News and Accolades
Department of Medicine Faculty Receive Four Clinical Transformation Program Grants
Beckwith Institute funding will support projects exploring new approaches to behavioral health, Sjögren’s disease, Fontan-associated exercise intolerance, and lung transplant rejection
Seven Investigators Selected for 2026 ASPIRE Awards
New cohort will receive up to $70,000 and two years of mentoring to expand their research programs and pursue additional R-level funding
EMBARC Launches Inaugural Cohort of Physician Leaders
Year-long leadership development program prepares physicians for future leadership roles across the academic medical center
Winters Foundation Awards 11 Grants to Pittsburgh-Area Biomedical Researchers
Record 42 applications received for the annual awards supporting catalytic biomedical research across the Pittsburgh region
DOM Launches Four New Awards Recognizing the Work That Often Goes Unseen
Nominate a colleague for the Unsung Hero, Leads by Example, Team Builder, or Career Mentorship Award. Nominations are open to all Department of Medicine employees.
Eric Dueweke, MD, MBA, Named Vice Chair for Clinical Operations
Dueweke brings extensive clinical and operational leadership experience to the Department of Medicine’s senior leadership team.
Deborah Akanya, MD, Recognized Among Pittsburgh’s 40 Under 40
The Division of Cardiology clinical assistant professor is one of 10 Pitt affiliates named to Pittsburgh Magazine’s 2026 list of emerging leaders.
Deirdre Quinn, PhD, Expands Reproductive Health Care Access for Women Veterans
The Department of Medicine assistant professor’s research has led to a program that is making contraceptive care more accessible for veterans through VA pharmacists.
To Slime or Not to Slime
Laura Mike, PhD, and Saroj Khadka are uncovering how Klebsiella pneumoniae senses its surroundings and adjusts its slimy exterior—a response that may influence where the pathogen thrives and how it causes disease.
Jaideep Behari, MD, PhD, Named Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Following a national search, Behari has been appointed chief of the Division, where he has served as interim chief while advancing its clinical, research, and educational missions.
Harnessing Ultrasound to Transform Patient Care
Flordeliza Villanueva, MD, discusses her pioneering work in ultrasound-guided therapeutics, her passion for translational cardiovascular research, and her commitment to training the next generation of physician-scientists.
Leading the Next Era of Cancer Care
John C. Byrd, MD, discusses the personal experiences that shaped his career, his vision for UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, and how expanding access, accelerating discovery, and strengthening clinical trials will transform cancer care in a recent UPMC Health Discovery Report Leadership Spotlight.
New Cholesterol Guidelines Could Expand Statin Eligibility to More Than Half of U.S. Adults
A JAMA study led by Timothy S. Anderson, MD, MAS, found that updated cardiovascular prevention guidelines would recommend statins for an additional 21.5 million Americans by emphasizing long-term risk.
Smarter Training for More Human Care
René Claxton, MD, MS, is leading a new program that uses AI-powered training and interdisciplinary collaboration to help clinicians build the communication skills that make care more compassionate, equitable, and patient-centered.
DOM Faculty Lead First-Ever JCI Insight Thematic Issue on Fibrosis
Gavin Arteel, PhD, and Melanie Königshoff, MD, PhD, led JCI Insight‘s first-ever thematic issue, showcasing advances in fibrosis research from investigators around the world, including numerous contributions from the Department of Medicine.
From Genomics to Precision Care: Q&A with William Reed Doerfler, MD, MS
The Pitt endocrinologist discusses the evolution of molecular testing, ThyroSeq®, and the future of personalized treatment for thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer.
Matthew Steinhauser, MD, Named New Deputy Editor for Circulation
Steinhauser will oversee Translational Science, Therapeutics and Physiology as part of the flagship cardiovascular journal’s new editorial leadership team.
When Antibiotics Aren’t Enough: Pitt Advances the Next Generation of Infection Treatment
A new NIH NIAID P01 grant establishes the Pitt Center for Accelerating Phage Therapy (P-CAPT), positioning Pitt to advance phage therapy as a promising new treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections.
Your Ticket to Safe Travels: UPMC’s Travel Health Program
Whether you’re traveling for work or the vacation of a lifetime, healthy travel starts before takeoff. UPMC’s Travel Health Program helps travelers prepare for trips and provides expert care if illness follows them home.
Transforming Kidney Care
By embedding specialty expertise within primary care, Kidney CHAMP ensures patients with CKD receive timely, evidence-based interventions before advanced disease develops.