Vol. 33 | April 2025 5 - minute read | | |
The Texas Health Resources (THR) Clinical Scholars Program supports the training and development of outstanding clinician-researchers at UT Southwestern. It provides up to 70% protected research time and other resources to promote career development for clinical investigators in their first five faculty years.
Our new THR Clinical Scholars cohort includes:
Michael Dohopolski, M.D., Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology. His THR research focuses on developing advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance clinical trial screening by automatically analyzing unstructured text within electronic health records. This approach aims to rapidly identify suitable participants for clinical trials, potentially accelerating patient enrollment and enabling quicker insights into effective future treatments. His work will center on both developing a user-friendly AI interface and evaluating how such an AI-assisted search strategy can augment clinical trial enrollment.
Stephanie Serres, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery, who specializes in breast surgical oncology. As a THR Clinical Scholar, Dr. Serres will look at the emotional impact that comes with newly diagnosed breast cancer and then develop and evaluate interventions designed to lessen this stress.
For those interested, a full description of the THR Scholars Program can be found online. Nominees may contact a UT Southwestern Department Chair, Division Chief, or Center Director in their specialty to discuss applying to this program. Apply today.
| | 2025 Discovery at UT Southwestern | | |
The 2025 edition of Discovery at UT Southwestern has arrived in inboxes across our campus. Each story highlights the impactful work emerging across the spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical research against a backdrop of the collaborative scientific culture that sets our institution apart.
Read how a multidisciplinary team upended the traditional view of how cells acquire their supplies of purines. Their findings help explain how chemotherapy resistance occurs, among other insights. Learn about the development of a system in which nanocarriers direct genetic medicines to desired organs. Get to know how the UTSW research infrastructure, clinical resources, and robust connections with partner institutions enables large-scale clinical trials and make innovative quality improvement initiatives possible.
Discovery at UT Southwestern recognizes and celebrates the successes of our faculty and their teams and serves as a valuable recruitment tool for researchers and trainees to join our community.
If you would like additional copies of the scientific report, email your request to the Office of the Provost with the number of copies you wish to receive and a mail code.
| | New UTSW Initiative To Facilitate First-in-Human Research | | |
The UT Southwestern Office of Clinical Research is proud to share news of a new initiative that aims to catalyze the translation of novel therapeutics, devices, and diagnostics toward clinical application. The new unit, called the Novel Interventions Support Unit (NISU), will be led by Bhanu Pappu, Ph.D., M.H.A., coordinated by Saumya Sunny, and will serve to help study leaders navigate the complex process of bringing new innovations to clinical study. The objectives of NISU are to:
- Create a customized road map for each investigator to launch their “first in human study” and provide project management and coordination services from invention disclosure to clinical study activation.
- Strengthen commercialization and investment opportunities for UTSW products.
- Provide support for developing the protocol and data and safety monitoring plan, for forming the data and safety monitoring board, and establishing multisite studies.
- Accelerate study activation and turnaround time for regulatory approval.
- Establish an institutional mentoring and advisory committee of experienced investigators to support new translational initiatives.
Contact saumya.sunny@utsouthwestern.edu for more information.
| | UT System 2025 AI Symposium in Healthcare | | |
Attend the UT System 2025 AI Symposium in Healthcare.
Thursday, May 15, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Friday, May 16, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Texas Medical Center. – Houston, TX
TMC3 Collaboration Building
Helix Park - Texas Medical Center
Join your colleagues in imagining a brighter future for Texas. The UT System AI Symposium in Healthcare aims to bridge the gap between cutting-edge methodology and current day applications by bringing together researchers, clinicians, educators, students and industry leaders.
Abstract submissions are now extended due to high interest in the program!
A $200 travel award is available for selected abstracts.
Submit your research by April 18.
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Spring Application Cycle Opens for Dean's Scholar in Clinical Research
The Dean’s Scholar in Clinical Research program strives to enhance the success of UT Southwestern faculty in the Clinical Scholar track. It provides early-career faculty protected research time, research support, didactic research training, career guidance, and mentorship to facilitate their development as successful clinical investigators.
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Obesity Health Disparities Program
The University of Houston Obesity Health Disparities (OHD) Program is designed to train, mentor, and sustain early-career investigators in obesity. Each year OHD PRIDE accepts eight research-oriented individuals from backgrounds underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences to the two-year program.
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Applicants will be accepted on a rolling basis until all spots are filled. Learn more here.
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Call for Applications for the Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials: Career Development Award
The Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials: Career Development Award for Early-Stage Investigator Physicians is now accepting applications for its fifth cohort of scholars. This national two-year program is designed to support the career development of investigators who are underrepresented in medicine or who have a commitment to increasing diversity in clinical research. The award provides $120,000 per year for two years. Funding supports career development and protects 40% of the scholars’ time and effort for program participation.
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Applications Open for 2025 KL2 Scholars*
The UT Southwestern Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) KL2 Scholar Program will accept up to three new scholars for 2025. This two-year program is designed to support junior faculty who aim to become independent clinical and translational research investigators.
| | Important Dates and Upcoming Events | | |
Training for Aspiring Clinical Investigators*
Clinical research trainees and staff are to earn a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (M.S.C.I.) or a Certificate in Clinical Investigation from the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health. The curriculum is designed to prepare investigators for academic or industry careers. Please share these opportunities with your trainees and staff.
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2025 UT System AI Symposium in Healthcare
The UT System AI Symposium in Health Care aims to bridge the gap between cutting-edge methodology and current applications by bringing together researchers, clinicians, educators, students, and industry leaders. Join us for an enlightening event where knowledge converges, ideas flourish, and the future of AI-enhanced health care takes shape.
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Biomedical Research Awareness Day 2025*
Join us to celebrate Biomedical Research Awareness Day (BRAD), an international outreach program that seeks to increase public awareness about animal roles in biomedical research. Steven Gray, Ph.D., will provide the keynote talk.
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Doswell Health Informatics Conference*
Judy Murphy, D.N. (Hon.), RN, FACMI, LFHIMSS, FAAN, Nurse Executive and Health IT Leader, will explore highs and lows of AI integration in health care, focusing on the use of AI for patient outcome and experience improvements, optimizing workflows, reducing administrative burden, and alleviating clinician burnout. She will also examine safety, ethics, transparency, governance, legislation, and regulation in the use of AI in health care.
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Clinical Research Accelerator Didactic Session: Strategies for Effective Community Engagement and Infrastructure Development*
Join Heather Kitzman, Ph.D., Farra Kahalnik, M.P.H., M.S.S.W., and Saundra Pennington to review how UTSW built our community engagement infrastructure, including the HealthStreet Program, Community Research Registry, North Texas Community Health Coalition, and more.
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Multisite Research Trial Knowledge Hub Seminar*
Join us as Susan Iannaccone, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology and holder of the Warren A. Weinberg, M.D. Chair in Pediatric Neurology and Learning, shares her perspective on the benefits, challenges, and practical considerations involved in pursuing industry-sponsored research as an investigator at UT Southwestern Medical Center
*Sponsored by the UT Southwestern CTSA Program
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