Division Updates
MUSC Department of Medicine Annual Report

Led by Thomas Di Salvo, M.D., MPH, MBA, the Division of Cardiology continues to strengthen its clinical, research, and educational impact regionally and nationally. In FY26, the division welcomed five new faculty — Matthew Belanger, M.D. (General Cardiology); Swati Rao, M.D., and Rory Dowd, M.D. (Electrophysiology); Payton Kendsersky, M.D. (Interventional); and Kurt Prins, M.D., Ph.D. (General Cardiology) — with six more joining in FY27. Dr. Prins also became Director of the Gazes Cardiac Research Institute, one of the nation's leading heart failure research centers, where investigators bridge basic science and clinical practice using single-cell biology, proteomics, metabolomics, and genetic analysis. In his first year, Dr. Prins and the Gazes team increased research funding, published high-impact manuscripts, and forged new collaborations. 

As one of the Southeast's top-rated cardiovascular centers, the MUSC Health Heart & Vascular Center delivers comprehensive, patient-centered care through nationally recognized physicians and advanced technology.

Advances in Clinical Care

• Growth and Access: The division saw 31% growth in new patients from FY25 to its FY26 year-end projection. Two new outpatient locations — MUSC Health Clements Ferry Pavilion and Kiawah Partners Pavilion — opened in FY26, bringing heart and vascular specialty care to the Cainhoy and Sea Islands communities of South Carolina. 
• New Ambulatory Surgery Center: In FY26, MUSC Health opened South Carolina's first ambulatory surgery center dedicated to heart care, at the MUSC Health West Ashley Medical Pavilion. Electrophysiologists Chau Vo, M.D., and Rachel Kaplan, M.D., now perform select same-day procedures for eligible patients with heart rhythm disorders, including ablations, pacemaker placements and implantable defibrillators, while improving access and easing demand on downtown hospital facilities. 
• Transplant Program Recognition: Led by Ryan Tedford, M.D., MUSC's heart transplant program received national recognition as one of 15 centers in the American Heart Association's research network. 

Advances in Research

• Kurt Prins, M.D., Ph.D., was inducted into the American Society for Clinical Investigation, and served as Chair of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association's Scientific Sessions Committee. 
• The division grew its annual research funding from $2.41M to $3.81M, a 58% year-over-year increase. Major new grants include Dr. Ryan Tedford’s award from the AHA's MUSC Transplant Research Network and Dr. Michele Esposito’s K23 NHLBI grant studying regional disparities in skeletal muscle microvascular dysfunction in systolic heart failure. Dr. Esposito was also awarded funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program Tech Catalyst Fund for Pressiant Health, a heart failure disease management initiative.  In addition to these extramural awards, Federica Del Monte, M.D., Ph.D., was awarded a $3 million philanthropic gift to support her work in heart-brain disease.   
• Division faculty also gained national recognition through senior editorial and leadership roles: Kristine DeLeon-Pennell, Ph.D., was named a Fellow of the American Physiological Society (Basic Cardiovascular Section); Michele Esposito, M.D., joined the SCAI Emerging Leadership Mentor Program; and Brian Houston, M.D. (Associate Editor, Journal of Cardiac Failure), Ryan Tedford, M.D. (Deputy Editor, Circulation), and Kurt Prins, M.D., Ph.D. (Consulting Editor, JCI Insight) each took on senior editorships.

Advances in Education

• Faculty Teaching Honors: Michael Zile, M.D., received the 2026 ACC Distinguished Mentor Award; Amy Bradshaw, M.D., was named MUSC Graduate Student Association Teacher of the Year; and Ryan Tedford, M.D., received the 2026 MUSC Teaching Excellence Award for Educator Mentorship. 
• Trainee Recognition: Madelyn Blake, B.S., received the ASCI Post-Baccalaureate Fellowship Award, and Amber Hazzard, Ph.D.(c), received a Distinguished Abstract Award at the APS Summit and a 2025 AAAS Mass Media Fellowship. 
• Fellowship Program Growth: The division's five ACGME-accredited fellowship programs continue to attract highly competitive applicants nationwide. The general cardiology fellowship has expanded to 21 fellows, and the electrophysiology fellowship now supports five fellows annually.

Led by Marc-Andre Cornier, M.D., the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolic Diseases is renowned for its patient-centered care, groundbreaking research, and commitment to education. Our multidisciplinary clinics provide comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services for a wide range of endocrine disorders, including diabetes, obesity, and thyroid, pituitary, adrenal and lipid disorder, reaching patients across South Carolina. 

Focused on strategic growth, the division has welcomed new faculty and advanced practice providers, expanding clinics across the state and enhancing services in cardiometabolic health. For over five decades, our internationally recognized faculty have driven transformative research, setting new standards in endocrine, diabetes and metabolic care and continuing to lead advancements on a global scale. 

Advances in Clinical Care

• Over the past year, the division’s clinical programs have continued to evolve to provide the best possible patient-centered approach. To meet the high demand for endocrine-related clinical services, the division will welcome three new faculty members in FY27.   

Additional highlights include: 

• Endocrinology clinical services expanded to Columbia, South Carolina, where Aundrea Loftley, M.D., and Meghan Blanchette, NP now see patients. 
• Opened a new Weight Management Clinic and expanded weight management clinical services. 
• MUSC obesity medicine physician Joshua Neal, M.D., partnered with Trident Technical College to launch a four-week culinary medicine pilot combining clinical guidance, personalized nutrition education and hands-on cooking instruction. Participants gained practical techniques and confidence to make healthier choices at home, demonstrating how food and cooking skills can support long-term health. Building on the program’s early success, Neal envisions developing disease-specific courses to help patients use nutrition as a tool in managing diabetes, inflammatory conditions and digestive diseases. 

Advances in Research

• FY26 saw the continued expansion of division’s clinical and translational research portfolio with several new multicenter trials. 
• MUSC Management of Maternal Diabetes (MOMs) Program: This multidisciplinary research and care program brings together endocrinology, maternal-fetal medicine, diabetes education, nutrition, and community health to improve outcomes for people with diabetes before, during, and after pregnancy. In FY26, the program expanded access to maternal diabetes care through in-person and virtual services as part of the SC MOMs initiative, addressing both medical needs and social determinants of health to reduce adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Advances in Education

• The division grew its Endocrinology Fellowship Program to five ACGME fellows annually and, with an American College of Diabetology grant, launched a one-year Diabetes Fellowship Program that welcomed its first fellow in FY26. 

Faculty Awards and Recognitions: 

• Aundrea Loftley, M.D., received the 2026 MUSC Golden Apple Preclerkship Teaching Excellence Award (HRR Theme) and the 2026 MUSC Lift As You Climb Mentorship Award  
• New Leadership:  Josh Neal, M.D., named Chief of the Health, Wellness and Human Performance ICCE & Emily Rosenberg, M.D., named Medical Director, Diabetes Management Service 

Under the leadership of Garth Swanson, M.D., the MUSC Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology has achieved significant growth in clinical care, research, and education over the past three years. The division has expanded its faculty and staff to meet the needs of a rapidly growing community, driving increases in clinical volume and colorectal cancer screenings. The Liver Transplant Program has strengthened its national standing with a notable rise in transplant volume, while the motility program broadened diagnostic services for patients with complex gastrointestinal disorders.

In FY26, the division welcomed seven new faculty members across general gastroenterology, motility, transplant hepatology, and interventional endoscopy, with three additional recruits set to join in FY27. Research remains a central pillar of the division’s mission, anchored by the COBRE in Digestive and Liver Disease and the NIDDK P30-funded Digestive Disease Research Core Center.

The division also expanded fellowship training, including its advanced inflammatory bowel disease fellowship, to prepare the next generation of specialists.

Advances in Clinical Care

• Expanding Liver Disease Detection: The division launched a new Cardiometabolic MASLD Clinic, a collaboration between the MUSC Hepatology and Cardiology Integrated Innovation Institutes (I³) to treat patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and liver fibrosis, paired with translational research alongside Allied Health dietitians and behavioral medicine providers. Complementing this effort, Fibroscan is now available as an Epic-ordered service to assess liver fibrosis, building on the Fib4 workflow Andrew Schreiner, M.D., developed in Primary Care to identify at-risk MASLD patients.
• Integrated Liver ICU Care: Pre- and post-liver transplant critical care has been consolidated into the SMICU, providing seamless intensive care for patients with liver failure or recent liver transplant, in collaboration with Rita Bakhru, M.D. (Pulmonary Critical Care) and Tara Barry, M.D. (Transplant Surgery).
• Expansion of GI Motility Services: The division expanded its motility program to include esophageal manometry, anorectal manometry, and ATMO Gas Wireless Motility capsules, increasing access to comprehensive diagnostic testing for complex gastrointestinal disorders.
• Improving Diagnostic Access: In collaboration with Nuclear Medicine, the division developed a solid-phase dynamic esophageal emptying scan for evaluating patients with dysphagia, and implemented online scheduling for GI colonoscopies to streamline access.

Advances in Research

• Renewal of P30 Digestive Disease Research Core Center: In 2025, the division celebrated the renewal of the NIDDK P30-funded MUSC Silvio O. Conte Digestive Disease Research Core Center.
• NIH-Funded Research Portfolio: Division faculty hold multiple NIH awards supporting high-impact research. Don Rockey, M.D., advances portal hypertension research and digestive disease training programs; Amol Sharma, M.D., studies the gut-microbiota-brain axis in Parkinson's disease and neuromodulation for diabetic gastroparesis; and Garth Swanson, M.D., investigates circadian misalignment and chronotherapy in inflammatory bowel disease.
• New Research Infrastructure: The division expanded the shared resources available to digestive disease investigators by establishing the MUSC Digestive Disease Biorepository and MUSC Digestive Disease Microbiome Core and is developing a Digestive Disease Organoid Core to support laboratory models that can accelerate discovery.
• Collaborative Clinics: New research-focused collaborative clinics span Parkinson's disease and GI motility disorders, cardiology and metabolic liver disease, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and neurogastroenterology.

Advances in Education

• Fellowship Program Growth: The division's advanced Inflammatory Bowel Disease Fellowship Program, recognized by the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, welcomed its second fellow, Ryan O'Leary, M.D., in FY26. The program complements the division's ACGME-accredited fellowships in transplant hepatology and general gastroenterology.
• Faculty Awards and Recognition: Don Rockey, M.D. - ‌2026 MUSC Peggy Schachte Research Mentor Award

Under the leadership of Kimberly Davis, M.D., FACP, the Division of General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care continues to advance clinical excellence, education, and research across the Department of Medicine. With more than 40 clinical and research faculty, the division provides broad inpatient and outpatient training for residents and fellows while mentoring trainees in clinical care, quality, value-based care, and research. 

Strategic recruitment continues to expand the division’s reach, with eight physicians joining in FY26 and two additional recruits scheduled for FY27. Through innovation in primary care, geriatrics, palliative medicine, and sickle cell care, the division remains committed to improving outcomes across South Carolina and beyond. 

Advancing Clinical Care

General Internal Medicine:  

This year, the division opened the first Hypertension Institute pilot clinic at University Internal Medicine and launched automated outreach to improve follow-up for adult patients with uncontrolled hypertension. 

The division and the MUSC Center for Telehealth launched a remote patient monitoring (RPM) program that lets care teams spot and treat uncontrolled blood pressure sooner, with the goal of improving patient outcomes. Led by Thompson Barr, M.D., the program is now expanding RPM services to federally qualified health centers and free clinics statewide, supported by a grant from The Duke Endowment. 

Geriatrics:  

The division expanded its Comprehensive Geriatrics Assessment Program to include bone marrow transplant patients, piloted tablet-based digital cognitive assessment tools, and expanded participation in the GUIDE dementia care program with neurology. 

Sickle Cell:  

The Rena Grant Sickle Cell Center, led by Shantae Jenkins, M.D., became a member of the National Alliance of Sickle Cell Centers and expanded its multidisciplinary team with the addition of pain specialists and physical therapists, enhancing comprehensive disease management, chronic pain care, and coordinated inpatient-outpatient care. 

Palliative Care:  

The Palliative Section completed a quality improvement initiative embedding a palliative care provider in the NSICU, expanded inpatient hospice resources with improved workflow integration, and collaborated with the MUSC Cancer Integrated Center of Clinical Excellence to grow ambulatory palliative care.   Palliative Section Head Harriet Mather, M.D., received the Department of Medicine's Ben Clyburn Clinician Educator Award for “Implementation of a Serious Illness Communication Program through VitalTalk Faculty Development Training”, with plans to extend the training to residents and frontline clinicians. The division continues to grow its Palliative Telehealth services across the MUSC regional health system.  

Advancing Research

The division collaborates across departments and medical specialties to advance care and education through research, including studies examining interhospital transfers, inpatient tobacco treatment, delirium, mobility, MASLD, and surgical outcomes.  

Andrew Schreiner, M.D., received a new NIH R01 grant to develop early detection methods for liver disease (MASLD) in primary care. The project integrates predictive modeling with EHR alerts to identify patients at risk for advanced liver fibrosis. 

Sarah Ball, PharmD, and her team received a three-year extension from the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, continuing their statewide drug utilization work through 2027. The team provides academic detailing to clinicians on opioid and alcohol use disorders, ADHD, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

Advancing Education

The division launched a new, competency-based ACGME-approved geriatric medicine fellowship through the Advancing Innovation in Residency Education pathway and matched its inaugural fellow. 

The division's two ACGME-accredited fellowships — Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and Geriatric Medicine — train four fellows each year. 

GIM faculty are heavily involved in educating and training Internal Medicine, Med-Peds, and Med-Psych residents, both on inpatient services and in their ongoing Internal Medicine continuity panels.  

Under the leadership of Craig Lockhart, M.D., MHS, the Division of Hematology and Oncology continued to earn national and international recognition in FY26 for its contributions to clinical care, research, and education. As an integral part of Hollings Cancer Center, South Carolina's only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, the division grew its faculty and expanded the scope of its clinical and research initiatives. Russell Jenkins, M.D., Ph.D.; Mohammad Alhousani, M.D.; and Priyal Agarwal, M.D., joined the division in FY26, following eight faculty recruits in FY25. Four additional faculty members are scheduled to join in FY27. The division also leads the state's only combined hematology and oncology fellowship and advances new treatments through clinical trials and laboratory discoveries.

Advances in Clinical Care

New Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL) Clinic:  MUSC opened a new multidisciplinary CTCL clinic bringing dermatologists and oncologists together to treat CTCL with specialized therapies not available elsewhere in the state.

Bringing Advanced Melanoma Therapy to South Carolina: MUSC Health became the state's only hospital system to offer tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, a personalized treatment that uses a patient's own immune cells to fight advanced melanoma. Led by Russell Jenkins, M.D., Ph.D., the multidisciplinary team completed its first tumor collection in spring 2026. 

Expanding Capacity: The MUSC Health Hematology & Oncology North Charleston clinic doubled its capacity in FY26, adding eight exam rooms and 10 infusion chairs, enabling new and urgent patients to be seen within two business days of referral. MUSC Health and Hollings also broke ground on MUSC Health Nexton Medical Center, which will include a 30,000-square-foot ambulatory cancer facility, and began planning a new comprehensive cancer hospital following the MUSC Board of Trustees' April 2026 announcement.

Advances in Research

• A clinical trial led by Abirami Sivapiragasam, M.D., is testing a response-adaptive chemotherapy approach for women with stage 2–3 triple-negative breast cancer who cannot receive standard therapy because of heart disease, tailoring treatment based on early MRI results to improve outcomes while reducing toxicity. 
• Hollings enrolled the first patient in a global phase 2/3 trial evaluating the bifunctional antibody ficerafusp alfa in combination with pembrolizumab for recurrent or metastatic HPV-negative head and neck cancer. Led by John Kaczmar, M.D., the study aims to establish a new standard of care. 
• With National Cancer Institute support, Mariam Alexander, M.D., Ph.D., is building the clinical and research infrastructure to bring emerging cellular therapies to patients with solid tumors, expanding access to advanced treatment and clinical trials closer to home. 
• Additional faculty-led trials spanned myelofibrosis (Alex Coltoff, M.D.), MDS/MPN (Alex Coltoff, M.D.), post-CAR-T consolidation therapy for lymphoma (Brian Hess, M.D.), and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (Craig Lockhart, M.D.). John Kaczmar, M.D., led the division in FY26 trial enrollment with 35 patients, followed by Praneeth Baratam, MBBS (17) and Christopher Rangel, M.D. (16). 
• Division faculty also earned national recognition: Russell Jenkins, M.D., Ph.D., was named the Cecilia and Vincent Peng Endowed Chair in Melanoma and Cutaneous Oncology, and Abirami Sivapiragasam, M.D., was named to the 2026–2027 ASCO Leadership Development Program Education Scholars program and an ASCO Advocacy Champion at the 2026 ASCO Advocacy Summit.

Advances in Education

Fellowship Program Growth: The division celebrated the graduation of its first two APP fellows from MUSC's one-year Hematology/Oncology APP Fellowship track and will welcome two new fellows in FY27. Led by newly appointed Fellowship Program Director Abi Siva, M.D., the division also expanded its Hematology and Oncology Fellowship with an additional allotment, now supporting five fellows per year.

Under the leadership of Marc Heincelman, M.D., MPH, SFHM, the Division of Hospital Medicine's 56 physicians and 11 APPs provide care to patients on 14 inpatient services, one orthopedic co-management service, one consult service, and a robust preoperative medicine clinic, while providing tele-hospitalist support to four small rural hospitals in South Carolina. The division leads innovation in patient care, education, and research to meet the needs of patients across South Carolina and beyond. In FY26, the division welcomed eight new faculty members, with three more recruits set to join in FY27. 

Advances in Clinical Care

Complex Intervention Unit (CIU): Under the leadership of Benjamin Kalivas, M.D., the division opened one of 14 Complex Intervention Units in the United States in September 2025. In the CIU, hospitalists with combined training in internal medicine and psychiatry care for patients admitted with complex medical needs alongside significant psychiatric comorbidities. 

Expansion of Tele-Hospitalist Care: Under the leadership of Yotam Papo, M.D., MPH, MUSC's tele-hospitalist program expanded to four rural hospitals in South Carolina. The program enables tertiary-care hospitalists to provide remote clinical oversight and support, helping ensure high-quality inpatient care within local rural communities. 

Research and Education Innovation

Division faculty are advancing research that improves clinical care and expands educational opportunities.  

• Global Health Education Curriculum: Nancy Hagood, M.D., MPH, developed a structured, longitudinal Global Health Education Curriculum for Department of Medicine trainees. Through a partnership with Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania, the program immerses residents in global health experiences while strengthening international educational collaboration. The DOM Chairman's Education Innovation Program funded this project.  
• EHR Alert to Improve Tobacco Cessation: Ellen Esposito, M.D., is evaluating a non-interruptive electronic health record alert designed to increase prescribing of nicotine replacement therapy during hospitalization and at discharge. The DOM Chairman's Research Innovation Program and a South Carolina Translational Research (SCTR) Pilot Grant fund the project.  
• Tele-Hospitalist Impact on Rural Hospitals: Yotam Papo, M.D., MSCR, is evaluating the financial and clinical impact of MUSC's tele-hospitalist program on rural hospital care in South Carolina. The National Telehealth Center of Excellence grant funds the project.  
• Advancing Inpatient Mobility: Leon Walthall, M.D., is studying an inpatient mobility program at MUSC Charleston designed to increase ambulation, reduce hospital-acquired conditions, and increase discharges to home.  

Excellence in Education 

Division faculty play a central role in undergraduate and graduate medical education at MUSC, leading key initiatives in point-of-care ultrasound training, patient mobility, and clinical competency evaluation. This year, several were recognized for education leadership at the division, MUSC College of Medicine, and national levels: 

• Jamel Brown, M.D. — Director of Professionalism, Education and Mentoring, MUSC COM Ashley Duckett, M.D. — 2026 MUSC Teaching Excellence Award (Educator Lecturer)  
• Caitlyn Gallagher, M.D. — 2026 MUSC Department of Medicine Michael E. Assey Award  
• Nancy Hagood, M.D., MPH — MUSC COM Academy of Medical Educators Inductee; MUSC COM Director of Global Health Education; 2026 MUSC Department of Medicine Outstanding Junior Faculty Clinician Educator of the Year  
• Marc Heincelman, M.D., MPH — MUSC COM Associate Dean for Career Advising  
• Keri Holmes-Maybank, M.D., MSCR — MUSC COM Gold Humanism Society Inductee; SGIM/SHM Academic Hospitalist Academy Director  
• Meghan Thomas, M.D., MS — 2026 Golden Apple Clinical Preceptor Excellence in Teaching Award (Faculty); MUSC COM Academy of Medical Educators Inductee 
• Mason Walgrave, M.D. — MUSC COM Gold Humanism Society Inductee; MUSC COM Master Clinical Skills Teacher; MUSC COM Clinical Competency Director  
• Leon Walthall, M.D. — MUSC COM Gold Humanism Society Inductee; MUSC COM Academy of Medical Educators Inductee  
• Phillip Warr, M.D. — Society of Hospital Medicine Academic Hospitalist Academy Facilitator  
• Abbie Zeffery, M.D. — 2026 MUSC Department of Medicine Hidden Gem Award 

Under the leadership of Cassandra Salgado, M.D., MS, the Division of Infectious Diseases excels in patient care, research, and education. Faculty provide consultative and ambulatory care across South Carolina and lead key MUSC programs in global health, infection prevention, antimicrobial stewardship, outpatient antimicrobial therapy (OPAT), telehealth,  and transplant infectious diseases. In FY26, the division welcomed Nikko Tabliago, M.D., with Sean Tyler, M.D., and Zach Gruss, PharmD., joining in FY27.  

For more than 30 years, the division has delivered comprehensive HIV care through the HRSA and SC DHEC Ryan White Program, with research spanning HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), antimicrobial resistance, hepatitis, OPAT, and transplant infectious diseases. Faculty also lead educational programs locally and nationally while serving in major institutional leadership roles that strengthen MUSC’s clinical, research, and public health impact. 

Advances in Clinical Care

• Meeting Rising Demand: The division launched a new inpatient general infectious diseases teaching service to strengthen trainee education, and a separate attending-only inpatient service to accommodate a more than 30% increase in consult volume over FY25. 
• Expanding Statewide Reach: The tele-infectious diseases service now covers more than 1,800 inpatient beds across South Carolina. The division also expanded its Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) infectious diseases clinic and its ambulatory clinics for injectable ART and PrEP, and continues to provide comprehensive HIV care to more than 1,400 patients statewide through the HRSA Ryan White Part B program. 

Advances in Research 

• Tuberculosis and NTM: 
• Susan Dorman, M.D., directs a broad tuberculosis and NTM research portfolio spanning drug development and global clinical trials. She leads an NIH-funded R34 planning grant to develop novel treatments for pulmonary disease caused by Mycobacterium abscessus, and works with the NIH-funded Advancing Clinical Therapeutics Globally (ACTG) network on a stratified medicine trial for adults and adolescents with TB. Her work also spans a 10-year CDC contract leading international TB treatment trials through the Tuberculosis Trials Consortium and an NIH R01 award for FEND for TB, an international study evaluating novel tuberculosis diagnostics in endemic regions. 
• HIV and Hepatitis:  
• The division's nationally recognized HIV and hepatitis research program, led by Eric Meissner, M.D., Ph.D., continued to expand in FY26. Dr. Meissner led a Phase III HIV clinical trial (ARTISTRY-2) evaluating a novel antiretroviral treatment strategy, published in The Lancet HIV. He and colleagues also uncovered how two naturally occurring forms of an antiviral receptor, IFNLR1, differ in the strength of immune signaling they trigger against pathogens at mucosal surfaces like the liver and gut — one producing a broader, stronger antiviral response than the other. The findings, published in the Journal of Innate Immunity, offer new insight for treating chronic viral infections such as hepatitis B. 

Faculty Recognition:

• Courtney Harris, M.D., received the 2026 MUSC Teaching Excellence Award (Developing Teacher) and was accepted into the Harvard Macy Institute's Program for Educators in Health Professions. Cassandra Salgado, M.D., MS, received the 2026 AAIM ASP Eric G. Neilson Award for Leadership in Subspecialty Internal Medicine. 

Advances in Education

Fellowship Program Growth: The division graduated two infectious diseases fellows in FY26, with both entering academic infectious diseases positions. The program currently trains five fellows — four in general ID and one in transplant ID. Led by Courtney Harris, M.D., the Transplant ID Fellowship celebrated the graduation of South Carolina's second Transplant ID fellow this year. 

The Division of Nephrology advances the understanding and treatment of kidney disease through excellence in clinical care, research, and education. Under the guidance of Division Director Josh Lipschutz, M.D., and Clinical Director Ruth Campbell, M.D., the past year has been marked by significant accomplishments across all three missions. Strategic recruitment continues to expand the division's reach, with two physicians joining in FY26 and four additional recruits — three in nephrology transplant and one in general nephrology — scheduled for FY27. With 29 faculty members recognized for their national prominence, the division continues to excel in providing top-tier patient care, groundbreaking research, and comprehensive training for future nephrologists. 

Advances in Clinical Care

• Expanding Access: The division reduced new patient wait times through e-consults, urgent clinic appointments, and faculty growth. It also strengthened its clinical workforce with new faculty and advanced practice provider recruitment across general nephrology, transplant, and inpatient services. 
• Program Growth: The Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy CRRT program expanded, and the Plasmapheresis Unit earned renewed accreditation from the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy. Through the Carolina Kidney Partners Alliance and CKD A3 quality initiatives, the division advanced kidney disease care and hypertension management, while renal genetics integration and improved outpatient dialysis record sharing across South Carolina enhanced precision medicine and care coordination. The division also expanded its clinical research enterprise through new collaborative trials and translational research initiatives. 
• National Distinction: MUSC's Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation Center of Excellence designation was renewed for another three years, one of just 39 centers nationwide to hold this recognition. 

Advances in Research

• Research led by Joshua Lipschutz, M.D., found that formoterol, a common asthma medication, reversed kidney and fatty liver damage in mouse models of diabetes, by increasing mitochondrial biogenesis, and was associated with protection in large retrospective studies of patients. The team is now enrolling patients with diabetic kidney disease in a prospective randomized clinical trial that will also evaluate effects on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), which is now the leading cause of liver transplantation, potentially advancing a safe and affordable treatment for two common and life-threatening diabetic complications. 
• Justin Van Beusecum, Ph.D., received a two-year Lupus Innovation Award from the Lupus Research Alliance to investigate the Piezo1 channel protein's role in lupus-related cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric complications, seeking targeted therapies to reduce cardiovascular events among young women with lupus. 
• Marharyta (Rita) Semenikhina, Ph.D., received the inaugural MUSC College of Medicine Rising Scholar Award, a three-year grant supporting her transition to an independent investigator with a tenure-track faculty appointment. 
• The MUSC Kidney Translational Research Center, led by Oleg Palygin, Ph.D., and Justin Van Beusecum, Ph.D., was designated an MUSC Core Facility, expanding kidney biobanking and national translational research collaborations.  

Faculty Recognition

• Oleg Palygin, Ph.D.: Ranked among the Department of Medicine's 10 most-published faculty members in 2026. 
• Justin Van Beusecum, Ph.D.: Received the 2025 MUSC Developing Scholar Award. 

Advances in Education

• Comprehensive fellowship training. The division's general and transplant nephrology fellowships trained 11 general nephrology fellows and two transplant nephrology fellows. 
• New interventional nephrology elective. Launched in 2025 with the MUSC Health Orangeburg Dialysis Access Institute, the elective helps fellows pursue certification through the American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology. Kiyoshi Houston, M.D., became its first participant. 

Under the leadership of Dee Ford, M.D., MSCR, the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine expanded access to specialized care, strengthened its research portfolio and increased fellowship training in FY26. Clinical teams introduced a new treatment for chronic blood clots in the lungs, improved access to sleep care and broadened lung cancer screening across South Carolina. Faculty also led national and international research in critical care, thoracic oncology, sarcoidosis and bronchiectasis. Strategic recruitment continues to expand the division's reach, with four physicians joining in FY26 and five additional recruits scheduled for FY27. Growth in pulmonary and critical care, sleep medicine and interventional pulmonology fellowships further reinforced the division's commitment to preparing the next generation of specialists while improving care for patients with complex respiratory conditions. 

Advances in Clinical Care

• First-in-state pulmonary hypertension treatment. MUSC became the first health system in South Carolina to offer balloon pulmonary angioplasty for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), a form of high blood pressure in the lungs caused by persistent blood clots. The program is led by Denise Sese, M.D., with interventional cardiologist Thomas Todoran, M.D., performing the specialized procedure 
• Faster access to sleep care. From December 2024 to March 2026, wait times for new appointments fell 67% for in-person care and 62% for virtual care. Completed visits increased 51%, from 713 to 1,074. 
• Statewide lung cancer screening. The program expanded screening across 13 locations in the Charleston, Midlands, Pee Dee and Orangeburg regions, bringing earlier detection services closer to communities throughout South Carolina. 

First-in-state pulmonary hypertension treatment. MUSC became the first health system in South Carolina to offer balloon pulmonary angioplasty for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), a form of high blood pressure in the lungs caused by persistent blood clots. The program is led by Denise Sese, M.D., with interventional cardiologist Thomas Todoran, M.D., performing the specialized procedure 

Faster access to sleep care. From December 2024 to March 2026, wait times for new appointments fell 67% for in-person care and 62% for virtual care. Completed visits increased 51%, from 713 to 1,074. 

Statewide lung cancer screening. The program expanded screening across 13 locations in the Charleston, Midlands, Pee Dee and Orangeburg regions, bringing earlier detection services closer to communities throughout South Carolina. 

Advances in Research

• More equitable oxygen monitoring. Andy Goodwin, M.D., completed enrollment in the INSPIRE ABG Study, the largest prospective study of pulse oximeter accuracy across different skin tones in critically ill patients. The study collected 502 arterial blood gas measurements. 
• National critical care collaboration. MUSC became a founding member of the BEACON Clinical Trials Network, expanding opportunities for multicenter emergency and critical care research. 
• Closing Gaps in Lung Cancer Treatment: Research led by Adam Fox, M.D., MSCR, and Gerard Silvestri, M.D., MS, published in JAMA Oncology and featured in The New York Times, found that nearly half of older adults with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer never received treatment.  
• Sarcoidosis registry. Ennis James, M.D., led MUSC's selection as an inaugural site for a multicenter registry that will follow patients with sarcoidosis over time. 
• Patrick Flume, M.D., and Christina Mingora, M.D., contributed to the development and FDA approval of brensocatib, the first medication approved specifically for bronchiectasis. Flume also led a European Respiratory Society clinical guideline and chaired a national care center position statement for bronchi-ectasis and nontuberculous mycobacterial disease. 
• Federally funded research. Dee Ford, M.D., MSCR, continues to serve as MUSC site principal investigator for two active National Institutes of Health R01 grants as well as leading MUSC’s federal Telehealth Center of Excellence. 

Faculty Recognitions: 

• Patrick A. Flume, M.D. - ‌2026 MUSC Distinguished Faculty Service Award 
• Adam H. Fox, M.D. – 2026 MUSC Developing Scholar Award (Applied/Clinical Science) 
• Dee Ford, M.D. MSCR  –  Incoming President Association of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Division Directors  
• Kelli Williams, M.D., MPH - Clinical Immunology Society Distinguished Service Award 

Advances in Education

• Fellowship Program Growth: The division expanded its Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship with three additional funded slots, now supporting 18 fellows annually, and added one slot to its Sleep Medicine Fellowship, now supporting two fellows annually.
• The one-year ACGME Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship, led by Christopher Gilbert, D.O., MS, FCCP, welcomed its second fellow in FY26. The division also trains three critical care fellows annually and offers research training through its NIH/NHLBI T32 grant.

Under the leadership of Jim Oates, M.D., the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology expanded its clinical, research and education programs in FY26. Over the past two years, Sean Carter, M.D.; Jessica English, M.D., MSCR; Anne Maitland, M.D.; Priyanka Ballal, M.D.; and Silera Holguin Balbuena, M.D., joined the division, adding expertise in clinical ultrasound, lupus, reproductive rheumatology, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and mast cell disorders. Faculty continued to advance care and research in lupus, systemic sclerosis, vasculitis and other complex autoimmune diseases while collaborating with Pediatric Rheumatology. The National Scleroderma Foundation also designated MUSC as South Carolina's only Scleroderma Research and Treatment Center. 

Advances in Clinical Care

• Electronic consultations. Jim Oates, M.D., launched internal e-consults for patients with a positive antinuclear antibody test but no clear signs of autoimmune disease, helping guide appropriate referrals. 
• Improved Access: The redesigned referral triage process, led by Katherine Silver, M.D., and Aiken McNair, PA, reduced urgent visit wait times and expanded to allow patients with active disease to be seen more expediently. 
• Expanded lung disease clinic. Richard Silver, M.D., and Deanna Baker Frost, M.D., Ph.D., expanded the collaborative interstitial lung disease clinic with Pulmonary Medicine to a weekly schedule. 
• Remote Monitoring: Grace Suppa, M.D., and Jennifer Schmidt, M.D., expanded Remote Therapeutic Monitoring for Medicare patients with inflammatory arthritis to all rheumatology providers. Electronic surveys track disease activity, medication tolerance, pain, and function between visits.  

Advances in Research 

In FY26, faculty secured nearly $2 million in new research funding, published 57 original manuscripts, one book and one book chapter, and funded five pilot projects through the P30 Core Center for Clinical Research program. 

Faculty secured multiple competitive awards this year, including: 

• Betty Tsao, Ph.D. – received an NIH/NIAMS R01 grant to identify rare pathogenic variants in systemic lupus erythematosus 
• Carol Feghali-Bostwick, Ph.D. – received funding for research on mitochondrial DNA and sex differences in scleroderma-associated interstitial lung disease  
• Deanna Baker Frost, M.D., Ph.D. – awarded a Phase II clinical trial evaluating allogeneic NK cell therapy for B-cell–dependent rheumatologic diseases 
• Diane Kamen, M.D. – secured funding for the Social Factors, Epigenomics and Lupus Assessment (SELA) study. 
• Gary Gilkeson, M.D. – awarded a Training Grant in Inflammatory and Fibrosing Diseases. 
• Jim Oates, M.D. – received funding for IMPACT+, improving minority participation and awareness in clinical trials. 
• Jessica English, M.D., MSCR – awarded funding to study pregnancy outcome disparities in women with SLE  
• Stanley Hoffman, Ph.D. – awarded funding to study novel therapeutics for heart failure. 

Faculty and Staff Recognitions: 

• Melissa Cunningham, M.D., Ph.D. - received the Lupus Foundation of America PULSE (Partners United for Sustainable Lupus Education) Award 
• Jessica English, M.D., MSCR - named a 2026 Tinsley Harrison Scholar by the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation 
• Carol Feghali-Bostwick, Ph.D. – appointed Chair of the Board of Directors, National Scleroderma Foundation 
• Stephanie Dezzutti – received the 2026 Department of Medicine Research Staff Member of the Year award 

Advances in Education

Under the leadership of Faye Hant, M.D., and Jennifer Schmidt, M.D., the Rheumatology Fellowship Program provides comprehensive training in clinical care and research. The program currently includes five clinical fellows and two research fellows.