Department of Medicine- Faculty

Bio

Administrator Info

Name: Becca Johnson
Phone: 612-624-9996
Email: joh07913@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-4410

Research Summary

• HIV-associated Cryptococcal Meningitis
• Reducing mortality in HIV-associated
• Cryptococcal Meningitis Understand the pathophysiology of neurological impairment cryptococcal meningitis

Research Projects
Targeting Neuropathogenesis of Altered Mental Status to Improve Survival in Cryptococcal Meningitis (Pending - K23)

Clinical Summary

• Infectious Disease
• HIV Medicine
• Opportunistic Infections

Specialties
Adult Congenital Heart Disease and Genetics

Bio

Administrative Contact
Name: Denise Jackson
Email: jacksond@umn.edu
Fax: 612-624-3189
Mail: Mayo Memorial Building, 420 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Born and raised in Minnesota and studied at the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed residency in Internal Medicine/Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. Managed outpatient care in an underserved area of Northern California for two years and now returning to Minnesota to work as a MedPeds Hospitalist and focus on undergraduate/graduate medical education and mentorship. Board certified in Internal Medicine (2018) and Pediatrics (2018)

Clinical Summary

• Education
• Inpatient/Outpatient Transitions
• Communication

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Ashley Fuchs
Phone: 612-624-0999
Email: fuchs@umn.edu

Summary
During Dr. Akingbola's clinical sleep medicine fellowship at the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center, he focused on sleep-related disordered breathing, parasomnias, and other sleep disorders including insomnia and RLS. He co-authored a book chapter on the diagnosis of Narcolepsy complicated by Bipolar Disorder and submitted a case report on the multidisciplinary approach to caring for a patient with Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome. Additionally, he taught medical students and residents during their clinical rotation in Sleep Medicine. He also presented at the IMED session for the Internal Medicine Residence on Sleep Disordered Breathing.

Research Summary

• Cardiopulmonary physiology and sleep-related breathing disorders
• Sleep & Athletic Performance
• Intersection of Sleep Medicine and Hospital Medicine

Creative Activity Summary

• Cardiopulmonary physiology

• Sleep Related Breathing Disorders

• Medical Education

Bio

Administrator Info

Name: Ashley Fuchs
Phone: 612-624-0999
Email: fuchs@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-2174

Dr. Akpa completed his Internal Medicine residency at Meharry Medical College, Nashville before moving to Knoxville where he completed his Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine training at the University of Tennessee. He also completed a Sleep Fellowship at the University of Chicago after which he joined the faculty with the University of Minnesota. His research interests includes pharmacotherapy for narcolepsy and CPAP compliance in Sleep disordered breathing. Clinical interests include general pulmonology, sleep disordered breathing and Critical Care. In addition to his outpatient general pulmonary clinics at the Maple Grove M Health Fairview Clinics, Dr. Akpa works in the medical intensive care unit at both the University of Minnesota Medical Center and Fairview Southdale Hospital where he is involved in medical education for both the internal medicine and pulmonary critical care fellowship programs.

Research Summary

Pharmacotherapy for Narcolepsy; CPAP Compliance in Sleep Disordered Breathing

Teaching Summary

Medical student; Resident; Fellow Education

Clinical Summary

General Pulmonology; Sleep Disordered Breathing; Critical Care Medicine

Bio

Administrator Info
Email: endofixer@umn.edu

Summary
Dr. Hind Alameddine is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of Minnesota. She graduated from medical school at the University of Balamand, Lebanon 2011 then completed an Internal Medicine residency at the American University of Beirut medical center. She also completed an Internal medicine residency at Hennepin County Medical center, Minnesota in 2018. She completed an Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition fellowship at University of Minnesota, Minnesota in 2021.

Research Summary

• Diabetes
• Obesity Diabetes
• COVID-19

Teaching Summary

• General Endocrinology
• Diabetes care

Clinical Summary

• Diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, Gestational
• Obesity and Nutrition
• Calcium metabolism

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: GI Division
Phone: 612-625-8999
Email: gidivision@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 36, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Jeffrey H. Albrecht MD is a gastroenterologist with a focus on hepatology (liver diseases). He was previously head of the Gastroenterology Division at Hennepin County Medical Center and director of the Liver Clinic at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System.

Research Summary

His research focuses on cell cycle control proteins in liver regeneration, metabolism, and carcinogenesis. In particular, his laboratory has investigated novel links between cyclin D1, hepatocyte metabolism, and fatty liver disease.

Clinical Summary

Dr. Albrecht's clinical expertise is hepatology and general gastroenterology, including the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases, cirrhosis, and liver cancer

Bio

Administrator Info

Name: Mai Xiong
Email: mtxiong@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware St SE, MMC 508, Mayo 8508A, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology

Research Summary

Advanced heart failure therapies; Heart transplantation outcomes

Teaching Summary

• Advanced Heart Failure
• Hemodynamics

Clinical Summary

• Cardiology; Advanced Heart Failure
• Mechanical Circulatory Support
• Cardiac Transplantation

Bio

Administrator Info
Mail: Institute for Health Informatics
420 Delaware St. SE
MMC 912
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Kris Blomquist
Phone: 612-625-8942
Email: krblomqu@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-6919

Summary
Dr. Allred is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation where he serves as an oncologist with a focus on the treatment of blood cancers. In addition to his clinical interests, Dr. Allred has an active clinical and translational research effort that includes cutting edge basic science into the biology of myeloid cancer development and its interaction with the immune system. The goal of this work is to develop next generation targeted therapies, including immune and cellular therapies, to improve the treatment of myeloid cancers and improve the lives of patients with these diseases.

Research Summary

• Immunology of Cancer
• Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy
• Immune Therapy
• Stem Cell Biology
• Developmental Hematopoiesis

Clinical Summary

• Myeloid Neoplasms
• Myelodysplastic Syndrome
• Acute Myeloid Leukemia
• Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy
• Bone Marrow Transplantation

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: GI Division
Phone: 612-624-9684
Email: gidivision@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 36, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Following the completion of my gastroenterology training at Johns Hopkins, I joined the faculty of The University of Colorado as a therapeutic endoscopist and clinical scientist. With the birth of my first child, my wife and I wished to relocate closer to family and I was fortunate to join the excellent therapeutic group here at the University of Minnesota. Patient satisfaction is the ultimate outcome to which I judge a successful intervention. I strive to provide the best care for my patients and in doing so consider not only the problem at hand but also the person as a whole. As all therapeutic procedures carry risk, I carefully weigh these against the potential benefits, including the patient as part of the therapeutic team.

Teaching Summary

• Endoscopic techniques

Clinical Summary

• Advanced endoscopy including EUS and ERCP
• Pancreaticobiliary disorders
• Bariatric and surgical endoscopy
• Small bowel disease diagnosis and management
• Development of endoscpoic technology
• Challenging luminal interventions including large polypectomy
• Palliation of bowel malignancy
• Third Space Endoscopy

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Heidi Goski
Phone: 612-625-8287
Email: laws0067@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-6919

Summary
I am a genitourinary medical oncologist with a particular focus on recurrent and advanced prostate cancer. I conduct clinical and translational studies to bring new therapies to patients with prostate cancer. In particular, I am interested in developing novel androgen-directed therapies, genetically-targeted therapies, and immunotherapies for men with recurrent or advanced prostate cancer, and using germline and tumor genomics to inform precision oncology approaches for these patients. I also have an interest in liquid biomarker development, including the clinical validation of the AR-V7 marker as well as DNA repair markers and their therapeutic implications. I am also involved in mentoring fellows and junior faculty in the clinical care of genitourinary cancers and the development of translational research strategies related to prostate cancer.

Research Summary

• Prostate Cancer Clinical and Translational Research
• Liquid Biopsy in Cancer
• Genetics and Genomics
• Cancer Immunotherapy
• Androgen-Directed Therapies
• Genetically-Targeted Therapies
• Biomarker Development
• Precision Oncology

Teaching Summary

Clinical Mentoring of Fellows and Junior Faculty on the Management of Prostate Cancer; Teaching on Translational Research Approaches; Teaching on Clinical Trial Design

Clinical Summary

Genitourinary Medical Oncology; Recurrent and Advanced Prostate Cancer; Cancer Clinical Trials

Bio

Administrator Info
Email: endofixer@umn.edu

Summary
Dr. Takako Araki graduated from Nagasaki University School of Medicine in Nagasaki, Japan. She completed her Internal Medicine residency training and Endocrinology fellowship from Mount Sinai Beth Israel, NY. She also completed her postdoctoral and clinical fellow ship from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA in 2015. Dr. Araki is currently an Assistant Professor in Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at University of Minnesota. Her research is focused on quality improvement of pituitary perioperative patient care and pituitary/neuroendocrine hormone regulations.

Research Summary

• Gene regulations of pituitary/neuroendocrine tumors
• Quality Improvement of Pituitary Preoperative Patient Care

Clinical Summary

• Pituitary Disorders; Diabetes
• Adrenal
• Bone
• Thyroid
• Osteoporosis

Bio

My research focuses on innate immunity and in particular the response of neutrophils to exogenous bacterial components or endogenous stress signals. Our main focus of disease is acute lung injury and the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with our overall goal to improve patient outcomes in ARDS, a disease still associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Through examination of cell signaling pathways utilized by neutrophils in their response to stress mediators, we hope to identify targets that may be useful in dampening the response of neutrophils and accordingly decrease the severity of lung injury and the development of acute respiratory failure. Our major area of focus has been dissecting the pathways used by the mitogen activated protein kinase family of cell signaling molecules in order to better understand their upstream and downstream signaling components that induce and regulate the cellular activation of neutrophils. These identified components can then be assessed for their potential as modifiable targets for the treatment of ARDS at the bedside by drug or genetic approaches with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.

Research Summary

Cell signaling, acute lung inflammation
The neutrophil is crucial to the inflammatory response and in particular to the pathophysiology of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Although neutrophil recruitment to sites of acute inflammation is beneficial, an over-exuberant influx of neutrophils results in tissue damage that is detrimental to the patient. Accordingly, limiting neutrophil recruitment or neutrophil activation in the lung may benefit patients with ARDS, thereby improving outcomes. Our laboratory is interested in the signaling pathways that are activated in neutrophils during acute inflammation. One such pathway is the evolutionary conserved mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade. Exposure of neutrophils to inflammatory mediators, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or chemokines (e.g. Interleukin 8--IL-8), activates components of the MAPK cascade leading to the expression and release of pro-inflammatory proteins. Our laboratory has previously examined the signaling pathways by which LPS activates the MAPK c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) in neutrophils and have shown that JNK regulates neutrophil recruitment to the lung after exposure to LPS. Although we continue to examine pathways leading to JNK activation in LPS-stimulated neutrophils, our laboratory is currently focusing on the role of the proteoglycan syndecan-4 in regulating the activation of JNK in neutrophils exposed to the chemokine IL-8. IL-8 is a major attractant for neutrophil migration and is highly expressed at sites of acute inflammation. In addition, IL-8 binds to syndecan-4 suggesting that syndecan-4 is uniquely positioned to regulate IL-8-induced signaling in neutrophils. We plan to examine the upstream signaling events that are regulated by syndecan-4 in the IL-8-induced pathway leading to JNK activation using biochemical and in vitro and in vivo genetic knockdown strategies. Our hopes are that these studies will further elucidate the mechanisms by which IL-8 activates JNK in neutrophils, and therefore neutrophil migration, and will provide potential modalities to control the inflammatory response. In addition, the lab is beginning to examine the mechanisms by which the renin angiotenisn system regulates neutrophil influx during acute inflammation. Currently, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) are widely used and are effective in patients with cardiovascular disease. In addition to their effect on blood pressure and cardiac function, however, ACE inhibitors decrease neutrophil recruitment to inflammatory sites. The goal of this project is to determine the mechanisms by which ACE-I decrease neutrophil recruitment and specifically the signaling pathways that are regulated by the RAS in neutrophils.

Clinical Summary

General Pulmonary, Pulmonary complications after hematopoietic stem cell transplant

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Colleen Doyle
Email: doyl0050@umn.edu

Summary
Dr. Aylward went to New York University School of Medicine and then completed his internal medicine and pediatric residency training at the University of Minnesota. He spent a year as chief resident at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System where he oversaw residents and ran teaching conferences. He currently is the Program Director for the Internal Medicine/Pediatrics residency program. His academic interests include the practical application of technology to patient care, medical education, advocacy, and writing.

Clinical Summary

• Treatment of opioid use disorder, medical education, advocacy, health equity, and racial justice
• Medical Education
• Community Health
• Quality and Process Improvement
• Medical Informatics

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: GI Division
Phone: 612-625-8999
Email: gidivision@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 36, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455

Summary
Dr. Azeem completed his Internal Medicine residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He then stayed on as a Chief Resident at Mayo Clinic for one year helping to train and mentor internal medicine residents. He then went to San Francisco for his gastroenterology and hepatology fellowship at UCSF. Afterwards, he returned back to Minnesota for a final year of training at the University of Minnesota in Interventional Endoscopy. He then joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota.Dr. Azeem specializes in all aspects of interventional/advance endoscopy with special interests in endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for GI neoplasia and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for achalasia.

Research Summary

• Endoscopic resection of gastrointestinal neoplasia
• Endoscopic therapy for achalasia
• Third space endoscopy
• EUS guided treatment of gastric and ectopic varices

Teaching Summary

• Endoscopic treatment of early GI neoplasia
• Endoscopic training of general and advanced fellows

Clinical Summary

• Endoscopic Resection of GI neoplasia
• Management of Achalasia
• Third space endoscopy

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Karen Fitz
Phone: 612-626-5906
Email: fitz0355@umn.edu

Summary
My clinical practice centers around patients with blood cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia. I care deeply for my patients and strive to apply the most effective and promising treatment options and methods. With the team at Bone Marrow and Cell Therapy Program at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, we provide access to hematopoietic cell transplantation, immunotherapies, and novel cellular therapies.In my clinical practice, I every day witness the life-saving potential of transplantation and the capacity of the immune system to eliminate cancer. As a result, my clinical research is focused on the design and development of new approaches which utilize the immune system to attack cancer cells. Currently, I direct the team which is focused on the emerging field of CAR T-cell therapies and Natural Killer cellular therapies for the treatment of lymphoma and myeloma.

Research Summary

• Lymphoma
• CAR-T Cell Therapy
• Stem Cell Transplantation
• Immunotherapy
• Phase 1 Trials

Clinical Summary

• CAR-T therapies
• Immunotherapies
• Lymphoma
• Leukemia
• Transplantation

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Denise Jackson
Phone: 612-624-3189
Email: jacksond@umn.edu

Summary
After my chief residency at the University of Minnesota, I stayed on the faculty for about 5 years. I had always been interested in a small town practice and left to start a practice in Shakopee that included a lot of hospital work. After doing that for about 15 years, I joined the hospitalist group at North Memorial Hospital in Minneapolis for 8 years which included taking care of many very complicated and critical patients. I have worked extensively in multiple ERs throughout Minnesota early in my career and love the unpredictability and intensity of those patients in addition to taking care of patients who are in the intensive care unit (ICU). I am excited to join the Department of Medicine again to work with the residents as after practicing internal medicine in a large variety of settings, I think I have had a broad swath of experience and knowledge to pass on to residents and students in the dawn of their careers.

Teaching Summary

• Critical thinking and analysis of the diagnostic approach to complicated patients

Bio

Administrator Info
Email: endofixer@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 101, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Bantle graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Vermont. She returned to the University of Minnesota for fellowship training in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. She joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota in 2016. In addition to seeing patients in the Endocrine Clinic she is involved in clinical research, with focus in the areas of diabetes and metabolism.

Research Summary

• Therapies for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus
• The effect of the gut microbiome on human metabolism

Clinical Summary

• General Endocrinology
• Diabetes

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Colleen Doyle
Email: doyl0050@umn.edu

Summary
Dr. Barnes is an associate professor and licensed clinical psychologist specializing in eating and weight disorders. Her programmatic line of research focuses on designing and testing the dissemination of specialty care weight-loss and eating disorders treatments into primary care, including nutrition counseling, motivational interviewing (MI), and cognitive-behavioral therapy, and interrelated studies examining individuals struggling with overweight/obesity, disordered eating, and related sequelae such as body image, metabolic syndrome, mood and anxiety, and weight loss surgery. Prior to her current appointment, she was an associate research scientist with the Program for Obesity, Weight, and Eating Research at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Barnes provides outpatient clinical services to the Primary Care Clinic, the Multidisciplinary Weight Management team, and inpatient consultation on medical units at the University of Minnesota Medical Center. She has served as a peer-reviewer for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), and numerous journals.

Research Summary

• overweight
• obesity
• binge-eating disorder
• loss of control eating following weight loss surgery
• metabolic syndrome
• body image

Teaching Summary

• General Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology

Clinical Summary

• overweight
• obesity
• binge-eating disorder
• loss of control eating following weight loss surgery
• metabolic syndrome
• body image
• anxiety
• weight loss surgery assessment

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Kathy Vang
Email: vang3630@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 508 Mayo, 8508A (Campus Delivery Code), Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Jason Bartos was born and raised in Maple Plain, MN. He completed his undergraduate work in Chemistry and Psychology at St. John's University and went on to earn his PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Iowa. He then moved to Stanford University School of Medicine where he earned his MD and completed Internal Medicine residency. He moved to the University of Minnesota in 2012 where he completed fellowships in Cardiovascular Medicine, Critical Care Cardiology, and Interventional Cardiology.Dr. Bartos is board-certified in internal medicine, cardiology, critical care medicine, and interventional cardiology. His clinical interests include cardiac critical care, resuscitation, advanced hemodynamic support, pulmonary embolus, and coronary artery disease and intervention. He is the Medical Director of the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit.Dr. Bartos's research interests include resuscitation, advanced hemodynamic support, and recovery from cardiac arrest. He has performed research in the field of ischemia and reperfusion injury for 20 years describing the molecular pathways of injury in models of cerebral ischemia and investigating potential therapies to mitigate the effects of reperfusion injury in heart transplantation, myocardial infarction, and refractory cardiac arrest. Dr. Bartos is the Associate Medical Director of the Center for Resuscitation Medicine at the University of Minnesota and the President of the Minnesota Mobile Resuscitation Consortium where he works to improve survival for patients suffering cardiac arrest. This work has resulted in the development of protocols utilizing rapid transport from the field, peripherally placed veno-arterial ECMO, coronary reperfusion, and subsequent cardiac intensive care to improve outcomes for patients with refractory VT/VF cardiac arrest.

Research Summary

• Resuscitation
• CPR
• Reperfusion injury
• Cardiac Arrest
• Advanced Hemodynamic Support (ECMO)

Clinical Summary

• Advanced hemodynamic support
• Cardiac critical care
• Coronary artery disease and intervention
• Pulmonary embolus
• Resuscitation

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Denise Jackson
Email: jacksond@umn.edu
Fax: 612-624-3189

Summary
I completed medical school at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, VA and completed my residency in internal medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System in Richmond, VA. Throughout my training and career, I have taken part in numerous global health trips to countries including Honduras, Dominican Republic, Jordan, and Zimbabwe.

Research Summary

• Global health
• Long-term effects of short-term medical missions

Teaching Summary

• Bedside teaching of medical students and residents

Clinical Summary

• Hospital medicine
• global health
• health disparities
• underserved care

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Denise Jackson
Email: jacksond@umn.edu
Fax: 612-624-3189

Summary
Evan Beacom earned his medical degree from Des Moines University in 2018 and completed training in Internal Medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center in 2021. Dr. Beacom has interests in philosophy of medicine, medical education including medical decision-making, and improving hospital based medicine.

Research Summary

Philosophy of medicine; Clinical Judgment; Professionalism

Teaching Summary

Graduate and undergraduate medical education

Clinical Summary

Patient-clinician relationship; Pulmonary Medicine; Infection Prevention; Iatrogenesis

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Linsey Roschen
Phone: 612-626-0665
Email: rosch053@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 480, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
I am a dedicated physician-scientist who is passionate about caring for patients with benign hematologic conditions. I have a clinical interest in patients with acquired and congenital bleeding disorders as well as patients with anemia. I conduct translational research in the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving inflammation-induced pathology in endothelial cells and blood vessels My current research focuses on evaluating the contribution of red blood cell and endothelial cell interactions in JAK2 V617F and CALR+ myeloproliferative neoplasm patients.

Research Summary

Role of endothelial biology in inflammation-mediated coagulation disorders; Mechanisms to treat and or prevent bleeding and thrombosis in patients with myeloproliferative disorders; Mechanisms to identify bleeding phenotype in patients with hemophilia; Role of endothelium in sickle cell pathogenesis

Teaching Summary

My on-campus teaching involves case-based training and teaching in the clinic as well as within the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program.

Clinical Summary

Hemophilia; Bleeding and Clotting Disorders; Iron Deficiency; Hemochromatosis; Heminglobinopathies, including Sickle Cell Disease; Myeloproliferative Neoplasms; Erythrocytosis; Thrombocytosis; Thrombocytopenia

Bio

Administrator Info

Name: Sarah Strommer
Phone: 612-625-9604
Email: strom721@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 480, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Heather Beckwith received her M.D. degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin (Milwaukee) in 2006. She did her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Minnesota. During her residency she worked on research in the laboratory of Dr. Douglas Yee investigating the tyrosine kinase inhibitor properties of BMS 554417 on the insulin-like growth factor receptor using the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Dr. Beckwith then was chosen for a fellowship in Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation at the University of Minnesota. She became an Assistant Professor of Medicine (Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation) at the University of Minnesota in 2012.

Research Summary

Researching the changes in gene signature that occur with growth factor stimulation of breast cancer; Study the role of growth factors on the development of hormone resistance in breast cancer

Clinical Summary

Breast cancer treatment and care

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Abigail Alves
Phone: 612-624-0999
Email: aalves@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-2174

Summary
Dr. Abbie Begnaud is a Louisiana native who joined the University of Minnesota faculty in 2013. Dr. Begnaud has an interest in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. An inaugural diplomat of the American Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology, she is trained in advanced diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, as well as general pulmonary and critical care medicine. She collaborated to launch the University of Minnesota Health Lung Cancer Screening Program and continues to oversee all its activities.Research interests include implementation and dissemination of lung cancer screening and use of lung cancer screening to reduce health disparities in lung cancer. She is studying how incidental findings of lung cancer screening impact the overall benefit of this health service.

Research Summary

Dr. Abbie Begnaud hails from Louisiana and arrived at the University of Minnesota in 2013. Her clinical work focuses on managing common lung diseases as well as diagnosis and management of lung cancer. Her research focuses on reducing the burden of lung cancer, through early detection (screening), especially for groups who are disproportionately impacted by the disease.

Dr. Begnaud has been fortunate to partner with Indigenous organizations to reduce the burden of lung cancer in this community. In addition, she is active with the American College of Chest Physicians and A Breath of Hope Lung Foundation.

Clinical Summary

lung nodules; pleural effusion; lung cancer screening

Bio

Administrator Info

Name: Linsey Roschen
Phone: 612-626-0665
Email: rosch053@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 480, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Belcher earned his PhD from Wake Forest University and did his postdoctoral training at the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the University of California, San Francisco. He joined the Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation in 1996. Dr. Belcher's research has been integral to a series of important discoveries demonstrating heme is central to the pathobiology of sickle cell anemia. Dr. Belcher's laboratory work is committed to the successful translation of laboratory discoveries to clinical care.

Research Summary

Dr. Belcher's research is focused on hemoglobin, heme, and iron toxicity to the endothelium, as well as related cytoprotective responses. Currently, he is investigating heme-mediated inflammation, vaso-occlusion, and pain in sickle cell anemia through toll-like receptor-4 signaling and complement activation. His research is also exploring the cytoprotective effects of hemopexin, BACH1 inhibitors, heme oxygenase-1 inducers, oral carbon monoxide, and complement inhibitors as therapies to prevent vascular occlusions and pain in sickle cell disease. Sickle Cell Disease Endothelial Cells including Circulating Endothelial Cells Vascular Biology Innate Immunity and Inflammation Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease Fetal Hemoglobin Induction

Bio

Administrator Info

Name: Wendy Markuson
Email: marku002@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 508 Mayo, 8508A (Campus Delivery Code), Minneapolis, MN 55455

David G. Benditt, M.D., FACC, FRCPC, FHRS was born in Winnipeg, Canada, and received a B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering and an MD degree from the University of Manitoba. Following postgraduate training in Internal Medicine. he completed a cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology Fellowship at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. Thereafter, he joined the faculty of the Cardiovascular Division in the Department of Medicine at the University of Minnesota where he established the Cardiac Arrhythmia and Syncope Center. Additionally , working with colleagues of various disciplines he helped foster what has become a very active and highly successful research program in Resuscitation Science. With his colleagues he helped advance AC-DC CPR and the application on the inspirtatory impedance device to enhance blood flow during CPR. Dr. Benditt is currently Professor of Medicine and Co-director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Center at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He has been an American Heart Association (AHA) Established Investigator, and president of the Heart Rhythm Society ( at the time known as the North American Society for Pacing and Electrophysiology), and president of both the AHA-Minnesota Affiliate. In 2007, he was awarded the Pioneer in Pacing and Electrophysiology Award of the Heart Rhythm Society in 2007. He has also received the University of Minnesota Biomedical Engineering Institute Innovation award His principal research interests are in the evaluation of syncope and collapse, and in development of new strategies and tools for improving cardiopulmonary resuscitation with particular focus on minimizing brain injury.

Research Summary

Syncope/Collapse Autonomic Control Implanted Devices

Teaching Summary

Cardiac Electrophysiology

Clinical Summary

Arrhythmia, Atrial fibrillation, Biventricular ICD implantation, Cardiac arrhythmia, Cardiac electrophysiology, Defibrillator therapy, Palpitations, Pacemaker implementation, Syncope and autonomic dysfunction, Syncope, Autonomic Control

Bio

Administrator Info

Name: Shannon Sawyer
Phone: 612-625-9995
Email: sawy0076@umn.edu

Dr. Benson currently serves as Chief Academic Officer for the MHealth-FV Academic Health System reporting to the Dean of the Medical School. He is a graduate of the Vanderbilt University Medical School and is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. He completed training in Med-Peds here at the University of Minnesota and subsequently served as Residency Program Director of his former program for the 10 years spanning 2002-2012. During that time he led the national Med-Peds Program Directors' Association as its President from 2008-9. Dr. Benson served as the Director of the Division of General Internal Medicine from 2009 to 2018, during which time the Division grew from 25 to 60 faculty members with major expansion of the research and scholarship portfolio. Additionally, in 2011, he started the Hospital Medicine Program and served as the Executive Medical Director here until 2018. Dr. Benson's interests include Hospital Medicine; Primary Care for adults and children; care of adolescent and adult survivors of childhood cancer; and Milestone based competency assessment across the continuum of medical education; and integration of clinical research into a Learning Health System framework.

Creative Activity Summary

Community Engagement
1. Advisor for Leadership Strike Team and Volunteer Physician, Medical Reserve Corps, University of Minnesota
a. MN Lifeline – Katrina Deployment Wave 1 – 2005
b. 1-35 Bridge Collapse Response – 2007
c. Large Regional Full-Scale Exercise - test response capabilities following a structural collapse in downtown Minneapolis - 2013
2. Volunteer Preceptor, Phillips Neighborhood Clinic, Minneapolis, MN.
a. Precepted at student run clinic
b. About every 2-3 months between 2002-2009
3. Volunteer Disaster Relief Physician
a. Haiti Earthquake, 2010

Clinical Summary

Primary Care; Long-Term Follow-up Care After Childhood Cancer; Hospital Medicine; Evidence-Based Medicine; Medicine on the Internet

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Colleen Doyle
Email: doyl0050@umn.edu

Summary
I’ve been working for the past 6 years at the Fairview Wyoming clinic in primary care and as the pulmonary rehab program medical director. My special clinical interests include hormone therapy for transgender and nonbinary patients, pharmacogenetic testing mostly for psychiatric medications, and medical cannabis certification. Before medical school, I went to graduate school for genetics, which remains an area of research interest for me. I haven’t been too involved in research while working in community practice, but I did participate in a clinical study looking at pharmacogenetics of hypertension medications. I’ve precepted a handful of medical and NP students in clinic over the past few years, and I look forward to getting more involved in teaching in my new position.

Teaching Summary

Expanding education on care of transgender patients

Clinical Summary

Care of LGBT patients; Women’s Health

Bio

Administrator Info

Name: Mena Vue
Email: vuexx154@umn.edu
Fax: 612-624-3189
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 741, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Bertelsen graduated from medical school at the University of Minnesota in 2007 and completed his residency training in Internal Medicine (primary care track) at Weill Cornell Medical Center / New York Presbyterian Hospital in 2010, where he also served as an Ambulatory Chief Resident. He has a B.A. in government / international relations from Georgetown University, a Postgraduate Certificate in Global Mental Health from Harvard University, and a Masters of Science in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (MScPH). He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, where he works as a hospitalist.From 2010 to 2019, he served on the faculty in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Population Health at New York University School of Medicine, with a secondary appointment at New York University College of Global Public Health, and he worked as a hospitalist, primary care physician, and clerkship director at Bellevue Hospital. At NYU, he served four years as the Director of Primary Care for the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture in New York, followed by five years living abroad at global health partner sites. In Turkey, he was the founding director of the core communication and clinical skills training program at Koc University School of Medicine, where he also spent two years as Adviser for Research and Training for Doctors Without Borders (MSF), working with Syrian refugee families. In Italy, he taught MPH courses for three years in migrant and refugee health in the Mediterranean at the NYU campus in Florence, and he now directs this public health course at the Institute for Global Health in Barcelona, Spain. From 2012-2020, he served as core faculty and then on the Board of Directors of the Central American Healthcare Initiative (CAHI), which has trained over 120 health professionals from six Central American countries in health management and community health at INCAE Business School in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. He came to the University of Minnesota to join the Global Medicine group in the Department of Medicine, where he now serves as Director of Education for the International Panel Physicians Association, which works with CDC and IOM (UN Migration Agency) to deliver continuing education to panel physicians around the world in refugee and migrant health.

Research Summary

Medical Education; Resilience in Forced Migration

Teaching Summary

Refugee Health; Cross-Cultural Communication Skills; Public Health Leadership

Clinical Summary

Medical Education; Migrant and Refugee Health; Cross-Cultural Communication Skills; Resilience Factors

Bio

Administrator Info

Name: Kris Blomquist
Phone: 612-625-8942
Email: krblomqu@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 480, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
I am a physician-scientist and hold appointments in the Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation and the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota. I received my internal medicine training here at the University of Minnesota and performed my training in medical oncology and hematology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. My research blends efforts in the lab and clinic, to develop novel therapies for cancer patients. This work is focused on understanding and eliminating graft-versus-host disease while preserving, or even enhancing, the beneficial anti-tumor activity of the transplant. Clinically, my practice offers stem cell transplantation and immunotherapy services to patients with blood cell cancers. I also treat patients with graft-versus-host disease. As a physician, I greatly appreciate having the opportunity to offer innovative treatment options at the University of Minnesota and being a part of my patients' recovery.

Creative Activity Summary

Teaching Summary

On campus teaching involves case based training and teaching in the clinic with medical students and fellows.

Clinical Summary

Myeloid leukemias; myelodysplasia; myeloproliferative neoplasm; GVHD; immunotherapy

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Abigail Alves
Phone: 612-624-0999
Email: aalves@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-2174

Research Summary

Our research focus is to improve outcomes in acute and chronic lung diseases. We are using a combination of tools to understand the basic mechanisms by which the lung repairs itself. A goal of these studies is to predict outcomes in lung diseases and develop therapeutic interventions to modify mortality. Since its initial description in 1967, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) has remained a frequent cause of respiratory failure requiring supportive care in the intensive care unit. Our laboratory is using state-of-the-art tools to perform the large-scale study of proteins in cases with ARDS, to identify the biological processes and pathways that are selectively activated in cases that survive. We expect that these studies will result in novel therapy in ARDS by identifying the biological process that participate in lung repair. We are also pursuing studies in Idiopathic Pneumonia Syndrome, a non-infectious form of lung injury that occurs in blood and marrow transplant recipients. We are also collecting biological specimens from patients with Sarcoidosis. Our goal is to characterize comprehensively the protein profile in these patients and begin to understand why Sarcoidosis has such varied clinical presentation, response to treatment and unpredictable course. These studies are designed to develop biomarkers that will inform us about diagnosis and prognosis in Sarcoidosis. In collaboration with investigators at the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, we have applied the novel SWIFT-MRI algorithm in imaging of lung tissue. These studies performed in an experimental model of ARDS show promising findings that we expect to translate in human subjects with acute and chronic lung disease.

Clinical Summary

Pulmonary Sarcoidosis; Interstitial Lung Diseases; Medical Critical Care; Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Bio

Administrator Info

Name: Becca Johnson
Phone: 612-624-9996
Email: joh07913@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-4410
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 250, Room D416 Mayo, Memorial Building, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
After completing medical school in Madras Medical College in Chennai, India, Dr. Bhaskaran pursued Internal Medicine residency, Infectious Disease and Clinical Microbiology fellowships in the United States. During her training she received the Don W. Powell, M.D Award for excellence in Internal Medicine Residency and became the Chief Infectious Disease fellow. She later moved to Canada for Transplant Infectious Diseases training at the University of Toronto where she received a research grant award from Physicians Services Incorporated, Canada. Dr. Bhaskaran's clinical and research interest is in the field of infections in transplant patients and fungal infections. Dr. Bhaskaran enjoys teaching and is committed to educating future generations of physicians.

Teaching Summary

Concepts in Infectious Diseases

Clinical Summary

Infections in the immunocompromised; Fungal Infections; Tropical Infections, Mycobacterial Infections, Central Nervous System Infections; Global health

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Colleen Doyle
Email: doyl0050@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 603, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Bio

Administrator Info

Name: Esther Almeida
Email: ealmeida@umn.edu

Summary
Dr. Bidwell received a Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Cincinnati. His past and present research has focused on mechanisms and regulation of cardiovascular calcium transport, studying the biochemical and biophysical properties of individual proteins to their impact on physiology and pathophysiology. Current projects investigate the role of oxidative modifications of calcium transport proteins across this broad-spectrum of conceptual and technical approaches, supported by an American Heart Association Career Development Award

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Mena Vue
Email: vuexx154@umn.edu
Fax: 612-624-3189

Summary
I attended medical school at A.T. Still University where I also completed a one-year pre-doctoral fellowship in osteopathic manipulative medicine. I completed internal medicine and pediatrics residency at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and a one-year fellowship in point-of-care ultrasound at Oregon Health and Science University. My professional interests include narrative medicine, bedside ultrasound, and teaching residents/students.

Research Summary

• Point-of-Care Ultrasound
• Medical Education

Teaching Summary

• Bedside Ultrasound

• Clinical Reasoning

• Interpersonal Dynamics

Clinical Summary

• Bedside Ultrasound

• Internal Medicine

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Abigail Alves
Phone: 612-624-0999
Email: aalves@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-2174
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 276 (Pulmonary), MMC 434 (Allergy), Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Billings' primary research and clinical work focuses on cystic fibrosis (CF). She has a particular interest in the women's health issues in patients with CF. Dr. Billings investigates the role of sex hormones in CF and their impact on CF lung disease. Her research examines lung function during the phases of the menstrual cycle in young women with CF. Dr. Billings is also a co-investigator in CF drug development studies at the University.Dr. Billings directs the pulmonary firm rotation for third year internal medicine residents.

Clinical Summary

Bronchiectasis; Ciliary dyskinesia; Cystic fibrosis and Pediatric; Women's health issues in patients with cystic fibrosis

Bio

Administrator Info

Name: Audra Field
Phone: 612-626-3003
Email: afield@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 480, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Anne Blaes is the Interim Division Director and an Associate Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Minnesota. She is the Director of Cancer Survivorship Services and Translational Research within the Masonic Cancer Center. She is an active medical oncologist with a special interest in the late effects of cancer therapy, particularly in the area of cardio-oncology. Her research focuses on designing and implementing strategies to help prevent the long term complications of treatments in our cancer survivors, particularly in the areas of cardiovascular health. She is the Chair for the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Cancer Survivorship Committee, a member of the Executive Board for the Global Cardio-oncology Society, associate editor for JACC Cardio-oncology, section editor for Hem/Onc Today on Survivorship and an active member of the ALLIANCE for Cancer Clinical Trials.

Research Summary

Dr. Blaes has a special interest in cancer survivorship, the late effects of cancer therapy, and medical education. Her research interests, funded by a BIRCWH award, include quality of life, cardiac complications of chemotherapy, and the late effects of cancer therapy in cancer survivors, particularly breast and colorectal cancer survivors. In addition to mentoring medical students and residents on research projects, she teaches the Blood pathophysiology course and the Human Diseases IV course within the medical school. She received an Educational Excellence Award from the Department of Medicine in 2010, and has been named to Minnesota Monthly's Best Doctors for Women in 2011 and 2012.

Teaching Summary

Blood Course; LCME Visits; Working with Fellows

Clinical Summary

Breast cancer; Colorectal cancer; Cancer survivorship; Cardio-oncology

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Sarah Strommer
Phone: 612-625-9604
Email: strom721@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-6919

Summary
Dr. Stuart Bloom spent his 20's in New York City as an actor and musical comedian, but after he turned 30, and his own father was diagnosed with cancer, he had an epiphany and decided to become an oncologist. After an award winning, twenty year run in community oncology, he now joins the Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation at the Medical School as part of the Master Clinician pathway. While he remains dedicated to the care of patients with breast and prostate cancers, he has multiple other passions he offers to medical school students and faculty. These include the teaching of doctoring skills, exploring and addressing the causes of medical burnout, and further developing the intersection of the humanities in medicine. His acclaimed musical How to Avoid Burnout in 73 Minutes recently played a sold out run at the Open Eye Theatre, with the plan on performing this at medical schools around the country.

Teaching Summary

Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program; Doctoring Skills; Medical School Curriculum

Clinical Summary

Breast Cancer; Prostate Cancer; Hematologic Malignancies