News from the University of Kansas Medical Center

Spring/Summer 2023 Edition | June 15, 2023

View Printable PDF

Dr. Zhao obtained his Ph.D. in Microbiology from SUNY at Buffalo in Buffalo, NY. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto Canada, followed by his B.S. in Microbiology at Fudan University in China. He obtained additional research training at Cold Spring Harbor Lab HHMI and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He joined the faculty at UAB in 2011 and quickly rose to the rank of Associate Professor in 2018. In January 2023, Dr. Zhao joined the faculty of the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC). 

Dr. Zhao's research focuses on protein arginine methylation and its regulation of megakaryopoiesis. His lab has discovered  that PRMT1 methylates three important regulators of megakaryopoiesis: RUNX1, RBM15, and DUSP4. Specifically, RBM15 plays a key role in regulating RNA splicing and RNA stability in megakaryocyte differentiation (Cell Reports: https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/pdf/S2211-1247(21)01180-3.pdf). This discovery has shed light on the critical role of PRMT1 in hematological malignancies such as leukemia and myeloid dysplasia syndrome. Furthermore, these findings can be applied to other types of cells since PRMT1, RBM15, and DUSP4 are expressed in all tissues. In the next ten years, Dr. Zhao's lab plans to elucidate the role of protein arginine methylation in the generation of immune megakaryocytes as well as their pathogenic platelet progenies, and how the abnormal megakaryocytes contributes to hematological malignancies, vascular biology and ovarian cancer.

Let's give a warm welcome to our newest faculty member, Wei Zhang, MD, PhD. She joined us as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology & Lab Medicine on April 10, 2023.

Dr. Zhang came to us from the University of Wisconsin at Madison where she was the Head of the Gastrointestinal, Pancreas, Liver, and Molecular Pathology Service. We’re excited to have her on board. She will be leading the molecular diagnostics in surgical pathology, and we’re confident that she will be an asset to our department. We are thrilled to have you join our department!

Dr. Hogan completed his Residency and Fellowship at the University of Kansas Medical Center concentrating on Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, Cytopathology, and Transfusion Medicine/Blood Banking. We're excited to have him on board. He will be working in Cytology, Transfusion Medicine/Blood Banking, Apheresis, and Special Chemistry. We’re confident that he will be an asset to our department. We are thrilled to have you join our department!

Let's give a warm welcome to our newest faculty member, Sayedamin Mostofizadeh, MD. He will be joining us as an Assistant Professor on July 3, 2023.

Dr. Mostofizadeh comes to us from the University of Florida, Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine where he completed his Hematopathology Fellowship. He will be primarily working on Hematopathology services, and we’re confident that he will be an asset to our department. We are thrilled to have you join our department!

Let's give a warm welcome to our newest faculty member, Julia Hankins, PhD. She will be joining us as an Assistant Professor on July 17, 2023.

Dr. Hankins comes to us from Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX where she completed her CPEP Clinical Microbiology Fellowship. We're excited to have her on board. She will be working on Clinical Microbiology services, and we’re confident that she will be an asset to our department. We are thrilled to have you join our department!

Dr. Janet Woodroof will serve as the Vice Chair for Anatomic Pathology in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center, effective February 13, 2023. Dr. Woodroof will work more closely with the chair, other division directors, senior administrators, various other leaders in clinical laboratories, university and health system organizational leadership, and departmental and inter-departmental faculty members to serve as a leader and point person for the proper functioning of the Division of Anatomic Pathology in the department. Dr. Woodroof will also be expected to provide oversight on the medical director designated CLIA delegation and regulation in AP, to serve as a role model for the rest of the faculty members, and to be responsible for all the clinical services rendered by the AP division, as well as to take additional responsibilities deemed important for the proper function of the department.

Dr. Michael J. Soares will serve as the Division Director of Molecular Pathobiology in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center, effective April 3, 2023. Dr. Soares is a world renown basic scientist who focuses on understanding the placenta development and its associated diseases. Dr. Soares will work more closely with the chair, vice chair for research, other division directors, senior administrators, and various other leaders in the School of Medicine, as well as departmental and inter-departmental faculty members to serve as a leader and point person for the proper functioning of the Division. Congratulations Dr. Soares!  

In addition to the Director of Residency Program of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dr. Katie Dennis will serve as the Director of Surgical Pathology in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center, effective March 15, 2023. We thank you for your leadership and service.

Dr. Hongyan Dai, Associate Professor, will serve as the Subspecialty Director of Dermatopathology, in the Division of Anatomic Pathology, the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center, effective April 18, 2023. Dr. Dai joined our faculty in 2017 and has focused her clinical and scholar work on dermatopathology, as well as serving as a member of several other subspecialty teams in surgical pathology, and as the Director of Histology Laboratory. Dr. Dai takes an active role in medical school teaching, pathology resident teaching and dermatology resident teaching. She has been involved in several publications and is a member of the American Society of Dermatopathology Diagnostic Quality Assurance committee. 

Dr. Daniel Farrell will serve as the Medical Director of Molecular Pathology in Hematological Diseases within the Division of Genomic Diagnostics in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center, effective July 1, 2023.

Dr. Wei Zhang will serve as the Medical Director of Molecular Pathology in Surgical Pathology in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC), effective July 1, 2023.

Dr. Nelli Lakis and Dr. Anders Meyer will serve as an Assistant Directors for Delp Society within the Academic Alumni Societies program in the academic year of 23-24.

Dr. Nelli Lakis and Dr. Anders Meyer will serve as an Assistant Directors for Delp Society within the Academic Alumni Societies program in the academic year of 23-24.

Dr. Dennis Sosnovske will serve as the Medical Director of Therapeutic Apheresis within the section of Transfusion Medicine, Division of Laboratory Medicine in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center, effective July 1, 2023.

Dr. Long Zheng will serve as associate editor of Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Disorders in Frontiers in Immunology. As associate editor, Dr. Zheng will be involved in the following activities: Overseeing the peer review for new research related to his interests, helping the journal expand the Editorial Board, and suggest and co-edit a Research Topic (RT), a thematic collection of articles, on a research area of interest(s), in collaboration with other Editors and authors. Read more about this opportunity here: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/sections/autoimmune-and-autoinflammatory-disorders-autoinflammatory-disorders

Dr. Long Zheng has accepted an invitation to join the The Blood Project (TBP) Board of Advisors. Read more about this opportunity here: TBP Leadership • The Blood Project

Please congratulate the following faculty on their promotions in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC), effective July 1, 2023:

Dr. Harsh Pathak’s promotion to the rank of Research Associate Professor on the Research Track

Dr. Patrick Gonzales’ promotion to the rank of Clinical Associate Professor on the Clinical Track

Dr. Julia Zeitlinger’s promotion to the rank of Professor on the Affiliate Track

STAR Teaching Awards award excellence in teaching in two categories, Faculty and Non-faculty. Winners are selected by current pathology residents.

 

2023 Faculty Teaching Award - Ameer Hamza, MD

2023 Staff Teaching Award - Weylin Dittmar, AP Technician-Decedent Affairs

The Center for Genetic Services and Health Equity team provided the Sean Biggs foundation’s board of directors with an update about our efforts in underserved communities. The CGSHE grew out of philanthropic funds donated to Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine (Dr. Andrew Godwin - Director) and has been in part supported by BIGGSteps. The mission of the CGSHE is to provide genetic services for individuals and families who are at higher risk for inherited cancer syndromes and do not otherwise have access to these services. The KU Cancer Center received a donation of $28,000 on May 1, 2023 from Sean Biggs foundation (BIGGSteps); which under Dr. Andrew Godwin's stewardship will be used to help support JUNTOS Community Health workers who are recruiting individuals into the CGSHE.

Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressant which requires lifetime monitoring in organ transplant recipients. Although gold standard for tacrolimus monitoring is liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) newer immunoassays show less than 10% bias with LC-MS/MS assays. We sent this test out to Viracor to perform this test by LC-MS/MS but due to poor turn-around time and high volume (approximately 1600 specimens per month) we explored the possibility of bringing this test in house and acquired Alinity i analyzer from Abbott Laboratories. The tacrolimus assay is performed using whole blood due to high distribution of this drug in blood cells, but prior to analysis this drug must be extracted manually using an organic extraction solvent provided by the manufacturer of the assay. Our initial evaluation of this assay using 104 specimens collected from transplant recipient showed only an average 5.3% positive bias with LC-MS/MS assay performed in the reference laboratory (Viracor). We shared this information with transplant surgeons and transplant team with an agreement that whenever a clinician feels that LC-MS/MS tacrolimus value is needed for a particular patient, lab will send an aliquot of the same specimen to Viracor after performing in-house immunoassay. The test was implemented on January 22nd. From February 1 till April 30th, we performed tacrolimus by immunoassay on 6296 specimens but only sent 96 specimens for LC-MS/MS in Viracor (1.5%).  Interestingly when we compared immunoassay values with corresponding LC-MS/MS values, most specimens showed <10 % bias. In four specimens immunoassay values were lower than the corresponding LC-MS/MS values indicating that tacrolimus immunoassay in house has adequate sensitivity and specificity for routine therapeutic drug monitoring of tacrolimus.

Special thanks go to Kelsey Woodard, supervisor of chemistry and her team for implementing this test.

Amitava Dasgupta, PhD

Laurie Wolf, MLS (ASCP) SBB

Hebatullah Elsafy attended University of Alexandria, Egypt and will join our campus on June 26th 2023. 

 

Robert Foucart attended Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, and will join our campus on June 26th 2023. 

 

Sydney Graham attended Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, and will join our campus on June 26th 2023. 

 

Julia Pham attended Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine, and will join our campus on June 26th 2023. 

 

Katie Hart attended University of Oklahoma and will join our campus on June 1st 2023. 

 

Ellis (Hugh) McCormick attended Kansas City University and will join our campus on July 3rd 2023.

 

Mikaela Simon, M.S., Graduate Student - Soares Lab

Received a score of 25 and a percentile of 18th on her F31 grant application titled: “Signaling at Uterine Placental Interface”.

Liang Zheng, PhD, Research Assistant Professor

Received grant award from American Heart Association for The Potential Role of ANKRD36 in Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura.

Erica Lee, Undergraduate, Research Technician- Rumi Lab

Erica Lee, researcher in the Rumi Lab, received a Presentation of Distinction Award at the 23rd Annual Symposium of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship at UMKC.

The 2023 PGY4 Resident and Fellows Graduation & Awards Ceremony took place on Saturday, May 20, 2023.

AP/CP RESIDENCY  (Program Director: Katie Dennis MD  Assoc. Program Directors: Jamie Porter MD, Nelli Lakis MD)

Angela France, D.O.

Pathologist

CHI Health Good Samaritan, Kearney, NE

Chris Jurief, D.O.

Cytopathology Fellowship

University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

Janna Shold, D.O.

Hematopathology Fellowship

University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

Josh Smith, D.O.

Forensic Pathology Fellowship

Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office, Kansas City, MO

CYTOPATHOLOGY FELLOWSHIP (Program Director: Sarah Kelting MD)

Linlin Gao, MBBS, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Pathology

Kansas City VA Hospital, Kansas City, MO

Andrew Ly, D.O.

Pathologist

KC Pathology, Overland Park, KS

HEMATOPATHOLOGY FELLOWSHIP (Program Director: Da Zhang MD)

Anna Heimes Dillon, M.D.

Pathologist

Topeka Pathology Group, Topeka, KS

TRANSFUSION MEDICINE FELLOWSHIP (Program Director: Zhan Ye MD)

Keenan Hogan, M.D.

Assistant Professor

University of Kansas Health System

POST-SOPHOMORE FELLOWSHIP (Program Director: Rashna Madan MBBS)

Jake Hill

University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

Josh Tatarian

University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

2023 GRADUATION AWARDS

Hanan Elsarraj, MBBCh

Ivan Damjanov Award, Best Resident Research Paper

Josh Smith, D.O.

Lowell Tilzer Award, Highest RISE Score

Chris Jurief, D.O.

Fang Fan Award, Highest Cytopathology RISE Score

Josh Smith, D.O.

Jim Fishback Memorial Award, Excellence on the Autopsy Service

Priscilla Quach, D.O.

John Kepes Memorial Award, Best CP Presentation

Hanan Elsarraj, MBBCh

John Kepes Memorial Award, Best AP Presentation

Priscilla Quach, D.O.

1st Place, Resident/Fellow Microscopic Photo Contest

Josh Smith, D.O.

2nd Place, Resident/Fellow Microscopic Photo Contest

The 2023 Research Graduation Ceremony took place on Saturday, May 18, 2023.

Ananya Ghosh, - Soumen Paul Lab

A graduate student with Soumen Paul, successfully defended her dissertation and will pursue her PhD.

Kaela Varberg, PhD, Research Assistant Professor - Michael J. Soares Lab

Kaela Varberg, PhD, a Research Assistant Professor in the laboratory of Michael J. Soares, PhD, has accepted an offer from Children’s Mercy for a faculty position. Dr. Varberg is heading off to do great things and will be missed!

Cindy Blount, Executive Assistant to the Chair

Cindy Blount has joined us as the new Executive Assistant to the Chair, Dr. Long Zheng. Cindy re-located from Maryland to Kansas. In the past she worked as an Executive Assistant at Johns Hopkins for the Dean of the School of Nursing, and at the University of Maryland for the Chair of Neurosurgery. Most recently she worked in Johnson County for the County Commissioners office.

"I love spending time with my family-kids (which live in three different states),  grandkids, hubby, friends, and of my dog Hank. I love sports...we are a divided house (Chiefs/Ravens). I also love going to the beach, reading, and I'm learning to play pickleball."

We are thrilled to have you join our Department Cindy!

Mikala Moreau, Resident Program Coordinator

Mikala Moreau has joined us as the new Resident Program Coordinator. Mikala has been working in Graduate Medical Education (GME) and residency coordination since 2016. Originally from Seattle, WA, she most recently supported the Saint Joseph Family Medicine Residency and GME office in South Bend, IN before relocating to Kansas.

"When I’m not at work, you will find me reading fantasy epics, watching movies, and walking with my amazing husband, Mathew, and adorable pug, Tubsworth. I am thrilled to be supporting the outstanding Pathology Residency at KUMC."

We are thrilled to have you join our Department Mikala!

Luana Sizemore, Administrative Assistant to Physicians

Luana Sizemore has joined us as the new Administrative Assistant to Physicians. Luana holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Prior to joining TUKHS, she was an administrative and client service professional in the government and non-profit sectors.

"In my spare time, I enjoy attending festivals, visiting museums, listening to live music, getting outdoors and trying new cafés."

We are thrilled to have you join our Department Luana!

ANDREW K. GODWIN, PH.D.

Mentor, “Extracellular Vesicles Protein Biomarkers for Early Detection of High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer”, University of Kansas Internal Grant, Biomedical Research Training Program (BRTP), 1/10/2023 to 1/09/2024, PI: Sagar Rayamajhi, $13,000.

MICHAEL J. SOARES, PH.D.

PI, “Trophoblast Differentiation”, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, R01 competitive renewal, 3/6/2023-12/31/2027, $2,831,681.

LIANG ZHENG, PH.D.

PI, “ANKRD26 in Thrombocytopenia”, American Heart Association, Career Development Award, 4/1/2023-3/31/2026, $231,000.

PI, “The function of ANKRD26 and its role in megakaryopoiesis and thrombocytopenia”, NIDDK Cooperative Centers of Excellence in Hematology Pilot Grant, 7/1/2023-6/30/2024, $75,000.

ANDREW K. GODWIN, PH.D.

The University of Kansas Medical Center

The University of Kansas Cancer Center: Past, Present, and Future 2023. Jan 6. Kansas City, MO. 

The University of Kansas Medical Center

The University of Kansas Cancer Center: Past, Present, and Future 2023. Jan 30. Topeka, KS. 

The University of Kansas Medical Center

“Resources to Support Clinical Research and Patient Care.” Presentation for New Clinical Faculty Orientation, February 3rd, 2023, Kansas City, KS.

The University of Kansas Health System

“Resources to Support Clinical Research and Patient Care.” Presentation for Oncology Service Line Leadership, February 27th, 2023, Kansas City, KS.

AACR Annual Meeting

Session Chair, Dharma Master Jiantai Advances in Biomarkers Session: “Next Generation Technologies and Biomarkers for the Early Detection of Cancer”. April 18, 2023.

Invited Speaker as part of the Dharma Master Jiantai Advances in Biomarkers Session: “Tiny Packages, Enormous Potential: Exploiting Extracellular Vesicles for Early Detection and Disease Monitoring of Cancer.” April 18, 2023.

Co-Chair of Mini-Symposium, “Behavioral and Biological Opportunities to Improve Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Disparities.” April 18, 2023.

KU Endowment

“Developing the Center for Genetic Services and Health Equity: A Collaborative Effort” as part of BIGGSteps annual update and check presentation. May 1, 2023, Kansas City, KS.

SHI WEI, MD, PH.D.

USCAP

"The Spectrum of Overlapping Lesions with USP6 Gene Rearrangements". The International Society of Bone and Soft Tissue Pathology Companion Meeting at USCAP. March 12, 2023.

Washington State Society of Pathologists Annual Meeting 2023

"Breast Cancer Biomarkers: An Update in the Era of Precision Medicine Salivary Gland-Type Carcinomas of the Breast". April 29, 2023.

LONG ZHENG, MD, PH.D.

“Regulation von Willebrand factor Homeostasis in vivo” at Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research Symposium. Orlando, FL March 12, 2023

“Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT) - Practical Aspects in Diagnosis and Management” Stago EdVangtage Virtual University, Webinar, Feb 22, 2023.

“Recent Advances in Diagnosis and Management of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura”. Sanofi China Global Webinar, March 21, 2023.

“Hereditary TTP-How prophylaxis be performed in all patients?” International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, June 26, 2023.

FARIBA BEHBOD, PH.D.

A living biobank of patient-derived ductal carcinoma in situ mouse-intraductal xenografts identifies risk factors for invasive progression.

Huten SJ, de Bruijn R, Lutz C, Badoux M, Eijkman T, Chao X, Ciwinska M, Sheinman M, Messal H, Herencia-Ropero A, Kristel P, Mulder L, van der Waal R, Sanders J, Almekinders MM, Llop-Guevara A, Davies HR, van Haren MJ, Mar􀆟n NI, Behbod F, Nik-Zainal S, Serra V, van Rheenen J, Lips EH, Wessels LFA; Grand Challenge PRECISION Consor􀆟um; Wesseling J, Scheele CLGJ, Jonkers J. Cancer Cell. 2023 May 8;41(5):986-1002.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2023.04.002. Epub 2023 Apr 27.

Transcriptome analysis reveals differences in cell cycle, growth and migration related genes that distinguish fibroblasts derived from pre-invasive and invasive breast cancer.

Fang WB, Medrano M, Cote P, Portsche M, Rao V, Hong Y, Behbod F, Knapp JR, Bloomer C, Noel-Macdonnell J, Cheng N. Front Oncol. 2023 Apr 6;13:1130911. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1130911. eCollec􀆟on 2023.

WEI CUI, MD

Clinical efficacy of retreatment of daratumumab-based therapy (D2) in daratumumab-refractory multiple myeloma. 

Abdallah AO, Mahmoudjafari Z, Ahmed N, Cui W, Shune L, McGuirk J, Mohan M, Mohyuddin GR, Afrough A, Alkharabsheh O, Atrash S. Eur J Haematol. 2023 Feb 8. doi: 10.1111/ejh.13942. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36752328.

Adverse Hematological and Non-Hematological Events in Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma That Are Responsive to Daratumumab, Pomalidomide and Dexamethasone.

Alkharabsheh O, Bellman P, Mahmoudjafari Z, Cui W, Atrash S, Paul B, Hashmi H, Shune L, Ahmed N, Abdallah AO. J Hematol. 2023 Feb;12(1):1-6. doi: 10.14740/jh1085. Epub 2023 Feb 25. PMID: 36895290; PMCID: PMC9990715.

RPLP1 Is Up-Regulated in Human Adenomyosis and Endometrial Adenocarcinoma Epithelial Cells and Is Essential for Cell Survival and Migration In Vitro.

Peterson R, Minchella P, Cui W, Graham A, Nothnick WB. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jan 31;24(3):2690. doi: 10.3390/ijms24032690. PMID: 36769010; PMCID: PMC9917350.

ANDREW K. GODWIN, PH.D. & HARSH PATHAK, PH.D.

Thymidine Kinase Activity Levels in Serum Can Identify HR+ Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients with a Low Risk of Early Progression (SWOG S0226).

Bergqvist, M., Nordmark, A., Williams, A., Paoletti, C., Barlow, W.E., Cobain, E.F., Mehta, R.S., Gralow, J.R., Hortobagyi, G.N., Albain, K.S., Pusztai, L., Sharma, P., Godwin, A.K., Thompson, A.M., Hayes, D.F., Rae, J.M. Biomarkers, 2023 Jan 29:1-10. doi: 10.1080/1354750X.2023.2168063. Online ahead of print. (PMID: 36647745) (impact factor 2.568).

Hortobagyi, G.N. Results of a Phase II Randomized Trial of Cisplatin With ABT-888 (Veliparib) or Placebo in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and/or BRCA1/2 Mutation-Associated Breast Cancer (S1416).

Rodler, E., Sharma, P., Barlow, W.E., Gralow, G.R., Puhalla, S.L., Anders, C.K., Goldstein, L., Tripathy, D., Brown-Glaberman, U.A., Huynh, T., Szyarto, C., Godwin, A.K., Pathak, H.B., Swisher, E., Radke, M.R., Timms, K.M., Lew, D., Miao, J., Pusztai, L., Hayes, D.F., Hortobagyi, G.N. Results of a Phase II Randomized Trial of Cisplatin With ABT-888 (Veliparib) or Placebo in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and/or BRCA1/2 Mutation-Associated Breast Cancer (S1416). Lancet Oncology, 2023 Feb;24(2):162-174. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(22)00739-2. [Epub 2023 Jan. 6] (PMID: 36623515) (impact factor 54.433). News release - https://www.swog.org/news-events/news/2023/01/30/s1416-results-parpi-benefit-brca-bc.

Tumor-derived Extracellular Vesicles as Complementary Prognostic Factors to Circulating Tumor Cells in Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Nanou, A., Miao, J., Coumans, F., Dolce, E.M., Darga, El, Barlow, W., Smerage, J.B., Paoletti, C., Godwin, A.K., Pusztai, L., Sharma, P., Thompson, A., Hortobagyi, G.N., Terstappen, L.W., Hayes, D.F. JCO Precision Oncology, 2023 Jan;7:e2200372. doi: 10.1200/PO.22.00372. (PMID: 36634296) PMCID: PMC9928629 (impact factor 5.479).

Evaluation of the Sensitivity to Endocrine Therapy Index and the 21-Gene Breast Recurrence Score® Assay in the SWOG S8814 Trial.

Speers, C.W., Symmans, W.F., Barlow, W.E., Trevarton, A., The, S., Du, L., Rae, J.M., Shak, S., Baehner, R., Sharma, P., Pusztai, L., Hortobagyi, G.N., Hayes, D.F., Albain, K.S., Godwin, A.K., Thompson, A.M. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2023 Jan 17:JCO2201499. doi: 10.1200/JCO.22.01499. Online ahead of print. (PMID: 36649570) (impact factor 44.54).

Phase I/II Trial of Cabozantinib plus Durvalumab in Advanced Gastroesophageal Cancer Other Gastrointestinal Malignancies (CAMILLA): Phase Ib Safety/Efficacy Results.

Saeed, A., Park, R., Dai, J., Al-Rajabi, R., Kasi, A., Baranda, J., Williamson, S., Saeed, A., Ripp, J., Collins, Z., Mulvaney, K., Shugrue, M., Firth-Braun, J., Anant, S., Godwin, A.K., Madan, R., Phadnis, M., Sun, W. Cell Reports Medicine, 2023 Feb 21;4(2):100916. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.100916. [Epub 2023 Jan. 25] (PMID: 36702123) PMCID: PMC9975105 (impact factor 14.17).

ctDNA and Residual Cancer Burden are Prognostic in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Patients with Residual Disease.

Stecklein, S.R., Kimler, B.F., Yoder, R., Schwensen, K., Staley, J.M., Khan, Q., O'Dea, A., Nye, L., Elia, M., Heldstab, J., Home, T., Hyter, S., Isakova, K., Pathak, H., Godwin, A.K., Sharma, P. npj Breast Cancer, 2023 March 6;9(1):10. doi: 10.1038/s41523-023-00512-7 (PMID: 36878909) PMCID: PMC9988835 (impact factor 7.519).

Case Report: Invasive fungal infection in patient with a rare CVID-causing gene (TNFRSF13B) mutation undergoing AML treatment.

Tabak, C., Hyter, S., Yacoub, A., Byrd, K., McGuirk, J., Godwin, A.K., Abdelhakim, H. Frontiers in Oncol. 2023 Mar 15;13:1017230. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1017230. eCollection 2023 (PMID: 37007115) PMCID: PMC10050568 (impact factor 6.244).

Communicating Risk and the Landscape of Cancer Prevention - An Exploratory Study that Examines Perceptions of Cancer-Related Genetic Counseling and Testing among African Americans and Latinos in the Midwest.

Lumpkins, C.Y., Fernandes, R., Twizele, Z., Ramirez, M., Kimminau, K., Philip, A., Mustafa, R., Godwin, A.K. Journal of Community Genetics, 2023 Mar 17:1-13. doi: 10.1007/s12687-022-00629-5. Online ahead of print (PMID: 36930422) PMCID: PMC10021032 (impact factor 1.872).

AMEER HAMZA, M.D.

Anticancer Activity of Novel Difluorinated Curcumin Analog and Its Inclusion Complex with 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin against Pancreatic Cancer.

Bhattacharyya S, Ghosh H, Covarrubias-Zambrano O, Jain K, Swamy KV, Kasi A, Hamza A, Anant S, VanSaun M, Weir SJ, Bossmann SH. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023 Mar 28; 24(7):6336.

Targeting acid ceramidase-1 to inhibit sphingolipid metabolism and tumor growth in pancreatic ductal carcinoma

Anant S, Bhattacharyya S, Biersack B, Bossman S, Dandawate PR, Ghosh H, Hamza A, Jain K, Kasi A, VanSaun M, Weir S. The American Association for Cancer Research. 2023 Apr 04; 83(7):1585.

LONG ZHENG, M.D., PHD

How should caplacizumab be used for treatment of immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura?

Zheng L, Zheng XL. Ann Blood. 2023 Jun 30;8:11. doi: 10.21037/aob-21-87.PMID: 37200543 
 
Altered cleavage of human factor VIII at the B-domain and acidic region 3 interface enhances expression after gene therapy in hemophilia A mice.

Nguyen GN, Lindgren JR, Seleme MC, Kafle S, Zander CB, Zheng XL, Sabatino DE.J Thromb Haemost. 2023 Apr 18:S1538-7836(23)00330-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jtha.2023.04.012.PMID: 37080538
 
Mechanisms of Inhibition of Human Monoclonal Antibodies in Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura.

Halkidis K, Meng C, Liu S, Mayne L, Siegel DL, Zheng XL. Blood. 2023 Apr 6:blood.2022019252. doi: 10.1182/blood.2022019252. PMID: 37023370
 
A novel mechanism underlying allosteric regulation of ADAMTS-13 revealed by hydrogen-deuterium exchange plus mass spectrometry.

Pillai VG, Zheng XL. Res Pract Thromb Haemost. 2022 Dec 13;7(1):100012. doi: 10.1016/j.rpth.2022.100012. PMID: 36852110 
 
Longitudinal Assessment of Plasma Syndecan-1 Predicts 60-Day Mortality in Patients with COVID-19.

Zhang Q, Ye Z, Bignotti A, Zheng XL. J Clin Med. 2023 Jan 10;12(2):552. doi: 10.3390/jcm12020552.PMID: 36675479 
 
Effects of convalescent plasma infusion on the ADAMTS13-von Willebrand factor axis and endothelial integrity in patients with severe and critical COVID-19.

Zhang Q, Ye Z, McGowan P, Jurief C, Ly A, Bignotti A, Yada N, Zheng XL. Res Pract Thromb Haemost. 2023 Jan;7(1):100010. doi: 10.1016/j.rpth.2022.100010.PMID: 36531671 

Graduation and Research Celebration May 18th 2023

Pathology Resident and Fellow Graduation & Awards May 20th 2023

Dragon Boat Festival

Congratulations Team Out to Biop-Sea!

Our Dragon Boat Team placed 3rd this year at the annual Kansas City International Dragon Boat Festival.

We may have placed 3rd but our team members are truly winners; the team worked very well together, displayed excellent teamwork, exceptional communication skills, and our first-time rowers showed great improvement throughout the day. The team truly has a lot to be proud of.

We have already been discussing our strategy for next year which will guarantee a first-place victory!

Thank you to everyone who came out to support our team and cheer us on! Christopher Jurief

KUMED Annual Pathology Picnic

Saturday, August 12, 2023

5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Shelter 8

Family and pets are welcome. This will be a KUMED (University) event.

KUMC PATHOLOGY GIVING: Gifts to the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine help in our pursuit of excellence in our academic activities, while attracting the most talented students and scholars. (LINK)