Research
The University of Louisville Department of Medicine comprises approximately 200 full-time faculty with many holding a doctoral degree.
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Research Overview
Research is a major area of focus for our faculty, as demonstrated by the fact that almost two-thirds participate in clinical and/or basic investigation.
The department has experienced a dramatic increase in the level of national competitive research funding over the past 25 years; this upward trajectory has not abated and our faculty continue to be successful in attracting national grants.
The department's research strengths include its ability to attract high-caliber investigators who are pioneering discoveries at our institution and sharing their knowledge with the community.
Among our many outstanding faculty, we have 15 who currently occupy endowed chairs.
Several members of our faculty have also received the title of University Scholar or Distinguished University Scholar which recognizes their achievement of national recognition and their ability to attract substantial externally funded research support and to regularly disseminate their work through scholarly publications.
Research Grants
Advancing global health through groundbreaking research, dedicated clinicians, vital support driving innovation, discovery, and better patient lives.
| Principal Investigator | Division | Sponsor | Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sophia Sears, PhD | Environmental Medicine | American Heart Association | Exercise-Responsive KRMs Bolster Renal Hemodynamic Resilience | $77,000 |
| Andrew Gibb, PhD | Environmental Medicine | American Heart Association | AWD-00000328 | Cardiac Energetic Inefficiency: From Physiologic Workload to Heart Failure | $77,000 |
| Jason Hellmann, PhD | Environmental Medicine | Univ of Chicago | AWD-00000333 | The Role of Monocytes/Macrophages in Weight Loss-Induced Metabolic Health and Adipose Tissue Inflammation Resolution | $49,875 |
| Matthew Cave, MD | Gastroenterology | US Department of Defense | AWD-00000335|Use of Bile Acid Binding Resins to Decrease Systemic Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Levels and Improve Serum Lipid Profiles in Veterans | $1,293,748 |
| Forest Arnold, DO | Infectious Diseases | Health Resources and Service Administration | 250529 | Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C EarlyIntervention Services Program: Existing Geographic Service Areas (HRSA-25-004) | $753,200 |
| Jason Hellmann, PhD | Environmental Medicine | University of Central Florida | Inflammatory and Regulatory Functions of NOD2 in the Setting of Parkinson's Disease | $30,000 |
| Sucheta Telang, MD | Oncology/Hematology | RTI International | TreaT NOW Capitation Fees | $33,159 |
| Gerald Dryden, MD, PhD | Gastroenterology | University of North Carolina | Mirikizumab in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: A Prospective National Multicenter Registry | $38,000 |
| Principal Investigator | Division | Sponsor | Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farrukh Aquil, PhD | Oncology/Hematology | 3P Biotechnologies Inc | Trans Spinal Delivery of Targeted Exosomal Formulation of Curcuminoids to Treat AD | $185,637 |
| Theodore Smith, PhD | Environmental Medicine | NIH National Institutes of Health | Environmental and Health Assessment Following the Westlake Vinyls Fire: A Time-Sensitive Study | $431,750 |
| Marcin Wysoczynski, PhD | Environmental Medicine | NIH National Institutes of Health | Emergency Granulopoiesis in Ventricular Remodeling | $728,529 |
| Theodore Smith, PhD | Environmental Medicine | Louisville Metro Government | COVID-19 Wastewater Sampling | $150,000 |
| Tara Schapmire, PhD | Palliative Medicine | NIH National Institutes of Health | Educating Social Workers in Palliative and End of Life Care-Oncology | $323,327 |
| Rodrigo Cavallazzi, MD | Pulmonology | AstraZeneca | AstraZeneca D9185C00001 - A Phase III, Multicentre, Randomised, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Research and Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Tozorakimab (MEDI3506) in Patients Hospitalised for Viral Lung Infection Requiring Supplemental Oxygen (TILIA)” AstraZeneca D9185C00001 | $209,118 |
| Roberto Bolli, MD | Cardiovascular Medicine | Animatus Biosciences | Animatus Biosciences, Evaluation of Synthetic RNA for Treatment of Heart Failure- Pilot Study | $156,000 |
| Nachiket Apte, MD | Cardiovascular Medicine | Abbott Vascular Inc | CCEP - Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Program Abbott Fellowship 3-1-25 | $10,000 |
| Sophia Sears, PhD | Environmental Medicine | American Society of Nephrology | Exercise-Responsive KRMs Bolster Renal Hemodynamic Resilience | $100,000 |
| Nadiia Lypova, PhD | Oncology/Hematology | American Lung Association | Targeting Metabolic Reprograming in Drug-Tolerant persister cells during EGFRi Therapy | $100,000 |
| Daniel Conklin, PhD | Environmental Medicine | American Heart Association | Inhaled Anesthetics and Cardiorespiratory Depression: Role of Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin-1 | $100,000 |
| Adam Gaweda, PhD | Nephrology | VA Medical Center | Gaweda IPA from UTSW Through Robley Rex VA | $318,857 |
| Thomas Abell, MD | Gastroenterology | NIH National Institutes of Health | Gastric Electrical Stimulation for Pain in Gastroparesis | $451,297 |
| Farrukh Aquil, PhD | Oncology/Hematology | Univ of Hail | Camel Milk Derived Exomes for Targeted Delivery of Plant Therapeutics Against SARS-CoV-2 | $107,568 |
| Craig McClain, MD | Gastroenterology | Nestlé HealthCare Nutrition Inc | 2025-26 NNI Clinical Nutrition Fellowship for Physicians Held at the University of Louisville | $25,000 |
| Leah Siskind, PhD | Oncology/Hematology | NIH National Institutes of Health | Protecting the Kidney from Cisplatin Induced Injury and Progression to Chronic Kidney Disease | $649,021 |
| Robert Emmons, MD | Oncology/Hematology | Juno Therapeutics Inc | Expanded Access Protocol (EAP) for Subjects Receiving Lisocabtagene Maraleucel that is Nonconforming for Commercial Release | $260,000 |
| Yibing Nong, PhD | Environmental Medicine | NIH National Institutes of Health | Expansion of Physiology Core: The Vevo F2 High Resolution Preclinical Ultrasound System | $564,650 |
| Sophia Sears, PhD | Environmental Medicine | American Heart Association | Exercise-responsive KRMs Bolster Renal Hemodynamic Resilience | $77,000 |
| Andrew Gibb, PhD | Environmental Medicine | Temple University | Metabolic Pathways in Cardiac Physiology and Heart Failure Submissions Project Management | $35,095 |
| Aruni Bhatnagar, PhD | Environmental Medicine | Louisville Metro Government | Rubbertown Air Toxics and Health Research Assessment Project (RATHA) | $274,376 |
| Forest Arnold, DO | Infectious Diseases | Pfizer Inc | B7471015 Matched Controls | $250,890 |
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Members of the Department of Medicine are working hard in labs and clinics producing groundbreaking research to benefit the health of the community.
