract deadline: November 3, 2025

Presentation Types: Oral; ePoster; Tools of the Trade

The American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) Annual Meeting
April 29-May 3, 2026 | Seattle, WA
Abstract deadline: November 5, 2025

Presentation Types: Oral; Quick shot; Poster

Association for Surgical Education (ASE) Annual Meeting
April 28-30, 2026 | Atlanta, GA
Abstract deadline: November 7, 2025

Abstract topics: AI; Assessment; Curriculum Development; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Education Technology; Faculty Development; Global Surgical Education; Interprofessional; Education; Program Evaluation; Recruitment & Selection; Simulation; Teaching Methods; Wellness/Well-Being; Leadership; Other

American Transplant Congress 2026
June 20-24, 2026 | Boston, MA
Abstract deadline: November 13, 2025

ATC 2026 abstract categories can be found here.

The American Surgical Association (ASA) Annual Meeting
April 23-25, 2026 | Seattle, WA
Abstract deadline: November 18, 2025

Abstract Categories: Basic Science; Clinical Burns/Trauma/Acute Care; Clinical GI; Clinical Cancer; Clinical Pediatric Surgery; Clinical Transplantation; Clinical Endocrine Surgery; Clinical Plastic Surgery; Clinical Cardiothoracic/Vascular; Clinical Surgical Specialties (i.e. Urology, Neurosurgery, Other); Quality of Life and/or Patient-Reported Outcomes; Outcomes Studies of Patient Management; Education and Residency Training Issues; Social and Ethical Issues in Surgery

Department of Surgery Recent Publications

Cortisol Testing to Diagnose Adrenal Insufficiency Following Adrenalectomy for Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. (Hamidi O, Salama B, Wang T, Findling JW, Zhang CD, Carroll T, Dream S, Sada A, Balderrama-Brondani V, Dogra P, Dackiw A, Mirfakhraee S, Mehta A, Oltmann S, McKenzie T, Foster T, Bancos I)

Transfer Status: A Driver of Failure-to-Rescue in Emergency General Surgery. American Surgeon. (Miller BR, Slusarczyk S, Farah A, Murphy B P, Morris RS, Elegbede A, Holena DN)

The Impact of a Structured ABSITE® Remediation Program on Resident Performance. Journal of Surgical Education. (Holland HK, Hosseini T, Turner HM, Higgins RM, Peschman JR, Kugler NW)

The use of tranexamic acid in the management of injured patients at risk of hemorrhage: a systematic review and meta-analysis and an Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma Practice Management Guideline. The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. (Dumas RP, Succar BE, Vella MA, Appelbaum RD, Neal MD, Dultz LA, Shah KH, Patel NJ, Brito AM, Kornblith LZ, Murphy PB, Bankhead BK, Sleet MC, Molavi I, Asfaw SH, Schreiber MA, Kutcher ME, Sperry JL, Yang W, Cannon JC, Martin MJ)

Pecto-intercostal fascial plane block with or without rectus sheath block in cardiac surgery: a prospective, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study. Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. (Castro AL, Makker H, Gonzalez LS, Jensen A, Tarima SS, Pagryzinski A, Thapa R, Qureshi A, Fadumiye C, Weierstahl K, Pearson P, Freed JK)

Outcomes Of Interventions To Salvage The Jailed Profunda Femoris In Recurrent Limb-threatening Critical Ischemia. Annals of Vascular Surgery. (Hart JP, Davies MG)

Genomic features of the methylosome protein MEP50 and its implications in hormone signaling and cancer. Endocrine Connections. (Pollin G, Chi YI, Urrutia R, Lomberk G)

Hernia and Abdominal Wall Surgery Fellowships: results of a 1-year pilot program : Pilot of hernia surgery fellowship. Surgical Endoscopy. (Giorgi M, Anwar IJ, Docimo S, Goldblatt MI, Higgins RM, Prabhu A, Ramaswamy A, Awad MM, Greenberg JA)

Strategic Innovations to Reduce Disincentives and Increase Living Kidney Donation. Kidney360. (Leonberg-Yoo A, Redfield R, Dunn T, Fleming JN, Fonk J, Hil G, Cooper M)

Characterization of anti-cancer therapy-induced microvascular dysfunction in breast cancer patients with proof-of-concept of targeted intervention. Jci Insight. (Terwoord JD, Norwood Toro LE, Hader SN, Hammond ST, Hockenberry JC, Linn J, Vazirabad IY, Kong AL, Kriegel AJ, Liu Z, Kivela RM, Murtagh G, Gutterman DD, Beyer AM)

Contemporary Nodal Management and Overall Survival of Older Patients with HR-/HER2+ Breast Cancer. Annals of Surgical Oncology. (Cobb AN, Dong X, Makope A, Cohen L, Huang CC, Kong AL, Cortina CS)

Functional Gaps and Atrial Fibrosis as Predictors of Early Arrhythmia Recurrence After Robotic-Enhanced Hybrid Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology. (Celentano E, Cristiano E, Bertella E, Parrinello M, Albano G, Ignatiuk B, Renda M, Bia E, d'Amico A, Rainone R, Graniero A, Giroletti L, Polini L, Gasparri M, Schena S, Agnino A, De Groot NMS)

Endocannabinoids Mediate Racial/Ethnic Discrimination Prediction of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Moderated by Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Black and African American Individuals. Biological Psychiatry : Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. (Albertina EA, Torres L, Sauber G, Hillard CJ, Fitzgerald JM, deRoon-Cassini TA, Larson CL)

More than just stuck in the middle: papillary thyroid cancer of the isthmus may present with aggressive features and nodal metasasis. American Journal of Surgery. (Lui MS, Hangge PT, DeLozier O, Patel KN, Zhou F, Yen TW, Evans DB, Wang TS, Dream S)

The Ethiopian Surgical Outcome Study (Ethio-SOS): a 7-day multicentre national prospective observational cohort study. BMJ Global Health. (Awedew AF, Belachew FK, Iverson KR, Ambese TY, Desita Belihu K, Tantu AD, Gebreslase LG, Teklehaimanot MG, Kifle K, Addis NA, Dula PK, Biccard B, Deneke A)

Building Capacity in Perioperative Quality Improvement in Low- and Middle- Income Countries: Experiences From Mombasa, Lusaka and Hawassa. World Journal of Surgery. (Moturu A, Virani SS, Jaraczewski T, Melesse B, Vo T, Ko CY, Pikiti F, Sonkwe H, Moyo B, McQueen K, Tefera G, Peters X, Ojuka D, Kaafarani H, Parker R, Dodgion C, Rusy D, Zafar SN)

Caveat Emptor: Characterizing Water Bead Consumer and Safety Reporting. Journal of Surgical Research. (Schuh JM, Perez MN, Abebrese EL, Morelos AA, Dounce CA, Raval MV, Salazar JH)

Ethical Considerations in the Deployment of Artificial Intelligence in Surgery. Journal of Surgical Research. (Barrios PA, Meredyth N, Morris R, Haines K, Kim GJ, Peterson CY)

The impact of adrenalectomy on metabolic outcomes of patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion defined by low-dose dexamethasone suppression testing. Surgery. (Kumar AL, Dream S, Shaik T, Doffek K, Conrardy R, Findling JW, Carroll TB, Zhang CD, Evans DB, Wang TS)

Natural history of SPP1 signaling in NF1 tumors. Npj Precision Oncology. (Njoya K, Zayed H, Sun L, Alson D, Aina O, Khan S, Veneklasen X, Lytle N, Chaluvally-Raghavan P, Sun D)

Medical College of Wisconsin | 8701 Watertown Plank Road | Milwaukee, WI 53226 | United States
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to Division of Research emails.
© 2021 Medical College of Wisconsin. All rights reserved.

MCW.EDU | INFOSCOPE | CONTACT US

Connect to MCW on Social