2025 Research Symposium
On Friday, March 28, we hosted our 18th Annual Department of Medicine Research Symposium. This year, 33 abstracts were presented, showcasing work from across our academic community:
- 4 from junior faculty
- 13 from residents and fellows
- 4 from graduate students
- 3 from postdoctoral scholars
- 3 from staff scientists, research specialists, or program coordinators
- 6 from medical students
Four abstracts received oral presentation awards, and five participants were recognized with research poster awards (featured below).
Additionally, our keynote speaker, Shikhar Mehrotra, Ph.D., gave a wonderful presentation titled “MUSC’s CAR-T Voyage: From Bench to Bedside.” Dr. Mehrotra is a professor of surgery and the Robert K. Stuart, M.D., Endowed Chair in Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Surgery at MUSC.
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L-R: Jim Oates, M.D., and keynote speaker Shikhar Mehrotra, Ph.D.
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Michael Vinzani, M.D., presents
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L-R: Kathryn Counts, Elaine Park, and Mary Elyse Moore
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Amy Hockman, M.D., presents
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Soroush Moradi presents
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Laura Novotny, Ph.D., presents
Oral Abstract Presenters:
Alec Biscopink, M.D.
PGY-3 Internal Medicine Resident
Category: Resident/Fellow
Mentor: Vishal Rao, M.D., MPH
Title: “Implications of Exercise Wedge Pressure in HFpEF Identified by Pressure-Flow Slope”
Aravind Menon, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine
Category: Junior Faculty
Mentor: Carol Feghali-Bostwick, Ph.D.
Title: “Sex-related Transcriptomic Differences in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis”
Kush Patel, M.D.
PGY-3 Internal Medicine Resident
Category: Resident/Fellow
Mentor: Andrew Schreiner, M.D., MSCR
Title: “MASLD Fibrosis Risk in Primary Care Patients with Diabetes and Prediabetes”
Brennan Winkler
Graduate Student, MUSC College of Graduate Studies
Category: Graduate Student
Mentor: Josh Lipschutz, M.D.
Title: “Tryptophan is a Link Between Cilia and Mitochondria in Renal Tubule Cells”
Poster Award Winners:
Mary Elyse Moore
Medical Student, MUSC College of Medicine
Category: Medical Student
Mentor: Don Rockey, M.D
Title: “Characterizing Chemotherapy-Associated Drug-Induced Liver Injury”
Sara Hatoum, M.D.
PGY-2 IM Resident, Department of Medicine
Category: Resident/Fellow
Mentor: Don Rockey, M.D.
Title: “Histological fibrosis stage and portal hypertension in patients with acute alcoholassociated hepatitis”
Maria Roell, M.D.
PGY-2 IM Resident, Department of Medicine
Category: Resident/Fellow
Mentor: Erin Forster, M.D., MPH
Title: “Advances in Adalimumab biosimilar usage in a statewide health system”
Marice McCrorey
Ph.D. Candidate, Division of Nephrology
Category: Graduate Student
Mentor: Justin Van Beusecum, Ph.D.
Title: “Sex Dependent Regulation of Endothelin in Humans with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and A Murine Model of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-Like Cardiovascular Disease”
Leonidas Walthall, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Division of Hospital Medicine
Category: Junior Faculty
Mentor: Marc Heincelman, M.D., MPH
Title: “Interprofessional Education to Advance Patient Mobility at an Academic Medical Center”
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 Catherine Bennett, Natalie Wilson, and Claire Bilow, 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 18th Annual Department of Medicine Research Symposium a successful event.
- Catalin Baicu, Ph.D.
- Galina Bogatkevich, M.D., Ph.D.
- Anna Brady, M.D.
- Elisha Brownfield, M.D.
- Melissa Cunningham, M.D., Ph.D.
- Zain Gowani, M.D.
- Young Im Lee, M.D.
- Josh Lipschutz, M.D.
- Harriet Mather, M.D.
- Paul McDermott, Ph.D.
- Blaithin McMahon, Ph.D., MBBChr
- Eric Meissner, M.D., Ph.D.
- Tammy Nowling, Ph.D.
- Toktam Sahranavard, M.D.
- Cassy Salgado, M.D., MS
- Marharyta Semenikhina, Ph.D.
- Amol Sharma, M.D., MSc, FACG, AGAF
- Meghan Thomas, M.D., MS, MPH
- Justin Van Beusecum, Ph.D.