UAMS

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UAMS Earns ‘Most Wired’ Recognition from CHIME for Use of Technology

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By Chris Carmody

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) recently garnered recognition as a 2024 Digital Health Most Wired organization from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME).

CHIME’s Digital Health Most Wired program conducts annual surveys that serve as a comprehensive “digital health check-up,” evaluating the adoption, integration and impact of technology in health care organizations. Participating organizations received certification based on their overall performance, with Level 10 being the highest.

This year, the program awarded UAMS a Level 9 rating in the category of acute care. Among the more than 47,000 facilities represented in the surveys, UAMS ranked above many of its peers in areas such as cybersecurity, data visualization and analytics, infrastructure, and patient engagement.

UAMS Earns ‘Most Wired’ Recognition from CHIME for Use of Technology

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TRI-Supported Researcher Megha Sharma, M.D., Published in Pediatrics

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By David Robinson

A successful effort at UAMS to reduce the amount of blood taken for lab tests from premature infants has been published in the journal Pediatrics.

The project was led by Megha Sharma, M.D., a neonatologist and associate professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics. Her work was conducted in the UAMS Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) over two years as part of the UAMS Translational Research Institute’s Implementation Science Scholars Program. Her paper, “Reducing Iatrogenic Blood Losses in Premature Infants,” was published in September.

Research has shown that blood loss from repetitive lab testing is a significant contributor to anemia in very low birth weight infants (less than 3.3 pounds). The blood lost from lab tests in the first few weeks of life often equals or exceeds the amount of an infant’s total blood volume, which is only 2-3 ounces. It can lead to a range of poor health outcomes.

TRI-Supported Researcher Megha Sharma, M.D., Published in Pediatrics

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UAMS Chancellor’s Circle Awards Grants to 17 Programs

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Image by Evan Lewis

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) awarded 17 grants totaling $350,000 at the annual Chancellor’s Circle Grant Awards ceremony held Oct. 23 at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum.

The Chancellor’s Circle is UAMS’ premier annual giving society, which marks its 40th anniversary in 2024. Through its unrestricted annual giving, this group of dedicated members donates more than $200,000 a year that funds grants to address the institution’s highest priorities. More than 250 household and corporate members make up the Chancellor’s Circle.

“I want to thank all the donors who support the Chancellor’s Circle, the funds of which will continue to have an impact on the lives of the people of our state,” said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. “Your partnership with us as members of the Chancellor’s Circle makes a critical difference in our ability to advance and grow the mission of UAMS to improve the health of all Arkansans.”

UAMS Chancellor’s Circle Awards Grants to 17 Programs

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UAMS and UA Distribute Electric Ride-On Cars to GoBabyGo Families in Northwest Arkansas

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By David Wise

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and the University of Arkansas (UA) today distributed electric ride-on cars to families participating in GoBabyGo, a national program that promotes the use of modified electric ride-on cars as a solution for independent mobility during early childhood.

The event is part of the capstone project of Brenna Ramirez, a UAMS/UA occupational therapy doctoral student whose goal was to make Northwest Arkansas a GoBabyGo branch. UA faculty member Amanda Troillett, OTD, is overseeing the project.

GoBabyGo has formally recognized 25 branches in the United States, with the closest branches to Northwest Arkansas being in Lincoln, Nebraska, and St. Louis. This means that local families seeking GoBabyGo aid were being referred to branches over 300 miles away.

UAMS and UA Distribute Electric Ride-On Cars to GoBabyGo Families in Northwest Arkansas

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UA professor to study bias with $3.4 million federal grant

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by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Anastasia Makhanova, a psychology professor at the University of Arkansas, has been awarded a $3.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. She will use the money to lead a five-year study on how stress and illness may cause bias in healthcare workers.

“Most people tend to focus on individual differences when it comes to looking at bias,” Makhanova said. “There’s been a lot less attention to the fact that the same people can make more biased decisions in particular situations.”

Research shows that, on average, patients from racial and ethnic minority groups receive worse care than white patients. By identifying situations that could cause a medical provider to act with increased bias, Makhanova’s research can show health care workers the more effective times to use existing anti-bias strategies. The results could also lead to systematic changes that reduce burnout and encourage health care providers to not work when they are sick.

UA professor to study bias with $3.4 million federal grant

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UAMS Researchers Find Ground Beef Packs Bigger Muscle-Building Punch than Soy-Based Alternative

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By News Staff

LITTLE ROCK — When it comes to building muscle, not all proteins are created equal.

New research from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) reveals that 100% ground beef packs a bigger punch for muscle protein synthesis than a soy-based counterpart. In fact, the study suggests that a person would need double the amount of soy-based protein to achieve the same results.

Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study examined the anabolic response — how the body builds muscle — after consuming a 4-ounce beef patty versus one or two 4-ounce patties of a soy-based product. The results? Just one serving of beef did the job, while two servings of the soy-based alternative were necessary to see the same muscle-building benefits.

For those counting calories, the difference is striking: Beef delivered these results with fewer calories — 279 compared to 462.

UAMS Researchers Find Ground Beef Packs Bigger Muscle-Building Punch than Soy-Based Alternative

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UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Named Center of Excellence by MDS Foundation

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By Marty Trieschmann

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute has been designated as a Center of Excellence by the MDS Foundation, making it the only center in Arkansas to become part of the foundation’s referral network of the top bone marrow disorder treatment centers in the world.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of diverse bone marrow disorders that can progress to acute myeloid leukemia and primarily affect the elderly. In the United States, 20,000 new cases are reported every year, making MDS one of the most common blood cancers. A stem cell transplant is the only curative treatment option for certain types of high risk MDS.

A pioneer in the treatment of blood disorders and cancers, UAMS has been home to Arkansas’ only adult bone marrow transplant center since 1994, performing 12,731 transplants for conditions including lymphomas, leukemias and multiple myeloma.

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Named Center of Excellence by MDS Foundation

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UAMS Establishes Proteomics Center of Excellence in Little Rock with Thermo Fisher Scientific

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By Marty Trieschmann

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) announced the launch of the Thermo Fisher Scientific Center of Excellence for Proteomics at UAMS — the first and only academic-industry partnership of its kind in the United States.

The world leader in serving science, Thermo Fisher Scientific, entered into a formal agreement with the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics, which was founded in 2020 with a $11 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as the only NIH-funded proteomics service provider in the United States, providing the most cost-effective access to proteomics for any researcher in the U.S. performing biomedical research.

Proteomics allows researchers and clinicians to rapidly identify novel disease biomarkers, new drug targets and unique mechanisms driving human diseases. IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics is equipped with multiple Thermo Fisher advanced Thermo Scientific™ Orbitrap™ mass spectrometers, including the most recent installed state-of-the-art mass spectrometry technology, Thermo Scientific™ Orbitrap™ Astral™ mass spectrometer, to provide premium quantitative proteomics services to researchers.

UAMS Establishes Proteomics Center of Excellence in Little Rock with Thermo Fisher Scientific

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Symposium Showcases Promising Research Aimed at Reducing Cancer Therapy Side Effects

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By Marty Trieschmann

Ask any patient treated with chemotherapy, and the answer may be the treatment. Common side effects of chemotherapy include pain, fatigue, hair loss, mouth sores, bowel issues as well as nerve, muscle, cell and organ damage.

And that’s just chemotherapy. Conventional X-ray radiation, a treatment needed by half of all cancer patients, can cause scarring of the lungs and other injuries to any organ in the radiation field.

“Cancer treatments are much better than they used to be, and patients are living longer,” said Marjan Boerma, Ph.D., director of the Center for Studies of Host Response to Cancer Therapy at UAMS. “But patients and survivors can still experience physical suffering, both during and sometimes years after treatment.”

Symposium Showcases Promising Research Aimed at Reducing Cancer Therapy Side Effects

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Marius Nagalo, Ph.D., First at UAMS to Receive NIH New Innovator Award

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By Marty Trieschmann

LITTLE ROCK — A researcher at the Winthrop P Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Marius Nagalo, Ph.D., has received the prestigious New Innovator Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Granted directly from the NIH Director’s Office “this award supports early career investigators of exceptional creativity who propose bold and highly innovative research projects with the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important areas relevant to the NIH mission,” according to the NIH.

Nagalo is the first UAMS researcher to receive the New Innovator Award from the NIH, joining an elite group of previous award recipients from Stanford University, Harvard, Cornell, MIT, Penn, Duke, Yale, and the Cleveland Clinic.

Marius Nagalo, Ph.D., First at UAMS to Receive NIH New Innovator Award

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Schizophrenia Conference Offers Education, Optimism

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By Tim Taylor

Oct. 3, 2024 | The more than 250 people who attended the Arkansas Schizophrenia Conference, hosted by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ Psychiatric Research Institute, left the Sept. 27 event with information about the latest treatment approaches and promising findings.

With an audience of clinicians, therapists and support staff as well as law enforcement officials and family members of people diagnosed with schizophrenia, the event, held at the City Center in Little Rock, offered insight into a mental disorder that’s often misunderstood and misdiagnosed.

UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, welcomed attendees to the conference, while Laura Dunn, M.D., director of the Psychiatric Research Institute and chair of the Department of Psychiatry, recognized the conference participants and organizers.

Schizophrenia Conference Offers Education, Optimism

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UAMS College of Pharmacy Awards Scholarships to Record 181 Students

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By Benjamin Waldrum

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ (UAMS) College of Pharmacy awarded nearly 200 scholarships to a school-record 181 students at a Sept. 20 ceremony. The college also announced the creation of three new scholarships.

“This year is especially significant, as we celebrate recognizing over 180 students, which is a record for the College of Pharmacy,” said Brendan Frett, Ph.D., assistant professor and chair of the College of Pharmacy Awards Committee. “This remarkable milestone is a testament to the dedication of our students, the generosity of our donors, and our ever-growing impact within the pharmacy community.”

The annual ceremony, held at the UAMS Little Rock campus, recognizes pharmacy students for their hard work and allows some the chance to meet the donors supporting their education. Donor contributions through scholarships and awards help pharmacy students continue their education and provide financial assistance during their time in school. Students fulfill various criteria to be considered for scholarships, including submitting applications and letters of recommendation, writing essays and meeting in-person with the awards committee.

UAMS College of Pharmacy Awards Scholarships to Record 181 Students

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NIH Awards UAMS $3.7 Million in Quest for More Effective Tuberculosis Vaccine

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By David Robinson

LITTLE ROCK — UAMS researcher Lu Huang, Ph.D., has received a $3.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support his pursuit of a more effective tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, a feat that has eluded scientists for more than 100 years.

The five-year grant from the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will allow Huang to explore new ways to help the body fight TB based on his recent findings.

Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the only approved vaccine available today and has been used since 1921. Although protective for children, its effectiveness when given to adults remains uncertain, and it is not commonly used in the United States.

NIH Awards UAMS $3.7 Million in Quest for More Effective Tuberculosis Vaccine

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Inspiring and Empowering the Next Generation of Women Orthopaedic Surgeons

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By Andrew Vogler

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Department of Orthopaedic Surgery welcomed female students from the College of Medicine and Arkansas high schools for the Perry Outreach Program, an annual program to teach and inspire young women to become orthopaedic surgeons.

It is the 11th year that the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery has hosted the program.

The program is part of The Perry Initiative, a nonprofit committed to inspiring young women to be leaders in the fields of orthopaedic surgery and engineering, two fields in which women are drastically underrepresented.

Hosted in The Orthopaedic & Spine Hospital at UAMS, the workshop included a Friday evening session with 17 medical students and a day session with 40 high school students.

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UAMS Invests Sam R. Dalvi, M.D., in Eleanor A. Lipsmeyer, M.D., Endowed Professorship in Rheumatology

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By Andrew Vogler

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine invested Sam R. Dalvi, M.D., professor and director of the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology in the Department of Internal Medicine, in the Eleanor A. Lipsmeyer, M.D., Endowed Professorship in Rheumatology during a Sept. 23 ceremony.

“When I came to UAMS, I outlined a vision that the Division of Rheumatology would be the premier program in the south-central United States in the next 10 years,” said Dalvi, who also serves as the director of the Rheumatology Fellowship Program. “In my mission statement I said that we’re going to transform the care of patients through cutting-edge therapies and developing a team-based approach for all of our patients, and thanks to the Lipsmeyer Professorship we are well on our way to fulfilling these goals.”

Dalvi, who joined UAMS in 2024, is board-certified in rheumatology and internal medicine, and specializes in arthritic diseases, including osteoarthritis, gout, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

UAMS Invests Sam R. Dalvi, M.D., in Eleanor A. Lipsmeyer, M.D., Endowed Professorship in Rheumatology

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UAMS College of Nursing’s Undergraduate Programs Ranked 74th in Nation by U.S. News & World Report

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By Chris Carmody

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Nursing ranks among the nation’s 100 best undergraduate nursing programs, according to a list released today by U.S. News & World Report.

UAMS climbed 12 spots in the annual ranking, tying for 74th out of 686 programs evaluated by the publication. It was the only Arkansas institution in the top 100.

U.S. News & World Report conducted its evaluations through surveys from top academic and nursing school officials, who rated BSN programs they were familiar with on a scale from 1 to 5. Schools on the list were required to have a bachelor’s-level accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, and they needed to have recently awarded at least 50 BSN degrees.

UAMS College of Nursing’s Undergraduate Programs Ranked 74th in Nation by U.S. News & World Report

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UAMS Researcher to Develop Supervision Strategy for Addiction Treatment Programs

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By Kev' Moye

Jure Baloh, Ph.D., MHA, assistant professor in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health’s Department of Health Policy and Management, is leading a study designed to develop and pilot a supervision strategy to support management and staff of addiction treatment programs.

The three-year project launched in August. It’s funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse for nearly $700,000. The study will provide the foundation for a large-scale test of the strategy in the future.

“We’re trying to develop a system for addiction treatment facility supervisors to help support their counselors,” Baloh said. “That way, supervisors and staff can feel empowered and have the tools to help them do their jobs well. We think this approach can also help reduce the rates of burnout. We want to solve those issues.”

UAMS Researcher to Develop Supervision Strategy for Addiction Treatment Programs

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UAMS Researchers Find Health Care Providers’ Advice Matters to Those Hesitant about Vaccines

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By David Wise

FAYETTEVILLE — Health care provider recommendations for vaccines are critical for reaching vaccine-hesitant individuals, particularly regarding COVID-19, influenza and HPV vaccination, according to researchers from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

According to several studies published this summer, researchers at the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation found that hesitant people who received a provider recommendation had significantly greater odds of being vaccinated than hesitant people who did not.

“Provider recommendations matter a lot, especially when patients are hesitant, because it can considerably increase the odds of a person becoming vaccinated,” said Don Willis, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the Institute for Community Health Innovation. “However, not enough people who are hesitant are getting provider recommendations, so hopefully these findings can help health care providers increase vaccine recommendations to their patients.”

UAMS Researchers Find Health Care Providers’ Advice Matters to Those Hesitant about Vaccines

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UAMS Receives Nearly $2.2 Million Federal Grant to Study Immune Response to Eye Disease

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By Benjamin Waldrum

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) received a five-year, nearly $2.2 million federal grant to study how modulating the body’s immune response may potentially benefit patients with certain eye diseases.

The National Eye Institute (NEI) awarded the grant to a laboratory led by Abdel Fouda, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the UAMS College of Medicine. Fouda specializes in studying retinal ischemic diseases, which are common causes of vision impairment caused by a lack of blood flow to the retina. His lab focuses on developing new therapies for ischemic and trauma-induced retinopathy.

The grant allows Fouda’s lab to study the role of a certain type of immune cells, called myeloid cells, in retinopathy. In a process called efferocytosis, myeloid cells engulf, or eat, and remove dead cells as part of the body’s natural immune response. Although efferocytosis is well-documented for various diseases, its impact on retinopathy is largely unknown. Fouda’s initial data shows that efferocytosis could play a beneficial role in treating retinopathy. The project will explore methods of treatment to enhance myeloid cell-mediated efferocytosis, potentially leading to improved injury recovery and better patient outcomes.

UAMS Receives Nearly $2.2 Million Federal Grant to Study Immune Response to Eye Disease

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UAMS Study to Address Maternal, Infant Deaths with $2.4 Million Federal Grant

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By David Robinson

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) will receive up to $2.4 million over the next four years to test prevention strategies for reducing high rates of maternal and infant deaths in the Arkansas Delta.

The grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will fund a combination of education, training, outreach and preventive health services focusing on Helena-West Helena, Lake Village and Pine Bluff. The initial $599,887 grant is for one year and must be renewed each year.

The collaborative effort led by BioVentures LLC at UAMS includes key partnerships with the UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the UAMS Division for Academic Pathways and Workforce Partnerships.

UAMS Study to Address Maternal, Infant Deaths with $2.4 Million Federal Grant