Broad research efforts remain strong
The Department of Surgery is strongly committed to its research mission, which includes fostering basic, translational, clinical and public health research to improve human health. Despite a very competitive funding environment, the department continues to draw ample support, ranking second in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding among surgery departments nationwide in 2016.*
Basic and translational research
Researchers seeking to improve survival for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma have developed two clinical trials as part of a Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant, a major translational research award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The SPORE grant funds four drug-development and immunotherapy projects, a biostatistics core, a tissue repository core and a career-development program for junior researchers. Pancreas SPORE researchers span the department, medical school and other institutions. Basic science across disciplines also remains a strength.
Clinical research
Surgeons who serve as principal investigators in surgical oncology trials received new administrative support this year as the department’s Clinical Research and Data Management Group assumed coordination of many of the surgical oncology trials at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine. The department’s Vice Chair for Research, William Gillanders, MD, is national principal investigator for a breast cancer study combining chemotherapy and antibody therapy to activate anti-tumor immunity. William Chapman, MD, is principal investigator for a device trial evaluating normothermic machine perfusion technology to protect liver organs before transplant. Mohamed Zayed, MD, PhD, maintains a vascular biobank that serves scientific investigations related to vascular diseases.
Public health research
Public health sciences researchers are leaders in cancer and disease prevention research, with Division Chief Graham Colditz, MD, DrPH, at the forefront of efforts to promote healthy lifestyles. Last year, he advised the national Cancer Moonshot initiative to accelerate cancer research. Investigators also study patient decision-making, health disparities, health communication, chronic disease prevention, cancer genetics, biostatistics and public health in underdeveloped countries.
*Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research
Outcomes research
Surgical outcomes research is a major strength in the Department of Surgery. To build onto existing collaborations between surgeons and public health sciences faculty, the department established the Surgery and Public Health Research (SPHERE) Center. Members meet monthly for research discussions and mentorship, with an ultimate goal of spurring more competitive grants. Co-leaders are Public Health Sciences Chief Graham Colditz, MD, DrPH, thoracic surgeon Benjamin Kozower, MD, MPH, and public health sciences researcher Mary Politi, PhD.
Highlights
A U.S. SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE heard Department Chair Timothy Eberlein, MD, explain at a March 8 hearing, shown here, why federal funding is critical to the search for innovative therapies for cancer and other diseases. Eberlein, also director of Siteman Cancer Center, cited the application of genomic analysis to develop precision cancer treatments as an example of promising research. He also said NIH is vitally important to the careers of young scientists. Other medical experts who testified at the hearing were Stacey Schultz-Cherry, PhD, of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Thomas Grabowski, MD, of the University of Washington; and Jennifer Sasser, PhD, of the University of Mississippi.
EARLY CAREER NIH K08 AWARDS went to plastic surgeon Alison Snyder-Warwick, MD, and vascular surgeon Mohamed Zayed, MD, PhD. The awards highlight the breadth of the department’s basic science research and its commitment to developing young surgeon-scientists through mentoring. Snyder-Warwick will investigate the role of terminal Schwann cells — located at the interface between motor nerves and muscle — in normal function and after motor nerve injury. Her studies may suggest new strategies to treat nerve injuries. Zayed’s grant will fund ongoing translational research that explores the biochemistry of diabetic peripheral arterial disease and potential methods to inhibit this difficult-to-treat disease. He also received the American College of Surgeons/Society for Vascular Surgery Foundation Career Development grant, which matches K08 funds.