News Highlights - June 30, 2026
Kudos
Gunasekaran Leads Program to State’s First NCQA-Recognized Endocrinology Specialty Practice
Uma Gunasekaran, M.D., an Associate Professor in the Division of Endocrinology and Executive Director of the Global Diabetes Program at Parkland Health, has led her team to national recognition for care delivery. After three years of coordinated work, the Global Diabetes Specialty Clinic has been certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient-Centered Specialty Practice, becoming the first endocrinology program in Texas to earn this designation and the ninth in the nation.
The NCQA recognition reflects a sustained effort to standardize care, strengthen care coordination, and improve access for patients with complex diabetes needs. Under Dr. Gunasekaran’s leadership, the program aligned clinical workflows, expanded education and self-management support, and integrated data-driven quality improvement into daily practice.
The designation recognizes specialty practices that demonstrate a patient-centered approach, including team-based care, proactive population management, and close coordination with primary care. For patients served through Parkland, the certification affirms a model focused on continuity, accountability, and measurable outcomes.
Dr. Gunasekaran leads a multidisciplinary team dedicated to advancing diabetes care for vulnerable populations, with an emphasis on global health perspectives and equitable access. This milestone positions the program as a model for specialty care delivery and reflects a broader commitment within the Department to improving quality and access across clinical settings.
“This recognition speaks to the care and commitment Dr. Gunasekaran and the Parkland team bring to their patients every day,” said Perry Bickel, M.D., Associate Professor and Chief of Endocrinology. “They have worked thoughtfully and consistently to meets people where they are, support them through complex care, and stay focused on what truly matters for their health and well-being. Dr. Gunasekaran recruited and trained an outstanding team, collaborated with Parkland stakeholders, and designed and executed a strategic plan to deliver the kind of patient-centered care that earned this prestigious designation.” ■
Dr. Bickel holds the Daniel W. Foster, M.D., Distinguished Chair in Internal Medicine.
UT Southwestern Tops Nature Index Global Rankings
UT Southwestern ranks No. 1 among healthcare institutions worldwide in the Nature Index for overall high-quality research output, based on data from the 12-month period ending Feb. 28, 2026.
The institution also holds the top global position among healthcare organizations in the natural sciences and biological sciences. The Nature Index tracks affiliation data from research articles published in a selection of leading scientific journals, providing a measure of high-impact discoveries across the research enterprise.
The ranking reflects sustained publication in top-tier journals, including Nature and Science, as well as consistent contributions across multiple disciplines such as molecular biology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, and chemistry. Broad scientific strength, combined with collaborative research across investigators and institutions, has increased UT Southwestern’s share of authorship in influential studies.
The latest rankings include 6,545 institutions worldwide and highlight the depth of UT Southwestern’s research environment, supported by strong infrastructure, core facilities, and continued investment in faculty and scientific programs. ■
Research Report
Cancer Research Institute Awards Irvington Fellowship to Noh
Hyunjin Noh, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Ayaz Najafov, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, has received an Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) to support Dr. Noh's research on how cancer-related mutations affect immune responses to tumors.
Dr. Noh’s work focuses on necroptosis, a form of programmed cell death that can help the immune system detect and attack cancer. During necroptosis, dying cells break open and release signals that alert immune cells to the presence of disease. This process can strengthen the effects of cancer immunotherapy.
Recent research from the Najafov lab, published in Nature, identified a protein called SIGLEC12 as a key regulator of this final cell rupture step. The study showed that SIGLEC12 acts downstream in the necroptosis pathway to trigger the breaking of the cell membrane, allowing immune-activating signals to escape.
The researchers also found that certain SIGLEC12 variants, including mutations identified in human cancers, can interfere with this process by limiting the protein’s activation and cleavage. When this step is disrupted, cells may fail to release signals needed to alert the immune system, which could weaken anti-tumor responses.
By studying how these mutations alter necroptosis, Dr. Noh aims to better understand why some tumors do not respond well to immunotherapy and identify new strategies to improve treatment.
The Irvington Fellowship is one of the CRI’s flagship training awards for early-career scientists in immunology and cancer immunology. The program supports postdoctoral researchers as they transition to independent research careers. Fellows receive up to three years of funding, including an annual stipend and institutional support for research expenses, travel, and professional development, including mentorship. ■
Eduction & Training
Wainstein Appointed Director of Women’s Health Education for Internal Medicine Residency
Heather Wainstein, M.D., an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine, has been appointed Director of Women’s Health Education in the Internal Medicine Residency Program.
The new role reflects a focused effort to strengthen women’s health training within the residency curriculum.
“This represents an important step forward, as women’s health has been a recognized area for improvement within our educational program and is a priority for us to address,” said Salahuddin “Dino” Kazi, M.D., Vice Chair of Education and Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency.
Dr. Wainstein will lead efforts to enhance both the content and delivery of women’s health education across the program. Her work will include overseeing women’s health didactics, identifying and coordinating women’s health clinical experiences, and improving the continuity clinic women’s health educational experience.
“I am particularly grateful to Dr. Wainstein for taking on this role,” Dr. Kazi said. “She recognizes the importance of enhancing this aspect of our curriculum and brings both enthusiasm and expertise in women’s health education. She anticipates not only enhancing the delivery of women’s health education but also leading faculty development efforts to strengthen the supervision of residents in our primary care clinics. In addition, she plans to develop population health initiatives aimed at identifying and addressing gaps in care for women across our clinical practices. We intend to measure the impact of these efforts through multiple outcomes, including improvements in resident performance on women’s health content in the Internal Medicine In-Training Examination.”
Originally from Plano, Dr. Wainstein earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from The University of Texas at Austin and her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She completed internal medicine residency training at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2014. Dr. Wainstein oversees a women’s health clinic within the Parkland Internal Medicine resident clinic and is co-chair of the Society of General Internal Medicine’s Sex- and Gender-Based Women‘s Health Education Interest Group.
The appointment aligns with broader efforts to ensure residents are prepared to deliver comprehensive, evidence-based care to women across a range of clinical settings. ■
In Case You Missed It
Study Examines How Patients Receive Cancer Diagnoses Through Portals
A new study led by Sheena Bhalla, M.D., an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology, examines how patients experience receiving cancer diagnoses through electronic patient portals and finds most still prefer direct communication from their physicians.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, reflects a growing shift in how patients access medical information since the 2021 implementation of the 21st Century Cures Act, which requires timely, unrestricted access to electronic health records. As a result, more patients are learning about new or recurrent cancer diagnoses through online portals, often before speaking with a clinician.
Survey responses from more than 2,400 patients treated at the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center between 2019 and 2023 show that 75% would prefer to receive a cancer diagnosis directly from their physician, either in person or through a telemedicine visit. Dr. Bhalla noted that while rapid access to information is valued in many settings, cancer diagnoses present a more complex situation, where the absence of immediate clinical guidance can heighten stress and uncertainty.
The study found that patient preferences vary based on prior experiences, portal use, and demographic factors. Men, for example, were more likely to prefer learning results through the portal. At the same time, more than half of patients who received their diagnosis electronically reported they were alone when they learned the news, underscoring the challenges of delivering sensitive information without real-time support.
The findings suggest several potential approaches, including greater use of portal notification settings, delayed release of particularly sensitive results where appropriate, and integration of plain-language summaries to help patients interpret complex reports.
Other Internal Medicine researchers who contributed to this study are senior author David Gerber, M.D., a Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology and Co-Director of the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Office of Education and Training; Jeremy Louissaint, M.D., M.S.H.I., an Assistant Professor in the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases; and Ruchira Garg, M.S., Business Operations Analyst in the Division of General Internal Medicine. ■
Dr. Gerber holds the David Bruton, Jr. Professorship in Clinical Cancer Research. Dr. Bhalla serves as Director of Thoracic Medical Oncology Clinical Operations at the Simmons Cancer Center.