On The Cutting Edge | March 2026

March 20, 2026

Reflection and Farewell to Dr. Gwen Lomberk

The Division of Research would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Dr. Gwen Lomberk.

Since 2017, Dr. Lomberk has served as Chief of the Division of Research, guiding the creation and growth of a research enterprise that has advanced the Department of Surgery’s academic mission. Under her leadership, the division has become a foundation of supporting investigators across the department.

One of the Division’s earliest priorities was building a pre-award service through the creation of Surgery Pre-Award Support Services (SurPASS). This ensured that faculty had consistent, accurate, and timely support during proposal development and submission — an important step in strengthening the department’s research infrastructure.

As the research landscape grew more complex, the Division adapted with it – into a strategic partner for investigators. Through initiatives such as clinical research support services and research communications, Dr. Lomberk helped create systems that allow faculty and trainees to navigate regulatory, administrative, and logistical challenges with confidence.

Another milestone was the creation of the Committee for Accelerating Research Discovery in Surgery (CARDS). With mentorship at its core, CARDS has brought together research-active faculty from across divisions to guide research initiatives and foster collaboration. Through this work, faculty has played an important role in strengthening and shaping the department’s research resident program.

Today, the Division of Research stands as a centralized, reliable infrastructure supporting investigators throughout the full lifecycle of research. The impact of this work is reflected in the department’s growth. Since 2017, competitive grant submissions have increased by more than 60 percent, awards have risen by nearly 80 percent, and annual publications have grown by over 40 percent.

We are thankful for Dr. Lomberk and her leadership for the past nine years. She truly embodies the values that define the division: to empower, to elevate, to engage, and to excel. We wish her the best and will miss her dearly. We are excited to see all the great things she will continue to accomplish.

Award Announcements

Congratulations!

Lynn Cummings
Grants Operations Coordinator, Sr.
Division of Research

2026 Research Staff Awards
Administrative Agent

"Since joining the Department of Surgery in 2021, Lynn has built and scaled preaward grants operations to support over 70 faculty members. Under her guidance, annual grant applications more than doubled, and research funding increased significantly, reflecting both her operational expertise and her commitment to faculty success. Lynn balances high volume grant support with mentorship of new team members, ensuring continuity, quality, and efficiency across the department. She is known for her integrity, collaboration, and responsiveness, earning the trust of faculty and staff alike. Lynn’s proactive approach to workflow improvements and dedication to operational excellence have strengthened the department’s research capacity and sustainability. Her leadership behind the scenes has been instrumental in advancing MCW’s research mission."

Deron Jones
Lab Supervisor
Division of Pediatric Surgery

2026 Research Staff Awards
Laboratory Leader

"With over 20 years of service at MCW, Deron has managed Dr. Pritchard’s lab and the shared resources on the fourth floor of the CRI, ensuring investigators have the tools and support needed for high quality research. Deron is highly skilled in experimental planning, troubleshooting, and data integrity. He actively trains residents, graduate students, and new research staff while supporting complex laboratory experiments, including in vivo studies. Known for his collaborative, inclusive, and dependable approach, Deron fosters a team environment where colleagues feel supported and empowered. His curiosity, professionalism, and willingness to go above and beyond, even on weekends, make him a trusted resource across the MCW research community. Through his dedication and leadership, Deron enables successful, high-impact research programs."

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

Upcoming Events

CTSI Research Consenting Workshop | April 14, 2026, 8:00am-12:30pm
Research Coordinator Enrichment Series
- Navigating the Reliance Agreement Process: When MCW Relies on an External IRB Description | March 26, 2026, 12:00-1:00pm
HRPP Research Connection Series | 12:00-1:00pm via Zoom
- Beginner Series:
  - Thursday, April 9 | IRB Submissions Part 1
  - Thursday, May 14 | IRB Submissions Part 2
- Intermediate/Advanced Series:
  - Thursday, April 9 | Hot Topics
  - Thursday, May 14 | IRB Reliance Part 1

SurPASS Tip of the Month

Submitting NIH Applications – Reasons to Reject/Resubmit

Review NIH Proposal PDFs Carefully Before Submission

After an NIH application is submitted, there is a 72-hour viewing window in eRA Commons during which the assembled application becomes available for review. During this period, applicants may request that the application be rejected and resubmitted, but MCW’s Grants & Contracts Office allows this only in limited circumstances.

According to MCW submission guidelines, retraction and resubmission through Grants.gov is restricted to correcting system-identified errors or issues affecting the readability of graphs or tables, as formatting changes can occur during the system-to-system transition of the SF424 application.

Because the Principal Investigator is ultimately responsible for the submitted application, PIs should carefully review the PDF version of each application component uploaded in eBridge prior to submission to GCO. While the full compiled application cannot be viewed in advance, reviewing each individual PDF helps ensure that formatting, figures, and tables converted correctly and that no inadvertent errors were introduced. For example, confirm that all uploaded files are the correct final versions, figures display properly and remain in color if applicable, and biosketches and personnel information are current and accurate.

Please contact Lynn Cummings with any questions!

Clinical Research Tip of the Month

Streamlined PRO SmartForm for Clinical Trials Now Available

The IRB Office has implemented a simplified SmartForm for clinical trials that leverages the information provided in the protocol. The have removed seventeen questions/sections of the PRO SmartForm and added a table in Section 30 to enter research activities. The table consolidates information previously scattered across multiple sections. By leveraging the protocol as the primary reference document, the process eliminates unnecessary documentation burden while ensuring IRB reviewers have clear visibility into the conduct of trials conducted locally, including any site-specific adaptations or exclusions.

Listing of Master Confidential Disclosure Agreements and Master Clinical Trial Agreements

In order to aid the efficient negotiation and execution of Confidential Disclosure Agreements and Clinical Trial Agreements, the GCO InfoScope page now includes a listing of the current, institutional Master Confidential Disclosure Agreements (MCDA) and the current, institutional Master Clinical Trial Agreements (MCTA), including their expiration dates. Each MCDA and MCTA requires a signed, project specific implementing agreement that must be submitted through the normal eBridge processes. Please contact the GCO Contracts Team for assistance with any Master Agreements.

GRANT$ Alert

Neuroscience Research Center Imagine More Grants
$50,000 for 1 year
GCO deadline: N/A
Application due: April 3, 2026

Must become an NRC member. Faculty Imagine More Awards (Assistant and Associate Professors) and Postdoctoral Image More Awards. Email nrc@mcw.edu for more information.

Research Affairs Committee New Faculty Pilot Grant
$35,000 for 1 year
GCO deadline: N/A
Application due: May 15, 2026

Help applicants obtain preliminary results to compete successfully in extramural funding. Applicants must have a primary faculty appointment at MCW and be within 4 years of their first faculty appointment.

Abstracts Alert

New England Surgical Society (NESS) Annual Meeting
September 18-20, 2026 | Uncasville, CT
Abstract deadline: March 26, 2026

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

International Association of Endocrine Surgeons (IAES) Scientific Meeting
November 6-8, 2026 | Sydney, Australia
Abstract deadline: March 31, 2026

Abstract categories: Oral presentations; Poster presentations

Society of Asian Academic Surgeons (SAAS) Annual Meeting
September 10-11, 2026 | Cincinnati, OH
Abstract deadline: April 1, 2026

More information can be found here.

Western Vascular Society (WVS) Annual Meeting
September 26-29, 2026 | Whistler, BC, Canada
Abstract deadline: April 3, 2026

Topics/Categories: Carotid disease; Aortic disease; Renal and visceral artery disease; Dialysis access; PAD and CLTI; Trauma surgery; Venous disease; Vascular lab; Other

Midwestern Vascular Surgical Society (MVSS) Annual Meeting
September 17-20, 2026 | Chicago, IL
Abstract deadline: April 6, 2026

Presentation types: Free paper presentation only; Case report; Both free paper and Guthrie award; Both free paper and Szilagyi award; Both free paper and Pfeifer award

The Society of Black Academic Surgeons (SBAS) Annual Scientific Meeting
October 22-24, 2026 | Newark, NJ
Abstract deadline: April 13, 2026

Award categories: Basic/Translational science; Health services and outcomes research; Education; Minority health/Healthcare disparities; Global surgery

Department of Surgery Recent Publications

MEK inhibitor-based genomically matched combinatorial targeted therapies in metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma with KRAS alterations. Oncologist. (Auckley ED, Yohay S, Ying G, Szabo A, Wittmann J, Grahl J, Aldakkak M, Thalji SZ, McFall T, Kurzrock R, George B, Kamgar M)

Screen-and-treat in trauma for opioid misuse prevention using an adaptive intervention (STOMP-AI): Protocol for a pilot sequential, multiple assignment, randomized trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials. (Horton DM, Leinweber DL, Salihu E, Sarwar T, Muller H, Trevino C, Zaborek J, Chen G, Quanbeck A, Somers T, Almirall D, Zarzaur B, Brown RT)

The impact of social determinants on care for veterans with cancer: a qualitative study. Supportive Care in Cancer. (Thalji SZ, Nataliansyah MM, Conroy M, Tsai S, Redlich PN, Nelson DA)

Survival in children with hepatoblastoma and pulmonary metastatic disease at diagnosis based on extent of metastases and need for surgical clearance. Journal of Pediatric Surgery. (Polites SF, Vierkant RA, Aldrink JH, Lautz TB, Ragan MV, Reiter A, Chen SY, Kim ES, Rinehardt HN, Malek M, Fleming AM, Murphy AJ, Roach JP, Radhakrishnan S, Piche N, Osman Y, Lovvorn HN 3rd, Tracy ET, Favela J, Le HD, Marquart J, Craig B, Lal DR, Seemann N, Petroze R, Rich BS, Glick RD, Selesner L, Yoo A, Fialkowski E, Brown EG, Boehmer C, Dasgupta R, Langham MR Jr, Tiao GM, Kastenberg ZJ)

ASO Education and Training: Taking the Next Step in Surgical Oncology Health Disparities Research: Identifying Root Causes and Targets for Actionable Change. Annals of Surgical Oncology. (Cortina CS, Molina G, Witt EE, Myers SP, Obeng-Gyasi S, Ju T, Rosenberg SM, Fackche N, Bayard S, Kangas-Dick A, Bea VJ, Willis A)

The Current State of Acute Care Surgery Workforce and Practice Models: A Joint Statement by the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, and the Western Trauma Association. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. (Staudenmayer KL, Barmparas G, Barnes SL, Biffl WL, Cohen MJ, Davis KA, de Moya M, Goldberg AJ, Joseph B, Martin RS, Murphy PB, Rizzo AG, Rotondo M, Savage SA, Smith JW, Todd SR, Zarzaur BL, Bulger E)

Western Trauma Association critical decisions in trauma: Significant blunt cardiac injury. The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. (Kopelman TR, Biffl WL, Coimbra R, Bower KL, Croft CA, Fox CJ, Hartwell JL, Hynes AM, Inaba K, Keric N, Kerwin AJ, Lorenzo M, Magee GA, Privette AR, Schellenberg M, Schuster KM, Tesoriero R, Watters JM, Stein DM)

Risk Factors for Failure to Rescue in Adult Liver Transplantation Recipients: A Systematic Review. [Review]. Clinical Transplantation. (Kimura J, Rawashdeh B, Asassfeh A, Chauhan P, Raigani S, Cooper M, Prasad KR)

Multi-State Structural Genomics Enables Large-Scale, Mechanistic, and Context-Specific Classification of ABCC6 Genetic Variants Implicated in Calcification Diseases. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. (Wagenknecht JB, Haque N, Jorge SD, Ratnasinghe BD, Urrutia R, Gahl WA, Ziegler SG, Zimmermann MT)

Surgical management of small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors. British Journal of Surgery. (Hallet J, Falconi M, Bennet S, Frilling A, Gangi A, Gaujoux S, Pommier R, Bertani E, Buerba GA, Chan J, Clarke CN, Deguelte S, Del Rivero J, Nieveen van Dijkum E, Dumitra T, Eshmuminov D, Engelsman A, Fermi F, Grozinsky-Glasberg S, Howe JR, Lamarca A, Meloche-Dumas L, Mercier F, Myrehaug S, Perinel J, De Ponthaud C, Sallinen V, Song Y, Stuart H, Janson ET, Tinguely P, Tozzi F, van Ginhoven T, Warner S, Soreide K, Partelli S)

Developing Specialty-Specific Workplace Standards for Surgeons: A Framework to Support Sustainable Surgical Careers. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. (Wood DE, Wolinsky PR, Dodgion CM, Farmer DL, Gantt NL, Napolitano LM, Timmons SD, Welsh DJ, Winfield RD, Bura C, Essig R, Turner PL)

Evaluation of a trauma center-based, technology enhanced stepped care intervention to promote the mental health recovery of adolescent traumatic injury survivors. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications. (Davidson TM, Skojec T, Li P, Ridings LE, Espeleta H, German S, Mueller M, Gates R, Mooney D, Russell R, deRoon-Cassini T, Ruggiero K)

National trends in gastroschisis factors: maternal age, smoking status, race and ethnicity. Pediatric Surgery International. (Schuh JM, Wagner AJ, Cabacungan E)

National Mentorship Network for Support of Minoritized General Surgery Residents in the US. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. (Silver CM, Amortegui D, Colin Escobar J, Mackiewicz NI,Gaffley M, Arora TK, Bilimoria KY, Clarke CN, Hu YY)

Unveiling the Evolving Landscape of Randomized Clinical Trials in Transplantation: An Analysis of Output and Trends. [Review]. Experimental & Clinical Transplantation: Official Journal of the Middle East Society for Organ Transplantation. (Rawashdeh B, Al-Abdallat H, Asassfeh A, Cooper E, Halazun K, Cooper M)

Strategies for assessing posthospitalisation outcomes in trauma survivors and their feasibility of implementation: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open. (Laberge Sevigny M, Moore L, Gabbe BJ, Haagsma J, Wake E, Haas B, Skaff D, Green R, Trevino C, Finstad J, Gagnon MA, Deziel PL, Berube M)

Next Generation DNA Damage Response Inhibitors: Harnessing Nanocarriers and Tumor Microenvironment for Precision Cancer Therapy. [Review]. Oncology Research. (Solomon AD, Vats HK, Chowdhary S, Kanoujiya SN, Prakash A, Sultana H, Mohanty S, Day BW, Pant T)

Local delivery of tranexamic acid for hemorrhage control in trauma: a narrative review. [Review]. Frontiers in Drug Delivery. (Peng HT, Kastrup CJ, Tenn C, Beckett A)

Childhood Maltreatment and Deviations from Normative Brain Structure: A Mega-Analysis of 3,711 Individuals from the ENIGMA MDD and ENIGMA PTSD Working Groups. Biological Psychiatry. (Wang HR, Liu ZQ, Pozzi E, Hussain A, Sigar P, Abdallah C, Alexander N, Baker J, Bauer J, Blackford JU, Cisler J, Connolly CG, Cotton A, Daniels J, Dannlowski U, Densmore M, deRoon-Cassini T, Dima D, Du Plessis S, Etkin A, Fani N, Fisch L, Fitzgerald J, Frodl T, Fu CHY, Gonul AS, Gordon EM, Gotlib I, Goya-Maldonado R, Groenewold NA, Grotegerd D, Hahn T, Hamilton JP, Han L, Harpaz-Rotem I, Haswell CC, Herringa R, Herzog J, Ipser J, Jahanshad N, Jovanovic T, Kaufman M, Kircher T, Konowski M, Koopowitz SM, Krug A, Krystal J, Lanius R, Larson C, Lazarov A, Lebois L, Leehr E, Levy I, Li M, Manthey A, Maron-Katz A, McIntosh A, McLaughlin K, Meinert S, Mwangi B, Nelson SM, Nenadic I, Neria Y, Neufeld R, Ojha A, Olatunji B, Olson EA, Opel N, Peverill M, Ressler K, Ross M, Rosso I, Sacchet M, Sambrook K, Schmahl C, Seedat S,Shenton ME,Sicorello M, Sierk A, Soares JC, Stein DJ, Stein F, Stein MB, Suarez-Jimenez B, Theberge J, Thomopoulos SI, Tomas C, Usemann P, van den Heuvel LL, van Rooij S, Walter H, Walter M, Wang X, Whalley H, Winter NR, Wu MJ, Xie H, Yang T, Zhu X, Zilcha-Mano S, Zunta-Soares GB, Frangou S, Thompson PM, Salminen L, Sun D, Morey R, Stevens JS, Schmaal L, Ho TC)

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