NEOMED Launches Research Forum

Exchanging ideas is something universities specialize in doing, and NEOMED researchers have found a new way to do it—a quarterly Research Forum that welcomes the whole University community. On March 20, the inaugural event started with 30 minutes of socializing over snacks in Bitonte Atrium of the Ralph Regula Center before the animated group (faculty and staff from throughout the University) moved into the Regula Training Room for a presentation that was standing-room-only.

Steven Schmidt, Ph.D., vice president of research and dean, College of Graduate Studies, welcomed the group and introduced the afternoon’s speaker: NEOMED’s first – and as yet, only—faculty member to earn the title of Distinguished Professor; a man who has garnered more than $9 million in National Institutes of Health grant awards in just the last decade; and the researcher who has made NEOMED a leader in liver research disease; namely, John Chiang, Ph.D., Distinguished University Professor, Integrative Medical Sciences.

Dr. Chiang brings a genial manner and self-depreciating humor to the serious topic of how bile acid, glucose, lipid and drug metabolism are regulated in diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. He shared the astonishing statistic that 35 percent of the American public has non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and the bad news that there is currently no treatment.

How soon might that change? In a Bitonte Atrium conversation before he spoke, Dr. Chiang spoke hopefully of moving toward clinical trials with a major drug company in the next few years.

Next Forum in May

Forums will be held quarterly. The next is planned for May, with the date to be announced via The Pulse. For anyone at the University interested in learning more about the work being done by NEOMED researchers, upcoming sessions are something to look forward to.

NEOMED researchers’ efforts are focused on, but not limited to five major research focus areas. Read more.