LCOM & Department News

Postdoctoral Research Showcased at UVM Event

May 18, 2023 by Janet Essman Franz

Promising young scientists from colleges across the UVM campus gathered recently to celebrate the broad training experience, varied investigations, and collaborative community of UVM’s postdoctoral scholars. Organized by the UVM Postdoctoral Association, the event provided a chance for the scholars to present their research and network with peers.

Postdoctoral fellows gathered in the Larner Medical Education Pavilion to share their research with colleagues, mentors, friends and family. (photo: Joshua Defibaugh)

Promising young scientists from colleges across the UVM campus gathered in the Larner Medical Education Pavilion recently to celebrate the broad training experience, varied investigations, and collaborative community of UVM’s postdoctoral scholars. Postdoctoral training provides an opportunity for scientists to further their research and professional skills under the mentorship of world-class faculty.

Sixteen postdocs, including eight from the Larner College of Medicine, presented their research to colleagues, mentors, friends, and family. Organized by the UVM Postdoctoral Association and held on the final day of UVM’s second annual Research Week April 17-21, the Postdoctoral Research Showcase provided a chance for scholars to network with postdoctoral peers and practice their presentation skills. Read on for some highlights of their scholarly work.

Rebekah Honce, Ph.D.
Host and Viral Determinants of Arenaviruses Pathogenesis

How do certain viruses, like arenaviruses or ebolaviruses, infect wild rodents without making them sick, but in humans cause flu-like symptoms, hemorrhagic fevers, encephalitis, and even death? Research by Rebekah Honce, Ph.D., investigates this mystery. Honce works with Jason Botten, Ph.D., professor of medicine, to explore how differences in viral populations in rodents and humans can dictate the ability of a virus to cause disease. “We’re trying to model how certain components of this viral population may be allowing mice to be perfectly fine,” Honce said. “One of the dominant hypotheses is that, in mice, the virus exploits the host cell to make interfering particles that prevent severe pathogenesis and protect the host, so as not to harm the rodent.” In the long term, this research may lead to an ability to replicate interfering particles to create vaccines that prevent disease in humans.

Debora Kamin Mukaz, Ph.D.
Residential Segregation and Hypertension Risk in Black and White Americans

Black people in the U.S. are more likely than white people to suffer from hypertension, a risk factor for stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. Evidence points to residential segregation as the root cause of this health disparity. Residential segregation refers to the geospatial manifestation of structural racism, which results in the separation of people into different living areas based on race or ethnicity. This separation takes away resources and opportunities from communities. In the U.S., residential segregation has resulted in a majority of Black people living in under-resourced areas compared to areas with a majority of white people. Research by Deborah Kamin Mukaz, Ph.D., explores links between residential segregation and the development of hypertension, and links between residential segregation and unfavorable levels of biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation. This research can inform changes that lead to better prevention measures, Mukaz said. “It’s a matter of justice. Ultimately, the goal is better policies to eliminate disparities in hypertension, because hypertension is very dangerous.” Mukaz’s postdoctoral advisor is Mary Cushman, M.D., M.S., professor of medicine.

Deena Snoke, Ph.D.
Early Adipose Tissue Wasting in a Novel Model of Lung Cancer Cachexia

One of the early symptoms of lung cancer is cachexia, a complicated metabolic syndrome characterized by muscle wasting and body fat loss. As cancer progresses, cachexia becomes more difficult to control, and patients become less responsive to treatment. Deena Snoke, Ph.D., investigates early body fat wasting in a novel model of lung cancer cachexia using lung cells from mice. The objective of this research is to develop and characterize a model of lung cancer cachexia that better aligns with the clinical syndrome. “We want to identify these early events so that we can better target the disease before the wasting is already occurring,” Snoke said. Snoke’s faculty mentor is Michael Toth, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine and vice chair for research in the department of medicine.

Dhemerson Souza de Lima, Ph.D.
The role of ER-phagy pathway in influenza virus infection

Influenza, a major respiratory pathogen that causes severe respiratory disease in susceptible populations, has developed resistance to available drugs. Research by Dhemerson Souza de Lima, Ph.D., explores the intra-cellular pathways that influenza uses, with special focus on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) pathways. ERs are cell organelles that make proteins the cell needs. Souza de Lima’s work examines whether influenza utilizes ER-phagy, a specialized pathway to recycle a damaged ER. Deregulation in ER-phagy is reported with infectious agents such as Ebola and Zika, but the role of ER-phagy in influenza propagation is unknown. Souza de Lima works with Vikas Anathy, Ph.D., associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine.

Colleen Kelly, Ph.D.
Mechanisms of Cardiac Myosin Replacement 

Myosin, the most abundant protein in the heart, participates in the repetitive contractions that result in the continual beating of the heart. Colleen Kelly, Ph.D., works with Michael Previs, Ph.D., assistant professor of molecular physiology and biophysics, to investigate the mechanisms that govern the replacement of cardiac myosin. A recent study from the Previs lab demonstrated that individual myosins are randomly replaced in adult mouse hearts. At the postdoctoral research presentation, Kelly discussed new findings about how myosin is randomly exchanged into the contractile structures of the heart. These findings include the rate of replacement, the regions to which myosin exchange is confined, and the conformation myosin adopts in the soluble state. “We think that the rapid incorporation and release of myosin molecules into the contractile structures of the heart supports protein replacement while also maintaining the structural integrity that is essential to support contractility,” Kelley said.

Learn more about the UVM Postdoctoral Association.

 

Past Department Highlights

Mark_FungCongratulations to Dr. Mark Fung, M.D., PhD., Professor Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, on receiving the 2023 College of American Pathologists (CAP) Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Fung is a nationally recognized expert in transfusion medicine. (10/2023) 

Congratulations to Jessica Crothers, M.D., Assistant Professor Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, on achieving the Notice of Special Interest Team Science award from NIAID for: "Effects of the gut microbiota on oral vaccine response in adults and children." (10/2023)

Nicole BouffardCongratulations to Nicole Bouffard on being awarded the "Scientific Research Staff Award" for 2023. This was presented to Nicole at the September 21, 2023, LCOM Research Excellence Award Ceremony. This is a great honor for Nicole and the Department of Pathology and recognizes her contributions and importance to the department and MIC. (10/2023)

Congratulations to Brian Cunniff, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, on being awarded a $1.6 million R01 grant by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to study the role of mitochondrial trafficking in regulating cell migration, a key feature of metastatic tumors. (9/2023)

Congratulations to Yvonne Janssen-Heininger, Ph.D., Professor Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, on becoming a University of Vermont Cancer Center Program Co-Leader, Cancer Cell. (9/2023)

Congratulations to the following pathology members on receiving research support funds in April 2023. Recipients were: John Kennedy, M.D., $6520 for morphologic and immunohistochemical re-evaluation of renal cell carcinomas exhibiting papillary architecture, with emphasis on tumors demonstrating "type 2" morphology. Yvonne Janssen-Heininger, Ph.D., $15,000 for a joint initiative between RBP, UVM Cancer Center, and faculty in the Department of Chemistry. Megan Tarte $745 for Stem Cells, Cell Therapies, and Bioengineering in Lung Biology and Disease Conference. Albert van der Vliet, Ph.D., $14,400 for Redox processes in macrophage activation in IPF. (9/2023)

Congratulations to the following faculty members on their promotions: Vikas Anathy, Ph.D., to Professor with tenure, Bronwyn Bryant, M.D., to Associate Professor, John DeWitt, M.D., Ph.D., to Associate Professor, Sarah Nowak Ph.D., to Associate Professor, and Christi Wojewoda, M.D., to Professor. (6/2023)

Bei Zhang, M.D., M.S., Ph.D., MLS(ASCP), associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, did an educational scholarship session titled "Activate Students Learning Outside Classroom." at the 8th International meeting of the Association of Biochemistry Educators. Dr. Zhang also conducted two additional workshops with other ABE members titled "Linking Clinical Presentations to Their Biochemistry: A novel ABE Clinical-Biochemistry Curricular Treat Mapping Educational Tool.", and "Getting to Clerkship and Beyond: Crafting Biochemistry Learning Objectives that Connect and Integrate Basic Science Concepts with Clinical Application." (5/2023)

Congratulations to Dr. Maureen Harmon, M.D., associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, and Dr. Amer Abu Alfa, M.D., assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine for being recognized by medical students for their professionalism. Dr. Harmon was recognized for social responsibility and Dr. Abu Alfa was recognized for compassion. (5/2023)

Congratulations to Mary Cushman, Ph.D., M.Sc., professor of medicine and pathology and laboratory medicine, on being named a University Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology Division, and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. (5/2023)

View the story Mammograms of a study by Sarah Nowak, Ph.D., assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, and researchers at the UVM Cancer Center showing data that fewer women being screened for breast cancer. (4/2023)

vandervliet-habibovic420x280A new study by Albert van der Vliet, Ph.D., professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, and a team of University of Vermont (UVM) researchers is honing in on why people with asthma often have worse symptoms if they are obese. This new research demonstrates that the gene DUOX1 likely contributes to the connection between obesity and asthma.  The research was published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology and was highlighted as an APSselect article for March 2023. Albert van der Vliet, Ph.D., was the senior author on the paper, along with department of pathology and laboratory medicine coauthors Aida Habibovic, lab research technician;Litiele Cruz, Ph.D., visiting scholar; Vikas Anathy, Ph.D., associate professor; University Distinguished Professor Yvonne Janssen-Heininger, Ph.D.; and additional team members and authors from UVM. Read the full LCOM News story LCOM News (4/2023)

Congratulations to Bronwyn Bryant, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, for having your proposal, Consequential Validity of Entrustable Professional Activities in Pathology Residency Training selected to receive a Frymoyer Scholars Program project of $48,000 to be funded July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025. (4/2023)

Congratulations to Martin Chang, M.D., Ph.D., on accepting the new role as Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs. (4/2023)

Congratulations to Joanna Conant, M.D., on becoming the new Pathology Student Fellowship Director starting July 1, 2023. (4/2023)

Congratulations to The Cunniff Lab, on receiving funding to support research focused on malignant mesothelioma. The funding was from The Butler Family Foundation Fund for Cancer Research at the University of Vermont Cancer Center. The Butler Fund was established by the Butler family in memory of two loved ones lost to mesothelioma. (03/2023)

Congratulations to the following recipients that received pathology research support funding. Nathaniel Shannon in Brian Cunniff's, Ph.D., lab was awarded $1800 towards the cost of travel to the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Society for Redox Biology and Medicine (SfRBM). Litiele Cruz, Ph.D., and faculty mentor Albert van der Vliet, PhD., were awarded $2622 for her project "Characterization of Laminin Oxidative Modifications by Peroxidasin in Pulmonary Fibrosis". Nels Olson, PhD., MPH., $14,582 for the purchase of an Agilent BioTek 405 TS Touch Microplate Washer, Model 405 TSRS. Ashley Volaric M.D., Joanna Conant M.D., and David Seward, M.D, Ph.D., were awarded $13,680 for their project, "The Effect of Epstein Barr Virus Latency on Cellular DNA Methylation Profile of Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma". (3/2023)

A number of faculty and students from the pathology and laboratory medicine department presented research at the American Heart Associations Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle, and Cardiometabolic Health (EPI/Lifestyle) Scientific Sessions 2023 in Boston February 28 - March 3. Students presenting were Maggie King, a master in science pathology degree student who was mentored by faculty scientist J. Peter Durda, Ph.D. pathology and laboratory medicine.  Maggie presented on "Complete Blood Count Analysis in the Risk Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal (RURAL) Cohort Study with a Point of Care Instrument." Her study is supported by NHLBI. And second-year medical student and 2022 Cardiovascular Research Institute Summer Research Fellow Megan Zhou, mentored by pathology and laboratory medicine associate professor Nels Olson, Ph.D. Megan presented on  "Coagulation Factor IX and Incident Diabetes Risk: The Reasons for Geographic and Race Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study." Also, pathology and laboratory faculty members that were coauthors of presentations given, assistant professor Margaret Doyle, Ph.D., and University Distinguished Professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, Russell Tracy, Ph.D. (3/2023)

Congratulations to Dr. Bei Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., MLS(ASCP), associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, for being selected for a Distinguished Scholar Award by the Association of Biochemistry Educators for her submission entitled "Activate Students' Learning Outside Classroom". Dr. Zhang will be presenting this submission at the 2023 Association of Biochemistry Education Conference. (3/2023)

Congratulations to our 2023 Gender Equity Award Nominees. Gender Equity Champion Award nominee, Debra Leonard, M.D., Ph.D., Chair and Professor Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Our departmental nominees for The Polaris Award for Outstanding Mentorship- an award for informal or formal mentorship for women or gender diverse college community members, Rebecca Wilcox, M.D., Pam Gibson, M.D., Yvonne Janssen-Heininger, Ph.D., and Christi Wojewoda, M.D. (2/2023)  

Congratulations to Dr. Scott Anderson, M.D., on being selected to receive the Association of Pathology Chairs 2023 Margaret Grimes Distinguished Achievement Award in Graduate Medical Education. This award was made in recognition of Dr. Anderson's outstanding contributions to graduate medical education and his stature as a nationally recognized leader in pathology education. (2/2023)

Congratulations to Dr. Yvonne Janssen-Heininger, Ph.D., Dr. Kelly Butnor, M.D., Dr. David "Bebo" Seward, M.D., Ph.D., and Dr. Sharon Mount, M.D., on their news story in The Charlotte News, on their "giant steps in cancer research." Read the full article here:   Humble Superstar (1/2023)

Congratulations to Dr. Elizabeth Bundock, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Examiner of Vermont and clinical assistant professor of pathology, for her appointment by the American Board of Pathology, to the Test Development and Advisory Committee for Forensic Pathology 2023. (1/2023)

Dr. Beri Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., MLS(ASCP), associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, presented a panel, at the Snow Season Education Retreat, titled "The Pearls and Pitfalls of Publishing in Medical Education", with three clinicians Dr. Hale, Dr. Halle, and Dr. Rideout. (1/2023)

Congratulations to Dr. Bronwyn Bryant, M.D., assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine on her Awards for  Teaching and Educational Excellence, Learner Assessment, conferred at the Teaching Academy Induction and Award Ceremony on January 11, 2023. (1/2023)