Research

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine is a formidable leader in cutting-edge research. Our basic scientists, clinical researchers, and clinicians work daily to make research discoveries that will positively impact the world’s healthcare.

Our numbers:

  • With 758 faculty, we are the largest department within the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
  • Our NIH funding level is ranked in the top 10 nationally among other Departments of Internal Medicine.
  • The medical school’s NIH funding level ranks fifth in the nation.

Our clinicians and scientists are engaged in advanced research that is changing people’s lives and furthering our understanding of science. From papers published in high-impact journals to grants and awards received across every stage of research, all are reflections of our investigators’ skill, dedication, and commitment.

Latest High-Impact Publications
NEJMFever of Unknown Origin.
Haidar G, Singh N.
N Engl J Med. 2022 Feb 3;386(5):463-477. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra2111003. PMID: 35108471.
Ann Intern MedColorectal Cancer Screening: Randomized Trials Are Essential to Support Recommendations.
Bretthauer M, Schoen RE, Cross AJ, Pinsky PF.
Ann Intern Med. 2022 Jan;175(1):129-130. doi: 10.7326/M21-3770. Epub 2021 Nov 9. PMID: 34748373.
NEJMLong-Term Survival after Kidney Transplantation.
Hariharan S, Israni AK, Danovitch G.
N Engl J Med. 2021 Aug 19;385(8):729-743. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra2014530. PMID: 34407344.
Nature CommunicationsMyofibroblast transcriptome indicates SFRP2hi fibroblast progenitors in systemic sclerosis skin.
Tabib T, Huang M, Morse N, Papazoglou A, Behera R, Jia M, Bulik M, Monier DE, Benos PV, Chen W, Domsic R, Lafyatis R.
Nat Commun. 2021 Jul 19;12(1):4384. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-24607-6. PMID: 34282151; PMCID: PMC8289865.
GastroenterologyThe Race to Resolution of Benign Biliary Strictures: Slow and Steady vs Pedal to the Covered Metal?
Ertem FU, Slivka A.
Gastroenterology. 2021 Jul;161(1):31-33. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.04.032. Epub 2021 Apr 19. PMID: 33887221.
CirculationMetabolic Syndrome Mediates ROS-miR-193b-NFYA-Dependent Down Regulation of sGC and Contributes to Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension in HFpEF.
Satoh T, Wang L, Espinosa-Diez C, Wang B, Hahn SA, Noda K, Rochon ER, Dent MR, Levine A, Baust JJ, Wyman S, Wu YL, Triantafyllou GA, Tang Y, Reynolds M, Shiva S, St Hilaire C, Gomez D, Goncharov DA, Goncharova EA, Chan SY, Straub AC, Lai YC, McTiernan CF, Gladwin MT.
Circulation. 2021 Jun 23. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.053889. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34157861.
Nature CommunicationsA high-throughput screen for TMPRSS2 expression identifies FDA-approved compounds that can limit SARS-CoV-2 entry.
Chen Y, Lear TB, Evankovich JW, Larsen MB, Lin B, Alfaras I, Kennerdell JR, Salminen L, Camarco DP, Lockwood KC, Tuncer F, Liu J, Myerburg MM, McDyer JF, Liu Y, Finkel T, Chen BB.
Nat Commun. 2021 Jun 23;12(1):3907. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-24156-y. PMID: 34162861.
JCI InsightThe dynamics of human bone marrow adipose tissue in response to feeding and fasting.
Fazeli PK, Bredella MA, Pachon-Pe–a G, Zhao W, Zhang X, Faje AT, Resulaj M, Polineni SP, Holmes TM, Lee H, O'Donnell EK, MacDougald OA, Horowitz MC, Rosen CJ, Klibanski A.
JCI Insight. 2021 Jun 22;6(12):138636. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.138636. PMID: 33974568.
CirculationRacial Diversity Among American Cardiologists: Implications for the Past, Present, and Future.
Johnson AE, Talabi MB, Bonifacino E, Culyba AJ, Davis EM, Davis PK, De Castro LM, Essien UR, Maria Gonzaga A, Hogan MV, James AJ, Jonassaint CR, Jonassaint NL, Matheo L, Nance MA, NapoŽ GS, Olafiranye O, Owusu-Ansah S, Pierson-Brown TN, Conrad Smith AJ, Suber TL, Torres O, Tripp R, Ufomata E, Wilson JD, South-Paul JE.
Circulation. 2021 Jun 15;143(24):2395-2405. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.053566. Epub 2021 Jun 14. PMID: 34125564.
ImmunityA no-Wnt situation for alveolar macrophage self-renewal.
Suber T, Camiolo MJ, Ray A.
Immunity. 2021 Jun 8;54(6):1099-1101. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.05.013. PMID: 34107266.
CirculationRecommendations for Statistical Reporting in Cardiovascular Medicine: A Special Report From the American Heart Association.
Althouse AD, Below JE, Claggett BL, Cox NJ, de Lemos JA, Deo RC, Duval S, Hachamovitch R, Kaul S, Keith SW, Secemsky E, Teixeira-Pinto A, Roger VL; American Heart Association Scientific Publishing Committee Statistics Task Force.
Circulation. 2021 May 25:CIRCULATIONAHA121055393. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.055393. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34032474.
JAMAPrecision Medicine for COVID-19: Phenotype Anarchy or Promise Realized?
DeMerle K, Angus DC, Seymour CW.
JAMA. 2021 May 25;325(20):2041-2042. doi: 10.1001/jama.2021.5248. PMID: 33961002.
JAMAReducing Low-Value Care and Improving Health Care Value.
Oakes AH, Radomski TR.
JAMA. 2021 May 4;325(17):1715-1716. doi: 10.1001/jama.2021.3308. PMID: 33830184.
Ann Intern MedTreatment Patterns and Clinical Outcomes After the Introduction of the Medicare Sepsis Performance Measure (SEP-1).
Barbash IJ, Davis BS, Yabes JG, Seymour CW, Angus DC, Kahn JM.
Ann Intern Med. 2021 Apr 20. doi: 10.7326/M20-5043. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33872042.
JAMAEffect of Poloxamer 188 vs Placebo on Painful Vaso-Occlusive Episodes in Children and Adults With Sickle Cell Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Casella JF, Barton BA, Kanter J, Black LV, Majumdar S, Inati A, Wali Y, Drachtman RA, Abboud MR, Kilinc Y, Fuh BR, Al-Khabori MK, Takemoto CM, Salman E, Sarnaik SA, Shah N, Morris CR, Keates-Baleeiro J, Raj A, Alvarez OA, Hsu LL, Thompson AA, Sisler IY, Pace BS, Noronha SA, Lasky JL 3rd, de Julian EC, Godder K, Thornburg CD, Kamberos NL, Nuss R, Marsh AM, Owen WC, Schaefer A, Tebbi CK, Chantrain CF, Cohen DE, Karakas Z, Piccone CM, George A, Fixler JM, Singleton TC, Moulton T, Quinn CT, de Castro Lobo CL, Almomen AM, Goyal-Khemka M, Maes P, Emanuele M, Gorney RT, Padgett CS, Parsley E, Kronsberg SS, Kato GJ, Gladwin MT.
JAMA. 2021 Apr 20;325(15):1513-1523. doi: 10.1001/jama.2021.3414. PMID: 33877274; PMCID: PMC8058640.
CirculationCardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: Prediction Without Prevention of Sudden Death.
Estes NAM, Saba S.
Circulation. 2021 Apr 6;143(14):1374-1376. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.052929. Epub 2021 Apr 5. PMID: 33819073.
GastroenterologyIntegrated Multiomics Reveals Glucose Use Reprogramming and Identifies a Novel Hexokinase in Alcoholic Hepatitis.
Massey V, Parrish A, Argemi J, Moreno M, Mello A, Garc’a-Rocha M, Altamirano J, Odena G, Dubuquoy L, Louvet A, Martinez C, Adrover A, Aff˜ S, Morales-Ibanez O, Sancho-Bru P, Mill‡n C, Alvarado-Tapias E, Morales-Arraez D, Caballer’a J, Mann J, Cao S, Sun Z, Shah V, Cameron A, Mathurin P, Snider N, Villanueva C, Morgan TR, Guinovart J, Vadigepalli R, Bataller R.
Gastroenterology. 2021 Apr;160(5):1725-1740.e2. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.12.008. Epub 2020 Dec 10. PMID: 33309778.
NEJMScaling Up Covid-19 Vaccination in Africa - Lessons from the HIV Pandemic.
Nachega JB, Sam-Agudu NA, Mellors JW, Zumla A, Mofenson LM.
N Engl J Med. 2021 Mar 31. doi: 10.1056/NEJMp2103313. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33789005.
CirculationPrevalence of Atrial Fibrillation and Thromboembolic Risk in Wild-Type Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy .
Bukhari S, Barakat AF, Eisele YS, Nieves R, Jain S, Saba S, Follansbee WP, Brownell A, Soman P.
Circulation. 2021 Mar 30;143(13):1335-1337. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.052136. Epub 2021 Mar 29. PMID: 33779268.
Ann Intern MedIn chronic noncancer illness, palliative care reduces symptoms and health care use but does not improve QoL .
Topoll A, Arnold R.
Ann Intern Med. 2021 Mar;174(3):JC31. doi: 10.7326/ACPJ202103160-031. Epub 2021 Mar 2. PMID: 33646840.
JCI InsightPDLIM2 repression by ROS in alveolar macrophages promotes lung tumorigenesis.
Li L, Sun F, Han L, Liu X, Xiao Y, Gregory AD, Shapiro SD, Xiao G, Qu Z.
JCI Insight. 2021 Feb 4:144394. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.144394. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33539325.
Science MagazineRecurrent deletions in the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein drive antibody escape.
McCarthy KR, Rennick LJ, Nambulli S, Robinson-McCarthy LR, Bain WG, Haidar G, Duprex WP.
Science. 2021 Feb 3:eabf6950. doi: 10.1126/science.abf6950. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33536258.
Nat Chem BioA Fbxo48 inhibitor prevents pAMPKα degradation and ameliorates insulin resistance.
Liu Y, Jurczak MJ, Lear TB, Lin B, Larsen MB, Kennerdell JR, Chen Y, Huckestein BR, Nguyen MK, Tuncer F, Jiang Y, Monga SP, O'Donnell CP, Finkel T, Chen BB, Mallampalli RK.
Nat Chem Biol. 2021 Jan 25. doi: 10.1038/s41589-020-00723-0. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33495648.
PNASThe secretome mouse provides a genetic platform to delineate tissue-specific in vivo secretion.
Liu J, Jang JY, Pirooznia M, Liu S, Finkel T.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Jan 19;118(3):e2005134118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2005134118. PMID: 33431665; PMCID: PMC7826384.
Latest Grants, $ 1 Million and Above
PI: Prithu Sundd, PhD, Vascular Medicine Institute/Division of PACCM
Title: Pulmonary arteriole occlusion by platelet-neutrophil micro-emboli in Acute Chest Syndrome
Project timeline: 6/1/2021-5/31/2025
Direct Costs: $1,240,024
Agency/Type of Grant: NHLBI R01
PI: Adam Straub, PhD, Vascular Medicine Institute
Title: Role of Xanthine Oxidase in Heme-induced Vascular Dysfunction
Project timeline: 5/1/2021-2/28/2025
Direct Costs: $2,097,758
Agency/Type of Grant: NHLBI R01
PI: Shihui Liu, MD, PhD, Aging Institute/Division of Infectious Diseases
Title: Developmental therapy for selectively targeting MEK-ERK pathway in cancer cells and tumor stromal compartment
Project timeline: 4/7/2021-3/31/2026
Direct Costs: $1,607,490
Agency/Type of Grant: NCI R01
PI: Melanie Königshoff, MD, PhD, Division of PACCM
Title: CurePF-Translational models for pulmonary fibrosis
Project timeline: 2/1/2021-1/31/2023
Direct Costs: $1,695,604
Agency/Type of Grant: Three Lakes Foundation Research Grant
PI: Samit Ghosh, PhD, Vascular Medicine Institute/Division of Hematology/Oncology
Title:Molecular and Cellular Pathogenesis of Kidney Disease in Sickle Cell Disorders
Project timeline: 1/1/2021-12/31/2024
Direct Costs: $1,279,884
Agency/Type of Grant: NIDDK R01
PI: Bokai Zhu, PhD, Aging Institute/Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism
Title: Decoding the regulation and functions of mammalian 12h-clock
Project timeline: 9/30/2020-5/31/2025
Direct Costs: $1,500,000
Agency/Type of Grant: NIGMS DP2 New Innovator Award
PI: Anthony Kanai, PhD, Renal-Electrolyte Division
Title: PDE5 Inhibition of Afferents and Interstitial Cells in Overactive Mouse Bladders
Project timeline: 9/8/2020-6/30/2025
Direct Costs: $2,398,965
Agency/Type of Grant: NIDDK R01
PI: Dhiraj Yadav, MD, MPH, Division of Gastroenterology
Title: Consortium for the Study of Pancreatitis: Pittsburgh Clinical Center
Project timeline: 9/3/2020-6/30/2025
Direct Costs: $1,499,985
Agency/Type of Grant: NIDDK U01
PI: Sonya Borrero, MD, MHS, Division of General Internal Medicine
Title: Development and validation of a novel, person-centered measure of post-conception pregnancy acceptability (the Post-CAP)
Project timeline: 9/1/2020-6/30/2025
Direct Costs: $2,656,179
Agency/Type of Grant: NICHD R01
PI: Nathaniel M. Weathington, MD, PhD, Division of PACCM
Title: Macrophage Immunometabolism alteration by intense beta agonist therapy.
Project timeline: 9/1/2020-8/31/2024
Direct Costs: $1,604,080
Agency/Type of Grant: NHLBI R01
PI: Brett Kaufman, PhD, Vascular Medicine Institute/Division of Cardiology
Title: Mitochondrial G-quadruplex structures in health and disease
Project timeline: 8/1/2020-6/30/2024
Direct Costs: $1,019,516
Agency/Type of Grant: NIGMS R01
PI: Divay Chandra, MD, MSc, Division of PACCM
Title: Role of FBXO24 mediated ubiquitination of FoxP1 protein in the pathogenesis and treatment of COPD
Project timeline: 7/15/2020-6/30/2025
Direct Costs: $1,507,559
Agency/Type of Grant: NHLBI R01
PI: Kevin Kraemer, MD, MSc, Division of General Internal Medicine
Title: University of Pittsburgh Collaboration in Addiction Training Scholars (PittCATS) Program
Project timeline: 7/1/2020-6/30/2025
Direct Costs: $2,499,950
Agency/Type of Grant: NIDA K12
PI: Kang Kim, PhD, Division of Cardiology
Title: Prevent Unnecessary Carotid Intervention and Stroke using Noninvasive Transcutaneous Ultrasound Thermal Strain Imaging (US-TSI)
Project timeline: 6/15/2020-5/31/2024
Direct Costs: $2,172,649
Agency/Type of Grant: NHLBI R01