The School of Medicine is committed to pioneering next-generation therapies by translating scientific breakthroughs from our labs into new therapeutics and cures. Clinical research underpins our ability to advance science and medicine to benefit our patients. For our series “A Healthier Future—One Trial at a Time,” we interviewed 10 School of Medicine researchers who are conducting innovative and groundbreaking clinical trials right now at UVA. Each researcher discusses a particular study they are conducting, sharing what they hope to learn through the trials and potential novel treatment opportunities.
Clinical Researcher Interviews
Antonio Abbate, MD, PhD, is the Ruth C. Heede Professor of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine. He specializes in cardio-immunology and cardio-oncology, evaluating and treating people with heart inflammation (pericarditis and myocarditis), and those at risk for heart complications due to cancer treatment. Dr. Abbate discusses his clinical trial, titled “Interleukin-1 Blockade in Acute Myocardial Infarction,” where he examines using the drug anakinra to treat heart inflammation after a heart attack. Learn more.
Christine Burt Solorzano, MD, is a professor in the Department of Pediatrics Division of Endocrinology and director of the UVA Center for Research Reproduction. She investigates early etiologies of polycystic ovary syndrome in girls and is involved in multi-center studies for type 1 and 2 diabetes in children. In her study “Hyperandrogenemia and Altered Day-Night Pulse Patterns?,” she is examines whether the medication spironolactone—which blocks the effects of male hormone—can normalize regulation of gonadotropin signals from the pituitary gland in girls with elevated male hormone level. Learn more.
Mark DeBoer, MD, is a pediatric endocrinologist and professor in the Department of Pediatrics who is passionate about improving the health of children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes, with a particular interest in the development and testing of new diabetes technology. Dr. DeBoer’s study, “Artificial Pancreas – Adolescent Physiology and Psychology Longitudinal Evaluation,” aims to better understand the origins of difficult adolescent diabetes management. Learn more.
Christopher Ennen, MD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology who specializes in maternal-fetal medicine. Dr. Ennen’s study, “Neonatal Impact of Prematurity Risk Biomarker Screening with Targeted Interventions: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial,” evaluates whether a mid-trimester biomarker test, followed by targeted interventions for higher-risk pregnancies, improves neonatal outcomes. Learn more.
Alexandra Kadl, MD, associate professor of medicine and pharmacology, and a team of clinical investigators joined several national clinical trials examining potential treatments for long COVID. The trials are part of the National Institutes of Health’s Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative, a national research program to understand, diagnose and treat long COVID. Dr. Kadl co-directs UVA Health’s long COVID clinic with Kyle Enfield, MD. Learn more.
Michael McCulloch, MD, is a professor of pediatrics and the medical director of the Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension and Mechanical Circulatory Support Programs. Dr. McCulloch’s study, “Improving Pediatric Donor Heart Utilization with Predictive Analytics,” focuses on optimizing donor utilization, donor and candidate matching, and improve waitlist/post-transplant survival. Learn more.
JoAnn Pinkerton, MD, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of the UVA Midlife Center, was the national lead and UVA site principal investigator for the international, randomized OASIS clinical trials, which examined the efficacy and safety of the drug elinzanetant to treat moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms due to menopause. In the interview, Dr. Pinkerton discusses her clinical research, the OASIS trials, and the importance of effective nonhormone therapy for symptomatic menopausal women. Learn more.
Shayna L. Showalter, MD, is a professor of surgery in the UVA Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology. She is a breast surgical oncologist leading the multi-site, phase III clinical trial, “The Pre-Operative Window of Endocrine Therapy to Inform Radiation Therapy Decisions in Older Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer: The POWER II Trial.” Dr. Showalter and her colleague Trish Millard, MD, who serves as UVA site PI, investigate the treatment of early-stage breast cancer in older women (65+), with the goal of individualized treatment, instead of a “one-size-fits-all” model. Learn more.
Agnieszka (Agnes) Swiatecka-Urban, MD, is a pediatric nephrologist whose clinical work and research focus on improving outcomes for patients facing conditions that may lead to kidney disease or kidney failure. Dr. Urban is leading a multi-PI clinical/clinical translational grant project from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: Kidney Function in People with Cystic Fibrosis. Learn more.
Lisa Zuckerwise, MD, is an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and division director of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program at the University of Virginia. She is the national co-PI and UVA site principal investigator for a randomized trial designed to evaluate the use of the Novocuff Cervical Control System in the treatment of pregnant patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). The study, called the RETAIN Study, will be submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval under an Investigational Device Exemption. Learn more.
Filed Under: Research