11th Annual
RESEARCH
SYMPOSIUM 2022

Image: Mouse Gastric Glands
Kristen Engvik, BS
Pharmacology & System Biology

The 2022 Eleventh Annual DOIM Research Symposium was held on April 1, 2022

The Research Governance Committee Subcommittee co- leads of Drs. Heather Duncan and Khurram Bari, along with Drs. John Byrd, Chair, Department of Internal Medicine, Carl Fichtenbaum, Vice Chair for Clinical Research and Sakthivel Sadayappan, Vice Chair for Basic Research, thank all who participated or attended. Special thanks to our Grand Rounds and Trainee Roundtable presenter James Herman, PhD, Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology.

We recognize the efforts of our trainees and their mentors in presenting excellent research posters and thank the faculty who served as judges. The faculty judges are an integral to the success of this event. In addition, we extend thanks to the post doctorate judges, the administrative team, the ARS team and the entire department for supporting the symposium and helping the department to provide an enriching experience for all.

This year, trainees presented 31 posters in basic and clinical research, 36 faculty volunteered to judge the trainee posters.  Three staff submitted posters in the basic research category with five post doctorate research staff serving as judges for the staff posters. Events were held in person and virtually by Zoom.

DOIM Research Symposium 2022 Booklet (PDF)
UC logo

The winning presentations

The winning presentations in the basic research, clinical research, and clinical case report categories for trainee and staff posters are listed below. 

Trainee Basic Research Poster Awards:

1st place ($500.00)

  • Name and Division: Caterina Bartolacci, PhD – Hematology/Oncology
  • Mentor: Dr. Pier Paolo Scaglioni
  • Poster Title: “FASN and the Lands Cycle are a vulnerability of Mutant KRAS Lung Cancer”

2nd place ($250.00)

  • Name and Division: Darshini Desai, PhD – Cardiovascular Health and Disease candidate
  • Mentor: Dr. Sakthivel Sadayappan
  • Poster Title: “Modelling hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using human iPSC derived cardiac organoids”

Honorable Mention Award ($150.00)

  • Name and Division: Tasnim Olatoke, BS – Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
  • Mentor: Dr. Jane Yu
  • Poster Title: “Pre-B-cell leukemia homeobox 1 (PBX1) promotes survival and lung colonization of TSC2-null cells in lymphangioleiomyomatosis”
Trainee Clinical Case Report Poster Awards:

1st place ($500.00)

  • Name and Division: Yashu Dhamija, MD – Immunology, Allergy & Rheumatology
  • Mentor: Dr. David Bernstein
  • Poster Title: “Idiopathic Post-Prandial Diarrhea and Dermatographism: A Case Series”

2nd place ($250.00)

  • Name and Division: Omama Siddiqui, MD – Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism
  • Mentor: Dr. Abid Yaqub
  • Poster Title: “Common interferences with thyroid immunoassays”

Honorable Mention ($150.00)

  • Name and Division: Matthew Genco, MD – Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism
  • Mentor: Dr. Yufei Dai
  • Poster Title: “An Unusual Case of Abnormal Thyroid Function”
Trainee Clinical Research Poster Awards:

1st place ($500.00)

  • Name and Division: Noella Cortinas, MD – Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
  • Mentor: Dr. Nishant Gupta
  • Poster Title: “Impact of Age, Menopause and Sirolimus on Spontaneous Pneumothoraces in Lymphangioleiomyomatosis”

2nd place ($250.00)

  • Name and Division: Simin Zhang, MD – Immunology, Allergy & Rheumatology 
  • Mentor: Dr. Jonathan Bernstein
  • Poster Title: “The mast cell pain connection in eosinophilic esophagitis”

Honorable Mention ($150.00)

  • Name and Division: Najeeb U. Khan, MD – Immunology, Allergy & Rheumatology
  • Mentor: Dr. David Bernstein
  • Poster Title: “Effectiveness of Hydroxychloroquine and Omalizumab in Refractory Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Real-World Study.”
Research Symposium Poster Competition Awardees: Staff

1st place ($150.00)

  • Name and Division: Ameet Chimote, PhD – Nephrology, Kidney CARE Program
  • Research Manager/PI: Dr. Laura Conforti
  • Poster Title: “Molecular mechanisms of dexamethasone-mediated modulation of inflammatory and interferon responses in severe COVID-19 patients.”

2nd place ($100.00)

Name and Division: Salma Fleifil, BA – Cardiovascular Health and Disease

  • Research Manager/PI: Dr. Phillips Owens
  • Poster Title: “MicroRNA-33a/b Inhibition Attenuates Tissue Factor Activity and the Activation of Coagulation in Mice and Nonhuman Primates”

Honorable Mention ($50.00)

  • Name and Division: Taylor Coughlin, BS – Cardiovascular Health and Disease
  • Mentor: Dr. Phillips Owens
  • Poster Title: “Transcranial Disruption of the Blood Brain Barrier using Focused Ultrasound Insonation of Microbubbles”
  • Carl J. Fichtenbaum, MD