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Research & Scholarship

Innovative biomedical research spans disciplines and partnerships, connecting discovery to real-world impact while improving health across South Carolina and the surrounding region.

Featured Publications

Cardiology:

Spinale FG, Weil BR, Sharma U, Wood S, Hollis F, Meléndez GC, DeLeon-Pennell KY, Bradshaw AD, Lang JK, Canty JM, Zile MR. Psychological stress and myocardial extracellular matrix remodeling- a pathologic synergy. Biochem Pharmacol. 2026 May;247:117795. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2026.117795. Epub 2026 Feb 10. PMID: 41679665.

Ishida Y, Gold MR, Payne JE, Bainey AR, Field ME, Badertscher P, Winterfield JR. Validation of an automated premature ventricular contraction mapping algorithm. J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 2026 Apr;69(3):383-390. doi: 10.1007/s10840-025-02150-4. Epub 2025 Oct 21. PMID: 41118045; PMCID: PMC13009140.

Geagea M, Kozaily E, Buchanan C, Litwin S, Tedford RJ. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction for the clinician - highlights from the 5th annual Charleston HFpEF conference. Heart Fail Rev. 2026 Mar 23;31(1):43. doi: 10.1007/s10741-026-10601-x. PMID: 41870685.

Khan MS, Borlaug BA, Butler J, Gomberg-Maitland M, Humbert M, Lam CSP, Reddy YNV, Stone GW, Zannad F, Tedford RJ. Pulmonary Hypertension Associated With Left Heart Disease: Challenges, Emerging Strategies, and Future Directions. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2026 Mar 11:S0735-1097(26)00134-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2026.01.024. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41811276.

Stevenson LW, Tedford RJ. Remote Monitoring to Optimize Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy Beyond Diuretics. J Card Fail. 2026 Mar 10:S1071-9164(26)00116-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cardfail.2026.02.037. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41819472.

Bacchin C, Luciani M, Troncone L, Balla C, Berto S, Wolf BJ, Del Monte F. Cardiomyopathy and aging integrally contribute to the unfolded protein response collective pathways. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2026 Mar 10:S0022-2828(26)00040-4. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2026.03.001. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41819277.

Borlaug BA, Zile MR, Packer M. Visceral adiposity assessment to enhance risk stratification in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Eur Heart J. 2026 Mar 6:ehag119. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehag119. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41790513.

Dempster T, Corker A, Vu K, Troncoso M, Bradley N, Hazzard A, Milligan K, Macaulay B, Dasgupta S, Li M, DeLeon-Pennell KY. Modulation of macrophage polarization with acute administration of Vericiguat after myocardial infarction. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2026 Mar 1;330(3):H890-H903. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00626.2025. Epub 2026 Feb 16. PMID: 41693664.

Judge DP, Udall M, Rosen AM, Lamarre N, Nagelhout E, Dao HD, Maurer MS. Real-World Outcomes Among Patients in the United States Receiving Tafamidis for Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy. Cardiol Ther. 2026 Mar;15(1):59-82. doi: 10.1007/s40119-025-00443-3. Epub 2025 Dec 19. PMID: 41417197; PMCID: PMC12988930.

 

Endocrinology:

Silvestre J, Loftley AE, Ferdon RJ, Ravinsky RA, Karanchi H. National Trends in the Supply and Demand for Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Training in the United States. Endocr Pract. 2026 Jan 30:S1530-891X(26)00037-6. doi: 10.1016/j.eprac.2026.01.020. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41621658.

Gastroenterology & Hepatology:

Bou Daher H, Gregoski MJ, Rockey DC. Risk scoring systems to predict in-hospital mortality in patients with cirrhosis admitted with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding. J Investig Med. 2026 Apr;74(3):260-268. doi: 10.1177/10815589251357622. Epub 2025 Jun 30. PMID: 40586355.

Sasser HB, Koch DG. Plasma exchange in acute liver failure. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2026 Mar 4. doi: 10.1097/MOG.0000000000001166. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41782400.

Sutton MM, Gregoski MJ, Rockey DC. Overuse of Intravenous Proton-Pump Inhibitors in the Treatment of Low-Risk Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2026 Mar 1;60(3):268-272. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000002211. PMID: 40549584.

General Internal Medicine:

Bhushan A, Mazanec D, Bullington J, Marsden J, Zhang J, Bhushan K, Coyne P. Auricular Acupuncture for Symptom Management in Inpatient Palliative Care. J Hosp Palliat Nurs. 2026 Apr 1;28(2):94-98. doi: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000001183. Epub 2026 Feb 20. PMID: 41778820.

Booth A, Zhang J, Marsden JE, Donahue C, Curran T. Guideline-Concordant Provision of Extended Prophylaxis for Venous Thromboembolism After Major Cancer Surgery Differs by Social and Structural Determinants of Health. Am Surg. 2026 Mar;92(3):907-913. doi: 10.1177/00031348251385110. Epub 2025 Oct 8. PMID: 41061117.

Patel KM, Jnawali C, Zhang J, Marsden J, Bays C, Schreiner AD. Implications of Expanded Advanced Fibrosis Screening Strategies for Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Primary Care. Endocr Pract. 2026 Jan 29:S1530-891X(26)00030-3. doi: 10.1016/j.eprac.2026.01.013. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41619811.

Hematology & Oncology:

Djulbegovic B, Greenberg CS. How to Determine the Optimal Duration of Anticoagulation for VTE: An Evidence-Based Decision-Analytical Approach. Blood Adv. 2026 Jan 20:bloodadvances.2025017976. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2025017976. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41558032.

Mansour R, Green KM, Graf C, Chang M, Magee G, Davis JA, Zayad A, Ahmed N, Mushtaq MU, Ouchveridze E, Mahmoudjafari Z, Paul B, Twardowski N, Atrash S, Abdallah AO. Comparative Efficacy of Daratumumab Based Regimens in Patients With Relapsed-Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM) Aged 70 and Above: A Multicenter Study. Eur J Haematol. 2026 Jan 16. doi: 10.1111/ejh.70077. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41543311.

Hospital Medicine:

Singleton K, Stol IS, Meyer JO, Visserman LF, Honko AN. Mind the Blind Spot. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2026 Mar;74(3):940-942. doi: 10.1111/jgs.70290. Epub 2026 Jan 7. PMID: 41499683.

Walgrave M, Gregory A, Phillips D, Stoll C, Harvey J, Williams D. Perceptions of the Educational Value of the Electronic Health Record: A Qualitative Study. Hosp Pediatr. 2026 Feb 1;16(2):167-174. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2025-008474. PMID: 41529811.

Maleque N, Thomas M, Greysen R, Khawaja H. Pathways to promotion: Strategies to get started. J Hosp Med. 2026 Feb;21(2):207-209. doi: 10.1002/jhm.70178. Epub 2025 Sep 30. PMID: 41028959.

Hailat D, Colonna C, Fowler H, Walthall L. Urinary Ascites Mimicking Portal Hypertension in a Healthy Woman With Bladder Microperforation. Cureus. 2026 Feb 11;18(2):e103438. doi: 10.7759/cureus.103438. PMID: 41835653; PMCID: PMC12987705.

Nielsen EM, Zhang J, Marsden J, Bays C, Mauldin PD, Brownstein NC, Toll BA, Schreiner AD, Heincelman M. Associations between Tobacco Use and Tobacco Cessation Pharmacotherapy on Rehospitalizations. South Med J. 2026 Feb;119(2):56-61. doi: 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001930. PMID: 41627956.

 

Infectious Diseases:

Tyler RS, Colven RB, McQueen H, Batalis N, Mills AG, Curry SR, Harris CE, Charles DW. Symbiont in circulation: Mycetohabitans endofungorum bacteremia heralding invasive mucormycosis. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2026 May;115(1):117308. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2026.117308. Epub 2026 Feb 6. PMID: 41671977.

Sharma D, Harris CE, Mills AG, Charles DW. West Nile virus encephalitis in a kidney transplant recipient: a case report and review of the literature. Clin Transplant Res. 2026 Mar 6. doi: 10.4285/ctr.25.0050. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41786361.

Adekunle R, Monteith J, Wan Z, Smith JP, Espinosa E, Huang L, Jiang W. Distinct oral microbiomes in individuals with tobacco smoking compared to nonsmoking healthy individuals. Am J Addict. 2026 Jan;35(1):77-84. doi: 10.1111/ajad.70073. Epub 2025 Aug 4. PMID: 40755132.

 

Nephrology:

Ali H, Daoud A, Mohammed M, ElHafeez SA, Molnar MZ, Malyszko J, Thongprayoon C, Cheungpasitporn W, Fülöp T. Equitable Donor Assessment Model of Deceased Donor Kidney Quality. Kidney Int Rep. 2026 Jan 21;11(4):103790. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2026.103790. PMID: 41777292; PMCID: PMC12950383.

Golbus AL, Park E, Harris CE, Quadri S, Mukherjee R, Killic A, Tedford RJ, McMahon BA. Infectious consequences of antimicrobial change from vancomycin-piperacillin/ tazobactam to vancomycin-cefepime in the prevention of AKI during orthotopic heart transplantation. BMC Infect Dis. 2026 Mar 21. doi: 10.1186/s12879-026-12788-8. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41864870.

Butler HM, Zehntner ME, Van Beusecum JP. Endothelial Dysfunction: Insights into Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-associated Cardiovascular Disease and Neuropsychiatric Manifestations. J Cardiovasc Transl Res. 2026 Mar 7;19(1):36. doi: 10.1007/s12265-026-10753-z. PMID: 41795008; PMCID: PMC12967630.

Teruel B, Golbus AL, Park E, Hashmi H, Murray PT, Davis J, McMahon BA. Discrepancy in Estimating GFR for Melphalan Dosing in Multiple Myeloma Patients Undergoing Autologous Stem Cell Transplant: A Retrospective Analysis. Kidney360. 2026 Feb 27. doi: 10.34067/KID.0000001107. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41758572.

Wathanavasin W, Jaturapisanukul S, Janwetchasil P, Thongprayoon C, Cheungpasitporn W, Fülöp T. Effects of Hemodiafiltration Versus Hemodialysis on Uremic Toxins, Inflammatory Markers, Anemia, and Nutritional Parameters: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Toxins (Basel). 2026 Feb 6;18(2):86. doi: 10.3390/toxins18020086. PMID: 41745752; PMCID: PMC12944842.

 

Pulmonary & Critical Care:

Lozier J, Ford DW. How much Oxygen do they need? Clearing the air, and the bank account. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2026 Mar 15:aaoag058. doi: 10.1093/annalsats/aaoag058. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41834091.

Winthrop KL, Flume PA, Khare R, Sriaroon C, Sirbu A, Manley A, Das AF, Chitra S, Deck DH, Serio AW, Anastasiou DM, Villano S. Omadacycline Monotherapy in Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Disease Caused by Mycobacterium abscessus: Results From a Phase 2, Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study. Clin Infect Dis. 2026 Mar 3:ciag062. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciag062. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41773873.

Pitcher TJ, Long KJ, Kammer MN, Schuldheisz S, Bajantri B, Gleeson T, Zanchi D, Bansal S, Yuhico L, Peek LJ, Jett JR, Nair VS, Silvestri GA. Validation of a blood-based autoantibody test to assess lung cancer risk in 4-30 mm pulmonary nodules: a retrospective pooled analysis of four cohort studies. Future Oncol. 2026 Mar;22(7):831-842. doi: 10.1080/14796694.2026.2626339. Epub 2026 Feb 17. PMID: 41703731; PMCID: PMC12977245.

Menon AA, Moll M, Pugashetti JV, Linderholm AL, Liu GY, Krishna R, Noth I, Hunninghake GM, Feghali-Bostwick C, Ghosh AJ. Sex-related transcriptomic differences in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2026 Feb 21:aamag080. doi: 10.1093/ajrccm/aamag080. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41738237.

Menon AA, Silvestri GA. A Pulmonary Inferno: The Triad of Interstitial Abnormalities, Emphysema, and Lung Cancer. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2026 Feb 12:aaoag033. doi: 10.1093/annalsats/aaoag033. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41678225.

Choate R, Holm KE, Sandhaus RA, Mannino DM, Strange C. Severe Obesity and Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency-Associated COPD: A Dual Burden on Health and Quality of Life. Chronic Obstr Pulm Dis. 2026 Feb 9. doi: 10.15326/jcopdf.2025.0672. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41662511.

Young RP, Scott RJ, Wang Z, Silvestri GA. Obesity Paradox and Lung Cancer Mortality: The Contributing Roles of Airflow Limitation and Pre-Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2026 Feb 1;23(2):280-291. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202505-499OC. PMID: 40986803.

Rheumatology & Immunology:

Baker Frost D, Tedford RJ, Silver R. Definition, diagnosis, treatment for scleroderma primary heart involvement. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2026 Mar 20:102134. doi: 10.1016/j.berh.2026.102134. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41864764.

Williams EM, Leung J, Bruner L, Zhang J, Zhou J, Oates JC. The intervention to improve quality of life for African American lupus patients project: Incorporating the element of choice to improve disease self-management and quality of life: A randomized controlled study. Lupus. 2026 Mar 2:9612033261432151. doi: 10.1177/09612033261432151. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41770849.

Williams EM, Parvar SY, Keller E, Nietert PJ, Dismuke-Greer CL, Johnson H, Williams JS, Oates J. The impact of a peer-mentoring intervention on self-reported flare and disease activity among African American women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Lupus. 2026 Feb 11:9612033261422819. doi: 10.1177/09612033261422819. Epub ahead of print.

Learn More About Our Research and Scholarship

Our NIH-funded research portfolio includes P30 Center grants in rheumatology and digestive diseases, U01 grants in gastroenterology and rheumatology, and U10/U34 and U54 grants in gastroenterology and hematology/oncology. We conduct a wide range of clinical and translational research, with many investigators also collaborating with the VA in fields like cardiology, endocrinology, and hematology/oncology.

These programs are nationally and internationally recognized, advancing our understanding of disease mechanisms and leading to new treatment strategies. Our goal is to discover the biological causes of human disease and develop innovative therapies to improve patient outcomes.

Research Training & Mentorship

We are committed to training the next generation of researchers, with programs ranging from medical students to junior faculty. Our faculty mentoring program and NIH-supported training grants in rheumatology, cardiology, and other areas support the development of our researchers, fostering a vibrant "culture of research" at MUSC.

Basic Research

Basic science research is thriving across all divisions, with strong collaborative efforts in inflammation and fibrosis research. Our newly renovated lab space on the 9th floor of the Clinical Sciences Building supports these efforts, providing modern facilities for cutting-edge research in areas like lung, liver, and renal fibrosis.

Translational Research

Translational research at MUSC bridges basic science, clinical research, and patient care through a team-based approach. Our strategic focus includes discovering disease pathways, identifying therapeutic targets, and translating these findings into clinical practice. The Center of Economic Excellence in Inflammation and Fibrosis exemplifies this approach, with teams working together on diseases like systemic sclerosis, liver fibrosis, and pulmonary fibrosis.

Clinical Research

Our clinical research portfolio is wide-ranging, covering prospective and retrospective studies, health data modeling, clinical trials, and biomarker research. Pulmonary, Gastroenterology, and Hematology/Oncology divisions are particularly active, with support from the South Carolina Translational Research Institute and the Office of Clinical Research.

Research by Division

The Department of Medicine has a long and distinguished history of outstanding basic and clinical research aimed at transforming the health of our patients. All the Department's subspecialties are engaged in innovative basic, translational, and clinical research with an emphasis on interdisciplinary projects.

Learn more about the research within each division:

The Department of Medicine faculty receives, on average, 28 percent of the MUSC School of Medicine's extramural research funding each year. We maintain a sustained effort to recruit the best researchers in our divisional areas and to invest in all ongoing programs.

Related Links

Digestive Disease Research Center