News Highlights - January 6, 2026

Kudos

Hoshida to Chair NIH Study Section

Yujin Hoshida, M.D., Ph.D., a Professor in the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, will Chair the Cancer Prevention Study Section (CPSS) in the Center for Scientific Review at the National Institutes of Health. The CPSS evaluates studies on how nutrition, diet, and natural or chemical compounds can reduce cancer risk or slow its progression. The group evaluates projects ranging from basic lab research to early-phase clinical trials, and also reviews research on the microbiome, obesity, and metabolism, and how these factors influence cancer prevention.

Additionally, Dr. Hoshida will serve as a member of the Programmatic Panel of the U.S. Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense) Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP). This program funds high-impact cancer research that addresses the unique needs of service members, veterans, and their families. The PRCRP supports a range of projects, from cancer prevention and detection to treatment and survivorship.

At UT Southwestern, Dr. Hoshida serves as Director of Liver Tumor Translational Research and Co-Director of the Liver Cancer SPORE Program. His work focuses on finding better ways to predict liver cancer risk, improve screening, and develop new treatments. He uses advanced tools like patient tissue samples, liquid biopsies, and computer-based analysis to discover targets for prevention and therapy. ■

Dr. Hoshida holds the H. Ray and Paula Calvert Chair in Gastroenterology Oncology in Honor of Udit Verma, M.D.

Staff Members Take on New Roles

We congratulate the following staff members who recently took on new positions within the Department:

• Guruveer Bharma – Clinical Research Assistant II, Digestive & Liver Diseases
• Dustin Heiden – Postdoctoral Researcher, Infectious Diseases & Geographic Medicine
• Sophia Christine Lopez – Clinical Research Coordinator II, Allergy & Immunology
• Stephen Lund – Sr. Program Coordinator, Research Administration
• Elizabeth Martell – Program Coordinator, Research Administration
• Maira Ortiz Berrio – Clinical Research Assistant I, Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine
• Alyssa Smith – Sr. Administrative Assistant II, Division of Endocrinology
• Mariadelcarmen Yanez – Clinical Research Assistant II, Digestive & Liver Diseases

Education and Training

Residents Elected to Medical Honor Society

Four Internal Medicine residents, all International Medical Graduates, have been elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) medical honor society, a distinguished honor granted to residents and fellows who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, professionalism, leadership, and teaching. Honorees include, from left:

• George Doumat Kouja Makhoul, M.D., a second-year resident from Beirut, Lebanon, who received his medical education at the American University of Beirut;
• Sebastian Echeandia Rushton, M.D., a second-year resident from Lima, Peru, who received his medical education at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia.
• Maria Clara Saad Menezes, M.D., a third-year resident from Campo Grande, Brazil, who received her medical education at the Universidade de Sao Paulo Faculdade de Medicina Sao Paulo; and
• Harsh Vardhan Upreti, M.D., a third-year resident from New Delhi, India, who received his medical education at Maulana Azad Medical College.

“We are extremely proud of these outstanding residents, whose election to the AOA reflects their commitment to the highest ideals of our profession,” said Salahuddin “Dino” Kazi, M.D., a Professor in the Division of Rheumatic Diseases, Vice Chair of Education, and Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency. “Their achievements exemplify the global talent and dedication that strengthen our residency program and the future of medicine.” ■

Goode Achieves TAGME Certification

Lilibeth Goode, C-TAGME, a GME Program Coordinator III for the Rheumatology and Vascular Medicine fellowships, has achieved certification from the Training Administrators of Graduate Medical Education (TAGME). Achieving the credential is accomplished through a combination of experience, continuous education, and successfully earning a passing assessment result. 

Ms. Goode has more than 20 years of experience in graduate medical education administration. Prior to joining UT Southwestern in 2021, she served as a GME program coordinator at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and at Creighton University. ■

Research Report

Myeloma Team Advances Research on T-Cell Engaging Therapies

The UTSW Myeloma Program showcased groundbreaking real-world data on bispecific antibody therapies for myeloma and Light-chain (AL) Amyloidosis at the 67th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in December. AL amyloidosis is a rare disease where plasma cells produce misfolded light-chain proteins that build up in organs, causing progressive organ damage.

Aimaz Afrough, M.D., an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology, shared findings on talquetamab (a GPRC5D-specific T-cell engaging bispecific antibody) in relapsed/refractory myeloma, showing that patients with extramedullary and paraskeletal plasmacytomas have poorer outcomes, particularly when high ferritin levels suggest inflammation as a key driver. Her recent publication in Blood Cancer Journal from a related project confirmed that extramedullary disease significantly reduces survival with BCMA-targeted bispecific antibody therapy as well, highlighting the need for tailored approaches such as combining T-cell therapy with radiation. 

Larry Anderson, M.D., Ph.D., a Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology, who was co-senior author on both projects and also led the largest consortium study to date on T-cell engager therapy in AL amyloidosis, reporting high response rates (both hematologic and organ responses) and favorable safety profiles, making this approach a promising option for a disease with limited treatments. In addition to this work being presented at the ASH meeting, it was also published in parallel in the American Journal of Hematology, with Dr. Anderson as senior author.

These efforts, part of the U.S. Multiple Myeloma Immunotherapy Consortium, underscore UTSW’s leadership in advancing immunotherapy for complex plasma cell disorders. ■

Screening for Opioid Misuse in Hospitalized Sickle Cell Patients Shows Promise

William Swindell, D.O., Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine, led a study to see if a short survey could help spot possible opioid misuse in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) during hospital stays for painful vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs).

The survey, called the Current Opioid Misuse Measure (COMM), was given to 89 patients. Results showed that about six in 10 patients (57%) scored high enough to suggest possible misuse at a sensitive cutoff, and about three in 10 (32%) at a stricter cutoff. Younger patients and those flagged as higher risk in their medical records were more likely to screen positive. While higher scores were linked to longer hospital stays, this connection was not statistically significant after adjusting for age and sex.

“The high rate of positive screens highlights the importance of understanding opioid use patterns in this population,” said Dr. Swindell. “Opioids are indicated for acute pain episodes but these medications have the potential for both benefits and harms. This is especially true when the boundaries between acute and chronic pain become unclear, which can often be the case in clinical practice. Our findings show that inpatient screening is feasible and could help guide safer, more effective care for patients with sickle cell disease.”

The study, published in The Clinical Journal of Pain, shows that using the COMM survey in hospitals is doable and could help guide care for patients with SCD. More research is needed to confirm how well this tool works in these settings.

Other members of the Department who contributed to this study include Emmanuel Johnson, M.D., a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine; Min Yi, D.O., a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine; Augustine Joseph, M.S., a Senior Data Analyst in the Division of Hospital Medicine; Michael Burton, M.D. M.S.P.H., an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine; and Arthur Hong, M.D., M.P.H., an Associate Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine. ■

Mal, Schwettmann Receive Poster Awards at SCCC Research Retreat

Arijit Mal, Ph.D., pictured left, a postdoctoral researcher in the Brugarolas Lab, and Blake Schwettmann, B.S.,a research assistant in the Maddipati Lab, were recognized for outstanding poster presentations during the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC) Research Retreat in December. 

Dr. Mal was awarded for his project, “HIF-2 Blockade Reverses Paraneoplastic Hypercalcemia in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma by Suppressing PTHrP Transcription.” He was mentored by James Brugarolas, M.D., Ph.D., a Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology and Director of the Kidney Cancer Program.

Mr. Schwettmann was awarded for his project, “Immune Regulatory Functions and Therapeutic Opportunities of MIF Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer.” He was mentored by Rolf Brekken, Ph.D., a Professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, and Ravikanth Maddipati, M.D., an Assistant Professor in the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases.

In addition to more than 80 posters, the event featured numerous presentations, including the following Department faculty members: Suzanne Conzen, M.D., Professor and Division Chief of Hematology and Oncology; David Gerber, M.D., a Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology and Co-Director of the SCCC Office of Education and Training; Deepak Nijhawan, M.D., Ph.D., a Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Radiation Oncology; Amit Singal, M.D., M.S., Professor and Interim Division Chief of Digestive and Liver Diseases; and Hao Zhu, M.D., a Professor in the Division of and Director of the Tissue Regeneration Program at the Children’s Research Institute. ■

Dr. Brekken is the Effie Marie Cain Research Scholar.

Dr. Conzen holds the Andrea L. Simmons Distinguished Chair in Cancer Research.

Dr. Gerber holds the David Bruton, Jr. Professorship in Clinical Cancer Research.

Dr. Nijhawan, a UT Southwestern Presidential Scholar, holds the Joseph F. Sambrook, Ph.D. Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science.

Dr. Singal, a Dedman Family Scholar in Clinical Care, holds the Willis C. Maddrey, M.D. Distinguished Chair in Liver Disease.

Dr. Zhu holds The Nancy B. and Jake L. Hamon Distinguished Chair in Therapeutic Oncology Research.