Four Department of Medicine faculty are among the five recipients of the Beckwith Institute’s 2026–27 Clinical Transformation Program awards, supporting research aimed at developing new approaches to diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment across a range of complex conditions.

The Clinical Transformation Program supports promising, research-based projects designed to test innovative approaches to patient care. Many projects begin as early-stage pilot efforts, with the potential to generate evidence that can support broader implementation and future external funding.

The Department of Medicine awardees and their projects are:

Seven early- to mid-career investigators have been selected for the 2026 cohort of ASPIRE — Advancing Scientific Programs of Independently-funded Researchers, a Department of Medicine program designed to help investigators expand the breadth and impact of their research programs and grant portfolios.

Now in its second year, ASPIRE provides selected investigators with funding over two years, along with individualized mentorship from senior Department of Medicine scientists. The program is intended for faculty who have established independent research programs but are seeking to develop new research directions and build toward additional R-level funding. Awardees develop plans for a new line of investigation that can generate the data and preliminary results needed for a competitive future R-level grant submission. In addition to advancing their individual research programs, ASPIRE scholars are encouraged to consider how the resources and findings generated through their work can benefit the broader Department of Medicine research community through the development of datasets, reagents or other resources that could support research by other investigators.

ASPIRE is part of the Department of Medicine’s broader efforts to support investigators as they build sustainable, independently funded research programs and develop the scientific leadership needed to pursue increasingly ambitious research questions.

The 2026 ASPIRE awardees are:

• Işın Çakır, PhD — Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Divay Chandra, MD, MSc — Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
• John Evankovich, MD — Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
• Georgios Kitsios, MD, PhD — Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
• Corrine Kliment, MD, PhD — Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
• Michael Risbano, MD, MA — Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
• Haodi Wu, PhD — Cardiology/Vascular Medicine Institute

The 2026 cohort joins six investigators selected in the program’s inaugural year, bringing the total number of ASPIRE scholars to 13 during the program’s first two years.

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine has launched Enhanced Mentoring for Building AdministRative Careers (EMBARC), a new year-long leadership development program designed to prepare physicians for future leadership roles within programs, initiatives and divisions across a complex academic medical center and integrated delivery and finance system.

The inaugural EMBARC cohort brings together 23 physicians from across the Department of Medicine’s divisions, creating an interdisciplinary group of emerging leaders who will develop the skills and perspectives needed to navigate the operational, strategic and organizational challenges of academic medicine.

Led by Ian Barbash, MD, MS; Megan Fitzpatrick, MD; and Wendy Romeo, MS, EMBARC combines interactive learning, executive shadowing, case-based exercises and structured self-reflection. Participants will meet in person monthly at the U.S. Steel Tower in Pittsburgh from January through December 2027, with a summer break.

The curriculum is designed to build skills in areas essential to effective clinical leadership, including:

• Systems thinking in the academic medical center and integrated delivery environment
• Health care economics and finance
• Strategic planning and health care operations
• Data analytics and informatics
• Communication strategies for leaders
• Collaboration and conflict management
• Change leadership and implementation
• Performance and talent development

Each session combines preparatory work with interactive discussions, small-group activities and real-world scenarios grounded in challenges facing academic medical centers. Participants will also have opportunities to observe and learn alongside senior institutional leaders through executive shadowing experiences.

The program also emphasizes self-awareness and reflection, recognizing that effective leadership requires more than operational expertise. Through the year-long cohort experience, participants will develop a deeper understanding of their own leadership approaches while learning from colleagues across the Department of Medicine.

The inaugural cohort will begin with a full-day foundational session on January 8, 2027, followed by monthly half-day sessions through November and a concluding full-day session on December 10. CME credit will be provided for each class day.

EMBARC is intended to complement existing physician leadership development opportunities and create a foundation for physicians who may take on increasingly complex leadership responsibilities within the Department of Medicine and the broader health system.

Matthew Culyba, MD, PhD, Infectious Diseases
Allison DeKosky, MD, General Internal Medicine
Jeffrey Dueker, MD, MPH, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Alison Faust, MD, MHS, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Katrina Han, MD, Endocrinology and Metabolism
Manisha Jhamb, MD, MPH, Renal-Electrolyte
Corrine Kliment, MD, PhD, Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
Nicoletta Machin, DO, MS, Classical Hematology
Jared Magnani, MD, MSc, Cardiology
Stephanie Maximous, MD, MS, Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
Neelesh Nadkarni, MD, PhD, Geriatric Medicine
Yana Najjar, MD, Malignant Hematology and Medical Oncology
Varidhi Nauriyal, MD, Infectious Diseases
Simi Padival, MD, Infectious Diseases
Anna Phillips, MD, MS, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Diana Pinkhasova, MD, Endocrinology and Metabolism
Thomas Radomski, MD, MS, General Internal Medicine
Samender Randhawa, MD, Geriatric Medicine
Zachary Rhinehart, MD, Cardiology
Anwaar Saeed, MD, Malignant Hematology and Medical Oncology
Faraaz Shah, MD, MPH, Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
Benjamin Sprague, MD, MS, General Internal Medicine
Jyotsana Thakkar, MD, Renal-Electrolyte

Congratulations to all who were selected!

Twelve investigators from the University of Pittsburgh and other Pittsburgh-area institutions have been selected to receive 2026 Samuel and Emma Winters Foundation Awards, supporting innovative biomedical research with the potential to generate preliminary data for future extramural funding.

The 2026 competition drew a record 42 applications, reflecting the breadth of biomedical research underway across the Pittsburgh region. The Winters Foundation annually provides small research grants, averaging approximately $10,000, to support promising projects led primarily by junior faculty and investigators developing new research directions.

This year’s awards are designed to support a single catalytic experiment that can provide critical data to advance an investigator’s research program and strengthen future grant applications. Proposed projects span areas including cancer biology, thrombosis, metabolism, pulmonary disease, immunology, genetics and precision medicine, and employ approaches ranging from multi-omics and animal models to CRISPR screening and computational analysis.

The 2026 awardees and their projects are:

• Tomasz Brzoska, MPharm, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (Classical Hematology/Vascular Medicine Institute), University of Pittsburgh, Project title: “Intestinal Microvascular Thrombosis in Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura”
• Yu-Chiao Chiu, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (Malignant Hematology and Medical Oncology), University of Pittsburgh, Project title: “Defining the Spatial Molecular Basis of AI-Derived Histomorphologic Subtypes in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma”
• Elise Fouquerel, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Project title: “Identifying the PARP1-Dependent Proteins of the R-Loop Interactome”
• Tania Amorim, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (Endocrinology and Metabolism), University of Pittsburgh, Project title: “Dietary Methionine and Bone Anabolic Activity”
• Aaron Devanathan, PharmD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, University of Pittsburgh, Project title: “Trimethylamine-Related Intermediates and Metabolites in People with HIV”
• Anat Kohn, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine), University of Pittsburgh, Project title: “Analysis of Regionalized Airway Hypoxemia in a Novel Murine Model of Bronchiectasis”
• Raja Mooli, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (Endocrinology and Metabolism), University of Pittsburgh, Project title: “Ketogenesis-Dependent Remodeling of the Mitochondrial Acetylome During Liver Regeneration”
• Elisa Ruffo, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Project title: “A CRISPR Knockout Screen to Identify Genes That Protect CAR T Cells from ADC Payload Toxicity”
• Katherine Wood, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Project title: “Precision Medicine Management of Sickle Cell Disease Vasculopathy”
• Delbert Abi-Abdallah, PhD, and Crystal Boudreaux, PhD, Associate Professors, Department of Microbiology, Duquesne University, Project title: “Integrated Multi-Omics Profiling of Human Neutrophils Following Exposure to Plasticizers”
• Irene Kaplow, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Project title: “Testing the Ability of Hibernation-Associated Liver Enhancers to Activate Liver Stress Response Genes”

The Winters Foundation Awards provide investigators with flexible support to pursue focused experiments that can serve as a springboard for future research. By generating preliminary or proof-of-concept data, the awards are intended to help investigators strengthen their research programs and pursue larger-scale extramural funding.

The 2026 grant period runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027.

Not every contribution shows up in a productivity report. Some of the most important work in the Department of Medicine happens quietly: in the extra time someone takes to onboard a new hire, the meeting where one person makes sure everyone’s voice is heard, or the years a mentor spends shaping a colleague’s career one conversation at a time.

This year, DOM is launching four new awards designed to recognize exactly that kind of work. Nominations are open to the entire department – from faculty and researchers to administrative staff and everyone in between – and any DOM employee can nominate a colleague for any of the four categories.

The four awards

Unsung Hero Award
For the individual whose quiet, consistent contributions make a meaningful difference to the department. The work that keeps things running, even when it isn’t the work anyone applauds.

Leads by Example Award
For the individual who inspires others simply by how they show up and consistently modeling high standards of professionalism, day in and day out.

Team Builder Award
For the individual who fosters connection, collaboration, and shared success across teams, disciplines, or programs — within the department and beyond.

Career Mentorship Award
For the individual whose mentorship has nurtured the careers of others, providing guidance that helped someone else become who they are today.

Award winners will be recognized as part of the department’s ongoing effort to build a culture where exceptional work — not just visible work — gets seen.

Know someone who deserves recognition? Nominate a colleague for any of the four awards. The nomination form takes just a few minutes to complete, and every DOM employee is eligible to submit one.

Effective September 1, 2026, Eric Dueweke, MD, MBA, will assume the role of Vice Chair for Clinical Operations for the Department of Medicine. Since joining the Department’s leadership team in 2025, Dueweke has worked across divisions and with UPMC clinical and administrative leaders to address complex operational challenges and strengthen the Department’s clinical enterprise.

Dr. Dueweke joined the faculty of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in 2014 after completing his fellowship in Cardiovascular Medicine at UPMC. He served as Site Chief at UPMC Northwest for five years before returning to Pittsburgh in 2019. Throughout his career, he has held a range of operational leadership positions within the Heart and Vascular Institute and UPMC Health System. Most recently, he served as Medical Director of Care Pathways and Diagnostic Governance, leading efforts to develop the infrastructure needed to govern clinical content at scale and support the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based care across the organization.

In 2025, Dr. Dueweke joined the Department of Medicine leadership team as Associate Vice Chair of Inpatient Medicine and Standardization. In that role, he has worked closely with clinical and administrative leaders to strengthen partnerships between the Department of Medicine and UPMC hospitals throughout Allegheny County and beyond, while ensuring that the Department strategically benefits from innovation across the health system.

His work has fostered greater alignment between the Department and UPMC Presbyterian-Shadyside leadership teams and advanced initiatives focused on improving key operational metrics, including length of stay. He has also partnered with divisions across the Department to address complex clinical and operational challenges, including the deployment of novel therapeutics, expansion of telemedicine services, and preparation for major system initiatives such as Bridges and the UPMC Presbyterian Kamin Tower.

As Vice Chair for Clinical Operations, Dr. Dueweke will oversee the clinical operations of the Department of Medicine in partnership with the Executive Administrator. He will help shape the strategic vision of the Department’s clinical enterprise, ensuring that patients across the UPMC community continue to benefit from the expertise and innovation of a world-class academic Department of Medicine.

Dr. Dueweke will also work closely with division leadership to develop sustainable budgets that support continued growth and, in collaboration with the Clinical Associate Vice Chairs, will help advance priorities related to operations, quality, and patient experience across the Department.

“Dr. Dueweke’s collaborative leadership style, operational expertise, and commitment to excellence make him exceptionally well-suited for this role,” said Anne Marie Lennon, Jack D. Myers Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine. “We are excited for the impact he will continue to have in advancing the Department’s mission and strengthening our clinical enterprise.”

Continuing a strong tradition of clinical leadership

The Department also extends its sincere gratitude to Michael Donahoe, MD, who has served as Executive Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs for many years. Dr. Donahoe has provided exceptional leadership during a period of considerable growth and change, playing an instrumental role in advancing the Department’s clinical mission.

Dr. Donahoe will continue to serve in a key clinical leadership capacity as Senior Advisor to the Chair for Clinical Strategy. In this role, he will draw on his extensive experience, institutional knowledge, and leadership to help shape the Department’s clinical strategy and priorities.

The Department of Medicine congratulates Dr. Dueweke on his appointment and looks forward to his continued contributions to the Department’s clinical enterprise.

Division of Cardiology clinical assistant professor, Dr. Deborah Akanya, is one of 10 Pitt affiliates named to Pittsburgh Magazine’s 2026 list of emerging leaders.