News and Accolades
Department of Medicine Advances Care for Wilson Disease Through Multidisciplinary Clinic
With Dr. Fei-Pi Lin as co-director, the program integrates liver and neurologic expertise to streamline diagnosis and treatment.
Samir Saba, MD, named 2026 Peter J. Safar Pulse of Pittsburgh honoree
The award reflects Dr. Saba’s compassionate care and lasting impact on individuals throughout Western Pennsylvania and beyond.
Dana Ascherman, MD, Receives Arthritis Foundation’s 2025 Pamela Massey Partners for Patients Award
The award is the Arthritis Foundation’s highest physician honor, recognizing Ascherman’s commitment to patient advocacy, clinical excellence, and community engagement.
DOM Physicians Earn National Recognition for Excellence in Palliative Care
Amar Bansal, MD, and Gina Piscitello, MD, MS, are among the 2026 Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Early-Career Physician Award recipients, honoring compassionate, patient-centered care at the end of life.
When a physician becomes a patient
Dr. Ian Barbash reflects on the care he received during a recent ICU stay and the lasting impact it’s had on his approach to patients and colleagues in a recent UPMC First Friday feature.
From Appalachia to Innovation, STREAM is Rewriting the Narrative of Recovery
STREAM investigators are dismantling barriers to care in Appalachia through patient-centered clinical trials, policy innovation, and a commitment to training the next generation of addiction medicine specialists.
How the DOM is Advancing Research and Care for Allergies and Severe Asthma
As spring allergies surge in Western Pennsylvania, DOM physicians are helping patients manage symptoms while advancing research in severe, treatment-resistant asthma with more personalized and effective therapies.
The Strength Behind the Spotlight: Leading the Way in Porphyria Care
Porphyria is gaining national attention, but at Pitt and UPMC, the work has been underway for decades. Discover how our experts are leading advances in research, diagnosis, and care for this complex group of disorders.
Half a Century of Discovery: Pitt’s Endocrinology & Metabolism T32
For 50 years, the Endocrinology & Metabolism T32 has trained generations of researchers, combining multidisciplinary mentorship and sustained NIDDK support to advance discovery and prepare future leaders.
Advancing Expertise: Inside UPMC’s Myositis Fellowship
UPMC’s Myositis Fellowship offers specialized, multidisciplinary training that prepares physicians to lead in the care and research of complex inflammatory muscle diseases.
Castle Connolly Top Docs, 2026
With over 100 physicians named to the Castle Connolly Top Doctors list, the DOM continues to provide the highest level of care for patients across the Pittsburgh region.
Molecular Test Doubles Detection of Bile Duct Cancer
Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center developed BiliSeq, a molecular test that detected bile duct cancer with twice the sensitivity of the standard test, giving physicians a more accurate picture of the patient’s diagnosis.
Microgrant Boosts the Hub’s Efforts to Educate and Support Older Adults
The funding of $2,575 will allow the team to develop educational materials for older patients and create training resources to help student volunteers better meet this population’s health and vaccination needs through the Pitt Vaccination and Health Connection Hub.
René Claxton, MD, MS, named the inaugural director of the Humanistic Communication in Medicine program
A national leader in serious illness communication, René Claxton will guide the new program within the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Bioethics.
Nominations now open for the 2026 Margaret Ragni Award for Advancement of Women in Medicine and Science
Established in 2023, these awards recognize outstanding achievement in supporting and inspiring women in the Department of Medicine.
A new study in JCI Insight Suggests New Way to Predict and Understand Liver Disease
By borrowing tools from rainforest ecology, Gavin Arteel, PhD, et al. identify patterns of gene expression collapse that may extend beyond alcohol-associated hepatitis to other chronic diseases.
Jason Becker, MD, and Wei Du, MD, PhD, Elected to American Society for Clinical Investigation
The Department of Medicine researchers join an elite honor society recognizing outstanding physician-scientist achievements, while colleagues across the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine also earn ASCI recognition.
Jennifer Corbelli, MD, MS, Receives Pitt Chancellor’s Distinguished Award for Teaching
The Department of Medicine educator was recognized for her leadership in the Academy of Distinguished Medical Educators and her work fostering rigorous, supportive training for future physicians.
Trial Co-Led by Dhiraj Yadav Challenges Longstanding ERCP Practice in Recurrent Pancreatitis
Researchers from the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh report that minor papillotomy does not reduce recurrence in patients with pancreas divisum.
Department of Medicine Rises to No. 6 Nationally as Pitt Nears $700M in NIH Funding
The rise from No. 9 comes amid a strong year for the University of Pittsburgh, which secured $669.7 million in NIH support and saw all six health sciences schools place in the top 20.