2024 Research Symposium Highlights & Awards

Claire Bilow
April 25, 2024
2024 DOM Research Symposium Blog

On Friday, April 19, we held our 17th Annual Department of Medicine Research Symposium. A total of 46 abstracts were presented at this year’s event, including 3 from junior faculty, 22 from residents/fellows, 3 from graduate students, 4 from postdoctoral scholars, 6 from staff scientists, research specialists, or program coordinators, and 8 from medical students. Of those abstracts, 4 were selected for oral presentation awards (highlighted below). Congratulations to this year's research poster award winners (featured below)!

Additionally, our keynote speaker, Garth Swanson, M.D., MS, gave a wonderful presentation titled "It's About Time: Bringing Circadian Rhythms from the Bench to Bedside in Inflammatory Bowel Disease."  

2023 Research Symposium Keynote Speaker
Keynote Speaker Garth Swanson, M.D., MS

2024 DOM Research Symposium Keynote Speaker Garth Swanson, M.D.
L-R: Jim Oates, M.D., Garth Swanson, M.D., MS, and Ben Clyburn, M.D.

2023 Research Symposium Oral Abstract Presenters
L-R: Jered Schenk, M.D., Rachana Krishna, M.D., Melissa Cunningham, M.D., Ph.D., Gary Gilkeson, M.D.

2024 DOM Research Symposium
L-R: Alissa Mingo, Andrew Goodwin, M.D., Ashley Duckett, M.D., Galina Bogatkevich M.D., Ph.D.

2024 DOM Research Symposium
L-R: Ben Clyburn, M.D. and Tim Adewale

2024 DOM Research Symposium
Kennedy Hawkins

Oral Abstract Presenters:

Tim Adewale

Hayden Braun
Medical Student, MUSC College of Medicine

Category: Medical Student
Mentor: Valerian Fernandes, M.D.
Title: Outcomes for Different ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Activation Criteria in the Pre-COVID vs Post-COVID Era

 

Camilla Bacchin

Helen (Jensie) Burton, M.D.
Infectious Diseases Fellow, Co-Chief Fellow

Category: Resident/Fellow
Mentor: Krutika Hornback, PharmD
Title: Limited Impact of Streptococcus pneumoniae Urinary Antigen Testing

 

Dr. Jensie Burton

Laura Novotny, Ph.D.
Staff Scientist, Division of Infectious Diseases

Category: Staff Scientist, Research Specialist, Program Coordinator
Mentor: Eric Meissner, M.D., Ph.D.
Title: Expression of interferon lambda receptor-1 isoforms shapes the hepatocellular response to interferon lambda

 

Michelle Spiegel

Michelle Spiegel, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine

Category: Junior Faculty
Mentor: Andrew Goodwin, MD, MSCR
Title: Development and Implementation of Electronic Health Record-embedded Clinical Decision Support to Reduce Central Line-associated Bloodstream Infections

  

Poster Award Winners:

Kasey Lerner

Jessica English, M.D.
Chief Fellow, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology

Category: Resident/Fellow
Mentors: Diane Kamen, M.D., MSCR, and Bethany Wolf, Ph.D.
Title: Pregnancy Outcome Disparities Among Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

 

Carter Smith

Nancy Hagood, M.D.
Med-Peds Chief Resident

Category: Resident/Fellow
Mentors: Meghan Thomas, M.D., MPH, MS, Marc Heincelman, M.D., MPH, and Danielle Scheurer, M.D., MSCR
Title: Understanding the Impact of Hospital Acquisitions on Quality of Care

 

Michael Attanasi

Alissa Mingo
Medical Student, MUSC

Category: Medical Student
Mentors: Andrew Schreiner, M.D., and Drew Stone, M.D.
Title: Rising into Relevance: A Rare Case of Saccharomyces Pyelonephritis in an Immunosuppressed Patient with Exposure to Sourdough Starter

 

Shailza Sharma

Shailza Sharma, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology

Category: Postdoctoral Fellow
Mentor: Carol Feghali-Bostwick, Ph.D.
Title: YAP1: A key mediator in Enolase-1 driven pulmonary fibrosis

 

Leonidas Walthall, M.D.

Leonidas Walthall, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Division of Hospital Medicine

Category: Junior Faculty
Mentors: Meghan Thomas, M.D., MPH, MS, and Marc Heincelman, M.D., MPH
Title: Patient Ambulation as a Predictor of Hospital Outcomes

 

Dr. Michelle Spiegel

Jena Wirth
Research Specialist, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology

Category: Staff Scientist, Research Specialist, Program Coordinator
Mentor: Melissa Cunningham, M.D., Ph.D.
Title: Membrane-localized estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is required for normal development
of multiple myeloid cell subsets


We would like to thank all of the participants for sharing their innovative research as well as those who attended this year’s event and gave constructive feedback. We want to give special thanks to Claire Bilow, Natalie Wilson, and Mac Houck, for their tireless efforts toward making this symposium a success. 

In addition, we would like to especially thank and recognize this year’s judges (listed below) who contributed their time and effort to make the 17th Annual Department of Medicine Research Symposium a successful event. 

  • Galina Bogatkevich, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Melissa Cunningham, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Ahmed Daoud, M.D.
  • Ashley Duckett, M.D.
  • Gary Gilkeson, M.D.
  • Andrew Goodwin, M.D.
  • Zain Gowani, M.D.
  • Josh Lipschutz, M.D.
  • John McKinnon, M.D.
  • Marharyta Semenikhina, Ph.D.
  • Zengdun Shi, M.D.
  • Daniel Silverman, M.D.
  • Charlie Strange, M.D.
  • Meghan Thomas, M.D.
  • Justin Van Beusecum, Ph.D.
  • Anna Brady, M.D.
  • Rachana Krishna, M.D.

About the Author

Claire Bilow
Communications / Social Media Specialist