Department of Medicine Faculty

Bio

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

Clinical Summary

Critical Care Medicine Obstructive lung disease Alpha-1 Antitrypsin

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Admin
Phone: 612-624-9996
Fax: 612-625-4410
Email: idimdivision@umn.edu
Mail: Mayo Memorial Building, MMC 250, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455
 

Summary
Dr. Rhein has a broad background in global health and infectious diseases, with specific focus on fungal infections and central nervous system infections in resource-limited areas. His primary expertise is on cryptococcal meningitis and other AIDS-related opportunistic infections, as well as HIV immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). His current research is focused on improving the clinical outcomes of HIV-infected persons with cryptococcal meningitis, a globally neglected disease which is the second most common AIDS-defining opportunistic infection in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Rhein has been an investigator on several large, guideline-informing clinical trials on HIV-associated meningitis. Current primary investigations are centered on determining the long-term effects of antiretroviral therapy on outcomes in cryptococcal meningitis. Dr. Rhein currently splits his time between the University of Minnesota and the Infectious Disease Institute in Kampala, Uganda. He has been actively engaged in research in Uganda since 2005 as a medical student. Providing on-the-ground leadership for both the study team and international trainees, Dr. Rhein enjoys and has a demonstrated commitment to mentoring Ugandan and American medical students, residents, and infectious disease fellows. As the Director of Training and Research for the University of Minnesota Health Sciences Uganda Hub since 2017, Dr. Rhein provides direct supervision and mentorship for UMN-affiliated trainees in Uganda. Dr. Rhein also serves as co-director of the new East African Clinical Tropical Medicine Course, a joint effort between the University of Minnesota, the Infectious Diseases Institute, and Makerere University

Research Summary

• Treatment of HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis
• Diagnosis of CNS Infections
• Management of Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome

Teaching Summary

East African Clinical Tropical Medicine Course; Uganda Research Training Collaborative

Clinical Summary

Meningitis; Invasive Fungal Infections; HIV/AIDS

Bio

Dr. Timothy Rich is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota. He is trained in pulmonology, critical care, and sleep medicine, and currently practices for Essentia Health in Duluth, Minnesota. Dr. Rich has a research interest in acute lung injury, specifically ARDS in ICU patients.

Research Summary

• ARDS and the impact on patients in Intensive Care Units

Clinical Summary

• Lung disease
• Acute lung injury
• Sleep apnea
• Obstructive lung disease

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: DHM Admin Team
Email: dhmadmin@umn.edu
Phone Number: 612-624-0579
Fax Number: 612-624-3189

Summary
Dr. Parrisha Roane is an Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Hospitalist at the University of Minnesota and former Chief Resident of the University of Minnesota Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Combined Residency Program. Her primary interests include advocating for health equity in medicine, inclusive healthcare systems, and learner development within medical education. She is also interested in the intersection between art and medicine, and was on the curatorial board for the Emmy-winning production "Art + Medicine: Speaking of Race."

Research Summary

• Medical Education
• Health Equity, Inclusive Healthcare Systems and Learner Spaces

Teaching Summary

• Medical Student and Resident Clinical Skills Development; Critical Thinking and Framework Development in Learners; Foundations of Clinical Thinking Facilitator (2021 - Current)
• Processes of Clinical Care Facilitator (2022 - Current)

Clinical Summary

• Complex Care of Young Adults Transitioning to Adulthood

Bio

Administrative Info
Name: Amy Wang
Email: ausen018@umn.edu

Summary
Dr. Robiner is a board-certified clinical health psychologist and Director of Health Psychology. His clinical practice is primarily in the Primary Care Clinic and via telehealth. He provides psychological consultation throughout the University of Minnesota Medical Center. He serves on several interdisciplinary teams and is involved with
diverse research projects.

Research Summary

Adherence, Clinical Trials, Depression, Diabetes, Professional Development, Professional Regulation (i.e., licensure), Psychology and Mental Health Workforce, Wellbeing of Health Professionals

Clinical Summary

Adherence; Anxiety Disorders; Depression/ Mood Disorders; Health Psychology; Insomnia; Obesity/weight loss; Psychological aspects of medical and neurological illnesses; Psychotherapy/stress management

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Jill Charles
Email: jcharles@umn.edu
Mail: 717 Delaware Street SE
Suite 166
Minneapolis, MN 55414

Summary
Dr. Rogers is an Assistant Professor in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics with an appointment in the Applied Clinical Research Program. She is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and is a graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. After finishing her residency training at the Harvard Brigham and Women's Hospital/Boston Children's Hospital program, she completed the Primary Care Research Fellowship at UCSF. Her interests include socioeconomic and ethnicity-based disparities and chronic disease risk, supporting patients in prevention and management of chronic diseases such as diabetes, health coaching and peer education, implementation science, and community-engaged research.

Bio

Mark Rosenberg is a nephrologist, Professor of Medicine, and Vice Dean for Education at the University of Minnesota Medical School. In this role he oversees the continuum of medical education. His leadership promotes innovation of teaching methods and continuity of curriculum from pre-med and undergraduate through graduate and continuing medical education.Before assuming the role in Fall 2012, Rosenberg served as chief of medicine and director of the Primary and Specialty Medicine service line at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. Prior to this, he was director of the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension in the Department of Medicine, where he remains a faculty member.Dr. Rosenberg serves on the Council of the American Society of Nephrology and will be President of this organization in 2019. He also serves as Chair of the Education Committee.
Clinical Activities Inpatient ICU and Consultative Nephrology

Awards & Recognition

• Academy for Excellence in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Honoree  Faculty members inducted into the Academy have demonstrated exceptional scholarly contributions to advance learning in their schools and across academic programs at the University of Minnesota. (2016)
• Eric G. Neilson, M.D., Distinguished Professor Award from the Association of Specialty Professors for his outstanding leadership in the area of specialty medicine (2013)
• Robert G. Narins Award from the American Society of Nephrology for his contributions to nephrology, education, and teaching (2013)

Research Summary

Publications

• Rosenberg ME: Adult Nephrology Fellowship Education in the United States: Trends and Issues J Am Soc Nephrol 18:1027-33, 2007
• Woods M, Anderson L, Rosenberg ME: Inspiring innovation in medical education. Minn Med 97:47-48, 2014 (PMID 25282772)
• Kimmel PL and Rosenberg ME, eds: Chronic Renal Disease. Academic Press, San Diego CA, 2015
• Rosenberg ME: It takes a spark to light a fire: kindling interest in nephrology careers. J Am Soc Nephrol 25: 1885-87, 2014 (PMID 24876112)
• Rosenberg ME, Dvergsten J, Correa-Rotter R: Clusterin: an enigmatic protein recruited by diverse stimuli. J Lab Clin Med 121:205-214, 1993.
• Dvergsten J, Manivel JC, Correa-Rotter R, Rosenberg ME: Expression of clusterin in human renal disease. Kidney Int 45:828-835, 1994.
• Silkensen JR, Skubitz KM, Skubitz APN, Chmielewski D, Manivel JC, Dvergsten J, Rosenberg ME. Clusterin promotes the aggregation and adhesion of renal porcine epithelial cells. J Clin Invest 96:2646-2653, 1995.
• Rosenberg ME, Gupta S: Kidney stem cells: where do we go from here? J Am Soc Nephrol 18:3017-3022, 2007
• Rosenberg ME, Girton R, Finkel D, Chmielewski D, Barrie III A, Witte D, Zhu G, Bissler, JJ, Harmony JAK, and Aronow B: Apolipoprotein J/clusterin prevents a progressive glomerulopathy of aging. Mol Cell Biol 22: 1893-1902, 2002

Teaching Summary

Continuum of Medical Education; Nephrology Fellowship Training

Clinical Summary

Chronic Kidney Disease; Hypertension; Fluid and electrolyte disorders

Bio

Editor of Fast Facts and Concepts ; member of Journal of Palliative Medicine editorial board; member of American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine clinical education committee; named a "2017 Top Doctor" by Minnesota Monthly

Clinical Summary

Advanced device therapy, Atrial fibrillation ablation, Cardiac sarcoidosis, Congenital heart disease arrhythmia, Ventricular tachycardia ablation

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Emily Olmsted-Morales
Phone: 612-624-0999
Email: olmst111@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-2174

Summary
Dr. Rovinski practices both Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine. His clinical interests are in the care and support of critically ill patients and their families. He has particular interests in clinical and translational research in the heterogeneous syndromes treated in the ICU, namely ARDS and sepsis. 

Research Summary

Critical care clinical and translational research; ARDS; Mechanical Ventilation; Respiratory physiology; ECLS-ECMO; Pulmonary Vascular Disease

Clinical Summary

Critical Care (ARDS; Mechanical Ventilation; Sepsis); Pulmonary medicine (Obstructive airway diseases; Interstitial / Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease; Pulmonary Infectious Diseases; Pulmonary Vascular Disease)

Bio

Dr. Darin Ruanpeng graduated from medical school and completed an Internal Medicine Residency at Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Thailand. She then completed an Internal Medicine Residency and a Fellowship in Endocrinology at the University of Minnesota. Her clinical and research interests are novel treatment, technology, and innovation in obesity, diabetes, and metabolic bone diseases.

Research Summary

Novel treatment; technology and innovation in obesity

Creative Activity Summary

Outstanding Resident Academic Achievement Award, University of Minnesota, Department of Medicine – Global Health (2017); Excellent Academic Medal, Chiang Mai University (2003-2008)

Teaching Summary

Diabetes; Obesity; Osteoporosis; Metabolic Bone Diseases; Transgender care

Service Summary

The Endocrine Society; International Society for Clinical Densitometry

Bio

Administrator Info
Phone: 612-626-5475
Lab Phone: 612-626-5045
Email: mccadmin@umn.edu
Mail: Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Building
University of Minnesota
1st Floor Mailroom CCRB
2812A (Campus Delivery Code)
2231 6th St. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Sachdev is a member of the Cellular Mechanisms Program of the Masonic Cancer Center. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She holds memberships in the American Association for Cancer Research and the Endocrine Society.

Research Summary

Dr. Sachdev's research interests focus on the regulation of breast cancer biology by growth factors such as insulin-like growth factors, growth factor targeted therapy for breast cancer, and development of biomarkers for growth factor-targeted therapy. Her laboratory is examining the use of non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy and gene array signatures to predict and monitor response to inhibition of insulin-like growth factor signaling in breast cancer cell growth and metastasis. She is also examining the mechanisms by which insulin-like growth factors regulate metastasis of breast cancer cells using animal models of metastasis and in vivo imaging.

Research Interest: Solid Tumors

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Karen Fitz
Phone: 612-626-5906
Email: fitz0355@umn.edu
Mail: Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation
420 Delaware Street SE
MMC 480
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Zohar Sachs received her undergraduate degree, a BS in Chemical Engineering, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge). She then attended the Tufts Medical School Medical Scientist Training Program (Boston), receiving an MD/PhD. Dr. Sachs completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center (Boston). Dr. Sachs conducted her fellowship in Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation at the University of Minnesota. In 2012, she joined the faculty as a physician-scientist.Dr. Sachs leads a basic and translational research lab focused on identifying the molecular mechanisms of self-renewal in acute myelogenous leukemia. Dr. Sachs specializes in the care of patients with hematological malignancies.

Research Summary

Acute myeloid leukemia stem calls
My lab’s goal is to identify molecular mechanisms of leukemia stem cell self-renewal in primary murine and human acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Self-renewal is a feature of leukemia stem cells that allow them to recapitulate leukemia and cause relapse. Since AML cells are highly heterogenous, we specialize in the application of single-cell, high throughput technologies (including mass cytometry/CyTOF and single-cell RNA sequencing) to address these research questions.

My earlier work demonstrated that the activated NRAS oncogene mediates self-renewal in AML and that individual leukemia cells vary significantly in their functional status and ability to self-renew (Sachs et al. Blood 2014). Recently, we defined the gene expression profile of AML self-renewal at the single-cell level and used this data to identify a functionally unique subset of leukemia cells with leukemia-repopulating potential. We are using these approaches to identify effective therapeutic targets for this deadly disease.

Clinical Summary

AML; Myeloid malignancies; Leukemia; Bone marrow diseases; Lymphoma; Myelodysplastic syndrome; Multiple Myeloma; Other Plasma Cell Neoplasm

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Nephrology Division
Phone: 612-624-9444
Email: renaldiv@umn.edu

Summary
Dr. Sami Safadi is an assistant professor of medicine at the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension. He completed his nephrology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, and his critical care fellowship at the University of Maryland. His clinical and research interests are in critical care nephrology, and point-of-care ultrasound.

Research Summary

• Critical Care Nephrology
• Point of Care Ultrasound

Teaching Summary

Critical Care Nephrology, Point of Care Ultrasound

Clinical Summary

Critical Care Nephrology, Point of Care Ultrasound

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Craig Olson
Phone: 612-626-6577
Email: olso7966@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware ST SE
MMC 250
Campus Delivery Code 8250A
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Timothy Schacker, M.D. is a professor of Medicine and Director of the Program in HIV Medicine at the University of Minnesota. He joined the faculty in 1996. Dr. Schacker received his M.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1986 and completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the Oregon Health Sciences University and Infectious Disease Fellowship at the University of Washington in 1993. He then joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota.Dr. Schacker is interested in how HIV causes immune suppression and why antiretrovirals do not fully restore immunity. His group focuses on inflammatory damage in lymphatic tissues; the principal site of HIV infection, that results in fibrosis of the lymphatic structures required to maintain a normal population of CD4 cells. They are testing novel therapies to prevent and/or reverse this process and slow T cell depletion in HIV and improve their reconstitution when antiretroviral is begun. He is also the principal investigator of a federally funded program of projects designed to determine barriers to HIV eradication. In addition, Dr. Schacker has established a collaboration with the Joint Clinical Research Center in Kampala, Uganda to study how constant exposure to common infections like tuberculosis, malaria, and helminthic infections affect rates of HIV transmission and progression.

Research Summary

IL-15 to Deplete HIV Reservoirs and Improve Immune Responses; Antifibrotic Therapy to Improve Immune Reconstitution in HIV

Research Funding Grants

• Predictors of Time to Viremia with an Analytic Treatment Interruption, amfAR, 109496-60-RGRL, Principal Investigator.
• Reservoir Dynamics in Patients Treated in Very Early Acute HIV Infection, NIH, R01 AI125127, Principal Investigator.
• Reversing Tissue Fibrosis to Improve Immune Reconstruction in HIV, NIH, U01AI105872, Principal Investigator.
• Antifibrotic Therapy to Improve Immune Reconstitution in HIV, NIH, R01 AI093319-01A1, Principal Investigator.
• IL-15 to Deplete HIV Reservoirs and Improve Immune Responses, Altor Bioscience, ALT-803, Principal Investigator.

Clinical Summary

HIV

Bio

Administrator Info
Email: cvheart@umn.edu

Summary
Focus has been on advanced heart failure cardiology including mechanical circulatory support and heart transplantation. Have published multiple papers and presented at numerous national and international conferences. Have mentored several trainees over the years. Chief Fellow of University of Minnesota Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship 2020-2021.

Research Summary

• Mechanical Circulatory Support
• Heart Transplant
• Cardiogenic Shock

Teaching Summary

Heart Failure; Mechanical Circulatory Support; Heart Transplant; Cardiogenic Shock

Clinical Summary

Heart Failure; Mechanical Circulatory Support; Heart Transplant

Bio

Dr. Elizabeth Seaquist is the Nesbitt Chair and Head of the Department of Medicine. Awards recognizing her research and mentoring include the American Diabetes Association’s Transformative Woman in Diabetes Award in 2019 and the Albert Renold Award for Mentoring in 2020. She served as the President for Medicine and Science of the American Diabetes Association in 2014. As a clinical investigator, Dr. Seaquist is interested in hypoglycemia and the complications of diabetes. Her research focuses on the effect of diabetes on brain metabolism, structure, and function. She was the site investigator for the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial, the Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study (GRADE) study, and the Researching Cardiovascular Events with a Weekly Incretin in Diabetes (REWIND) study. She has an active clinical practice and is board certified in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism.

Research Summary

• Impact of diabetes on cerebral structure and function
• Hypoglycemia in diabetes

Clinical Trials

• Cerebral Responses to Insulin-Induced Hypoglycemia
• Effect of Recurrent Hypoglycemia

Clinical Summary

• Management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes
• Complications of diabetes
• Hypoglycemia in diabetes

Bio

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

Summary
Dr. Tseganesh Selameab (pronouns she/her) is a wife and mother of three amazing girls who practices internal medicine, public health in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her clinical work is in both Ramsey County tuberculosis clinic and in the Ramsey county jail. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed her Internal Medicine residency (Primary Care Track) at Boston Medical Center. Her career has focused on serving refugee and immigrant populations as well as the urban underserved through clinical practice and community-based advocacy.

Teaching Summary

Medical Education; Curriculum Development; Storytelling/ Narrative Medicine

Clinical Summary

Refugee and Immigrant health; Primary Care; Correctional Medicine

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: DHM Admin Team
Email: dhmadmin@umn.edu
Phone Number: 612-624-0579
Fax Number: 612-624-3189

Summary
Dr. Stephen Selinsky is an Internal Medicine and Pediatric Hospitalist. He attended Michigan State College of Human Medicine and completed his internal medicine and pediatrics residency training at the University of Minnesota, followed by a Chief Residency in Pediatrics.

Research Summary

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Delivery

Clinical Summary

Refugee Health; Tropical Medicine

Bio

I am the Director of International Medical Education at Hennepin Healthcare, a TB provider at Hennepin County Public Health Clinic, Vaccine Committee Co-chair, Medical Director of International Travel Medicine Clinic and General ID Clinic, and Infectious Disease provider at Hennepin Healthcare Kidney Transplant Program.

I spend approximately 12 weeks per year as an inpatient ID consultant. When not on the inpatient wards, I divide my time between the General ID clinic in the Positive Care Center, the International Travel Medicine clinic, and the Hennepin County Public Health clinic. I was previously the primary ID liaison to the Kidney transplant program at HHS, but now serve as the back-up ID liaison.
I care for mostly adults, but do see children in both the International Travel Medicine clinic and the Hennepin County Public Health TB clinic. 
I am the director of the Global Health Pathway for the Internal Medicine residency at HHS.
I serve as the co-chair of the Vaccine Committee at HCMC.
I am Global Health Faculty at the University of Minnesota.

My husband is an Emergency Medicine physician at North Memorial Medical Center, now transitioning into Hospice and Palliative Medicine. We have 2 boys. We love the outdoors, music, and Minnesota sports. In my free time I also obviously love to travel! I also enjoy hiking, spending time in/on/around any type of water, reading, and food.

Research Summary

My research interests include: 

• Global Medicine
• Tuberculosis
• Travel Medicine
• Parasitic diseases
• Vector borne diseases
• Infections in immunocompromised patients
• Immigrant and refugee health

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Bill Clark
Email: wclark10@umphysicians.umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware Street SE
MMC 508 Mayo
8508A (Campus Delivery Code)
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Chetan Shenoy is an NIH-funded physician investigator. His clinical and research efforts are focused on the clinical applications of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging for patients with inflammatory heart conditions such as cardiac sarcoidosis, inherited heart conditions such as arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, cancer, and cardiovascular masses, including thrombi and tumors.Dr. Shenoy is the Director of the Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Fellowship.

Clinical Summary

Cardiac MRI

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: GI Division
Phone: 612-625-8999
Email: gidivision@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-5620
Mail: 420 Delaware St SE, MMC 36, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Shmidt received her bachelor's degree at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and her medical degree from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She continued at Mayo Clinic where she completed residency in internal medicine. She then went on to complete a fellowship in gastroenterology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.Dr. Shmidt specializes in inflammatory bowel disease with expertise in fertility, preconception and pregnancy care. She has published in multiple academic journals on various aspects of IBD, including sexual function.Dr. Shmidt serves as a member of the American Gastroenterology Association's national guideline committee for Drug Therapy for Crohn's disease. She also serves on the Women's Committee for the American College of Gastroenterology.At the University of Minnesota, Dr. Shmidt serves as the Co-Director of the IBD Program. She also co-leads the IBD Clinical Trials Program.In 2019, Dr. Shmidt was a recipient of the University of Minnesota's Biomedical Research Awards for Interdisciplinary New Science (BRAINS) to study the effect of the microbiome on fertility. Also, she is currently building a national registry to study the impact of pouch surgery on fertility in women with ulcerative colitis.At the University of Minnesota, Dr. Shmidt launched a multi-disciplinary clinic for women with IBD – the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Preconception and Pregnancy Planning (IPREPP) Clinic. The decision to become pregnant is difficult for women with IBD because of safety concerns related to the disease and the medications used for treatment. Oftentimes, women with IBD receive mixed messages from various specialists regarding pregnancy. The goal of the IPREPP clinic is to combine the expertise of IBD specialty care and maternal fetal medicine to offer comprehensive pre-conception and pregnancy counseling and care to women with IBD.In the IPREPP Clinic, women with IBD discuss pregnancy with two different specialists – Dr. Shmidt (an IBD specialist) and a maternal fetal medicine physician. The IPREPP Clinic is the only one of its kind in the Midwest and one of only a few in the world.

Research Summary

• Pregnancy in inflammatory bowel disease
• Impact of inflammatory bowel disease surgery on female fertility
• Female and male sexual function in inflammatory bowel disease
• Safety and effectiveness of various biologic and non-biologic therapies in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

Clinical Summary

Inflammatory bowel disease; female fertility and pregnancy; upper endoscopy; colonoscopy; chromoendoscopy

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Amy Wang
Email: ausen018@umn.edu

Summary
Brian Sick, MD is a Professor and academic leader at the University of Minnesota where he completed a dual residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. He is originally from Rochester, New York where he completed both his bachelor's and medical degrees at the University of Rochester. His academic interests include interprofessional education, history of medicine, chronic care medicine and clinical quality improvement. His clinical interests include preventative medicine and primary care for the whole family.

Clinical Summary

Internal medicine; Pediatrics; Preventative medicine; Primary Care

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: DHM Admin Team
Email: dhmadmin@umn.edu
Phone Number: 612-624-0579
Fax Number: 612-624-3189

Summary
Dr. Rena Singleton is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota. She earned her medical degree from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, and she completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Minnesota where she participated in the Clinician Educator Pathway. Dr. Singleton currently practices inpatient medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical Center and is completing fellowship training in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Her clinical interests include hospice and palliative medicine, hospital medicine, women's health and geriatric medicine. Her academic interests include medical student and resident education.

Clinical Summary

Hospital Medicine; Primary Care; Medical Education

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Admin
Phone: 612-624-9996
Fax: 612-625-4410
Email: idimdivision@umn.edu
Mail: Mayo Memorial Building, MMC 250, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455 

Summary
Dr. Skipper is an infectious diseases physician with a focus on global health and clinical research. He grew up in rural North Dakota, and attended medical school at the University of North Dakota, before ultimately completing his infectious diseases fellowship at the University of Minnesota. He has spent several years living in various parts of East Africa. His research interests include HIV/AIDS related infections including Cryptococcus, tuberculosis, and cytomegalovirus.

Research Summary

Treatment of HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis HIV-Associated T Cell Immunology Prevention of Cytomegalovirus Disease in HIV/AIDS

Teaching Summary

Antimicrobial management; HIV/AIDS; Global Health

Clinical Summary

Global Health; Antifungal development; HIV/AIDS

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Emily Olmsted-Morales
Phone: 612-624-0999
Email: olmst111@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-2174

Summary
Dr. Skolasinski completed his Internal Medicine residency and fellowships in Research, Pulmonary, and Critical Care at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He joined the faculty in 2021. His research interests include lung disorders, lung bioengineering, COPD, and small airway disease. Dr. Skolasinski’s clinical interests include general pulmonology, small airway disease, COPD, and critical care. In addition to seeing patients in the outpatient general pulmonary clinics he works in the medical intensive care unit.

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Linsey Roschen
Email: rosch053@umn.edu
Fax: 612-625-6919
Mail: 420 Delaware ST SE, MMC 480, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Skubitz has led the medical oncology arm of the Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor program at the University since 1988. He received an AB in physics and chemistry from Cornell University and an MD from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and then did internal medicine training at the University of Minnesota. He completed two fellowships, one in Clinical Pharmacology at Johns Hopkins and one in Medical Oncology at the University of Minnesota.

Research Summary

Dr. Skubitz cares for patients with a variety of malignancies and related diseases. His research primarily involves drug development and clinical trials, including the use of genomics to identify new drug targets and predict disease outcome.

Clinical Summary

Variety of malignancies and related diseases including sarcomas and kidney cancer; Bone and soft tissue cancer

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: GI Division
Phone: 612-625-8999
Email: gidivision@umn.edu

Summary
Dr. Joshua Sloan completed his Internal Medicine residency and Gastroenterology fellowship at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA. After completion of his general Gastroenterology fellowship under Dr. Philip O. Katz, former American College of Gastroenterology President and Esophagologist, he went on to complete an additional fellowship in Gastrointestinal Motility and Neurogastroenterology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He then created a dedicated esophageal clinic and was the Director of the Dysphagia Clinic at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His clinical interests broadly include esophageal motility disorders, eosinophilic esophagitis, radiation induced esophageal dysmotility, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Dr. Sloan's research aims are to better understand and characterize esophageal motility abnormalities as well as to improve our understanding and management of radiation induced esophageal dysmotility.

Research Summary

Esophageal Motility Radiation-Induced Esophageal Dysmotility Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Teaching Summary

Teaching esophageal disorders including motility abnormalities, esophageal function testing, and eosinophilic esophagitis to medical students, residents, and fellows.

Clinical Summary

Achalasia; Barrett's Esophagus; Dysphagia; Eosinophilic Esophagitis; Erosive Esophagitis; Esophageal Motility Disorders; Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD); Hypercontractile (Jackhammer) Esophagus; Lichen Planus Esophagus; Lymphocytic Esophagitis; Non-Cardiac Chest Pain; Radiation Induced Esophageal Dysmotility

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
Dr. Song's lab focuses on the molecular mechanisms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and their immunotherapies.

1. The underlying mechanism by which NAFLD progresses to HCC
2. Roles of Kupffer cells in modulating the pathogenesis of NAFLD and HCC
3. MicroRNA-based immunotherapy for the treatment of NAFLD and HCC
4. Regulation of microRNA biogenesis in NAFLD and HCC

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Drew Keup
Email: keupx013@umn.edu
Mail: 3-240 WMBB
2101 6th St SE
Minneapolis MN 55414

Summary
Dr. Spanier received his BS degree in Cell Biology ('03) and MS degree in Biology ('06) from the University of Minnesota Duluth. While in Duluth Dr. Spanier's research was focused on nutrient transporters in endothelial cells within the blood-brain barrier. Dr. Spanier then moved to the University of Wisconsin Madison where he received a PhD in Biochemistry in 2012. It was in Madison that Dr. Spanier developed his skills in immunology and a passion for understanding autoimmune disease, where his research focused on how vitamin D influences the immune system in context of Multiple Sclerosis. In 2013 Dr. Spanier joined the laboratory of Dr. Brian Fife at the University of Minnesota Center for Immunology. It was here that he began building molecular tools, called peptide: MHCII tetramers, to understand antigen-specific responses in both people and mice with autoimmune diabetes. Dr. Spanier's current research program is focused on understanding autoimmune CD4 T cell responses in type 1 diabetes, and the engineering of monoclonal antibodies and chimeric antigen receptors for the restoration of immune tolerance.

Research Summary

• Clinical Immunology
• Autoimmune Diabetes
• peptide:MHCII tetramers
• vitamin D
• monoclonal antibodies
• Chimeric Antigen Receptors

Teaching Summary

Biochemical Methods Seminar; Topics in Medical Biochemistry ; Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory; Developmental Biology Laboratory; General Biology Laboratory

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Nephrology
Phone: 612-624-9444
Email: renaldiv@umn.edu
Fax: 612-626-3840
Mail: 717 Delaware ST SE
Suite 353
MMC 1932
Minneapolis, MN 55414

Summary
Dr. Richard Spong received his MD degree from the University of Minnesota in 1994. He was in general practice serving as a General Medical Officer in the U.S. Navy from 1995 to 1998. He returned to Minnesota to complete a residency in Internal Medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center followed by renal and transplant fellowships at the University of Minnesota. He joined the faculty in July 2004 and specializes in transplantation.

Clinical Summary

Kidney transplantation; Chronic kidney disease in non-kidney transplant recipients; Kidney transplant biopsies; Kidney disease (Nephrology)

Bio

Admin Info
Name: DHM Admin Team
Email: dhmadmin@umn.edu
Phone: 612-624-0579
Fax: 612-624-3189

Summary
With more than 10 years of experience as an attending hospitalist, I have established myself as an outstanding clinician with strong teaching, team building and leadership skills. I am interested in perioperative medicine and have previously played a significant role in the development and standardization of various pre-operative protocols for patients undergoing non-cardiovascular surgeries, as well as teaching medical students, internal medicine residents and PA students. My future goal is to explore the role of AI and ML in perioperative management in effecting better care for our patients.

Research Summary

• Role of AI and ML in perioperativel medicine

Teaching Summary

• Inpatient Medicine and Perioperative Medicine

Clinical Summary

• Hospital Medicine

Bio

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

Summary
Dr. William Stauffer is a Professor Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine at the University of Minnesota. He also holds appointments in the Pediatrics and in the School of Public Health. He is the Director of Human Migration and Health at the Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility. His clinical practice is at Regions Hospital, Infectious Diseases, with an outpatient practice at the Travel and Tropical Medicine Specialty Clinic. He is an expert in travel and tropical medicine working in clinical medicine, surveillance, and policy development. Since 2005 he has served as the Lead Medical Advisor to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (Immigrant, Refugee, Migrant Health Branch) where he works on issues of human mobility and how it effects human health (e.g. refugee & immigrant health). He Co-Directs the UMN/CDC Global Health Course and other online courses. He works extensively overseas in clinical medicine education, research and in public health in more than a dozen countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle east. He is the director for the United Nations Migration Agency, University of Minnesota Collaborative. He is also a co-PI for a new COVID National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants. His research areas have included refugee and immigrant health issues, infectious disease surveillance, diagnostics, neglected tropical diseases, evaluations of public health programs. He acts as an advisor to the European Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and chairs an Inter-Governmental Refugee Health Work-Group aimed at aligning medical management of refugees.

Research Summary

Interests

Primary work is on infections and diseases in mobile populations including refugees, immigrants, migrants, and travelers. Currently working on prevention of importation of malaria into the United States through African VFR travelers, point-of-care diagnostics (e.g. malaria, Loa loa), soil-transmitted helminths and other neglected tropical diseases, zoonotic infections, drug pricing for neglected diseases, and cost-evaluation of public health interventions.

Research Support

Active

• Dr. Stauffer is working with Indiana University as Executive Field Director for the Kenya AMPATH program until January 31, 2024. Learn more here
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/International Organization for Migration
  Goal: Building a National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants for COVID-19 prevention, contact tracing, and mitigation programs
  Role: PI
  Program link: https:nrcrim.umn.edu
• United Nations Migration Agency (International Organization for Migration)/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  Goal: Building bilateral medical capacity for refugee resettlement
  Role: PI
  Program Link: https:// https://globalhealthcenter.umn.edu/un-mig...
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 10/01/2015-09/31/2019
  The CENTER: Centers for Excellence, a Network for Training and Epidemiology in Refugee/Newcomer Health.
  Goal: Development of a Centers of Clinical, Research and Policy Excellence in Refugee Health
  Role: CDC Advisor to Minnesota Grant.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (NCEZID RVA-CK-14-004) Stauffer (PI) 10/01/14-09/30/19
  "Reducing US malaria by testing multiple interventions in a multisite stepped wedge design".
  Goal: Three center proposal (Minnesota, Washington DC, NYC-Bronx) to decrease malaria importation into the US through VFR travelers
  Role: PI
• Arnold Ventures
  Goal: Sole-source, Off-patent Drugs in the United States: Prevalence, Pricing, and Populations Affected
  Role: Co-investigator (Dr. Jon Alpern, PI)

Teaching Summary

• Global Health

Clinical Summary

Tropical medicine; Parasitology, Travel and Tropical Medicine, General Infectious Diseases, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Adult Infectious Disease

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
Dr. Steer accepted a Hepatology Fellowship at the NIH in the Section on Diseases of the Liver in 1976 and remained on staff at the NIH as an Expert in his field for an additional 10 years. In 1989, Dr. Steer returned to the University of Minnesota as a Professor in the Departments of Medicine, and Genetics, Cell Biology and Development. During his time at the University, Dr. Steer has been active in mentorship of PhD students and post-doctoral fellows in his lab, is a member of multiple committees and has continued to be academically productive in his current area of research, which is regenerative medicine.

Research Summary

The Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system in non-viral gene therapy Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a hydrophilic bile acid, as an anti-apoptotic agent Role of microRNAs in gene regulation for different target organs and stem cell populations Basic and translational applications to human disease Regenerative medicine using gene editing (CRISPR) and blastocyst complementation Steer's laboratory has been involved in three major areas of research during the last five years. The Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system functions via a cut-and-paste mechanism catalyzed by the binding of SB transposase to inverted repeats/direct repeats (IR/DRs) of the mariner transposon. It excises the relevant transgene from the transposon at the IR/DRs and inserts the element into random TA dinucleotide sites within the genome. They are applying SB as a gene therapy vector to a variety of different animal disease models, including liver, bone marrow and brain disorders. Steer's laboratory is also interested in characterizing the effects of SB transposition on genomic methylation and histone acetylation.The second major area of research involves the use of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a hydrophilic bile acid, as a potent antiapoptotic agent. They have used UDCA as a therapeutic agent to treat transgenic models of Huntington's disease and retinitis pigmentosa as well as acute stroke, spinal cord injury, myocardial infarction, and acute renal failure. Steer's laboratory continues to study basic mechanisms and translational applications of UDCA. Of note, the South Korean FDA has recently approved its use for the treatment of ALS.Steer's lab is actively characterizing the role of microRNAs in gene regulation for a number of different target organs and stem cell populations. In particular, they have identified specific microRNAs that may be involved in the progression of colon from polyp to cancer; as well as their role in the regenerating liver. The studies are both basic and translational in nature. They are also identifying specific microRNAs as biomarkers of disease that can be assayed in blood. Most notably, they have recently discovered a unique nuclear profile of mature microRNAs; and a subset of microRNAs in mitochondria that may act as a rheostat for the control of apoptosis.Over the past seven years, Steer's lab has also focused on regenerative medicine, and research to create human livers in pigs for transplantation. The approach utilizes a combination of gene editing and a technology referred to as blastocyst complementation. This involves the knockout (KO) of specific developmental genes in the blastocyst of the pig; and the intra-blastocyst injection of pluripotent stem cells from the human donor to generate offspring that carry organs/cell types derived from that donor. The ultimate goal is to create human livers in pigs that are immunology identical to the recipient, thereby not requiring the use of immunosuppression…a paradigm shift in organ transplantation.

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
Dr. Shahnaz Sultan is an Professor of Medicine and the Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Department of Medicine at the University of Minnesota. She is a Core Investigator at the Center for Chronic Disease Research at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. Her research interests are focused on reducing colorectal cancer morbidity and mortality by improving adherence and quality of colonoscopy. Nationally, Dr Sultan is a leader in guideline development. She is the Chair of the American Gastroenterological Association Clinical Guidelines Committee and a member of the GRADE Working Group and teaches evidence synthesis and guideline development.

Research Summary

• Colorectal Cancer Outcomes
• Health Services Research
• Guideline Development

Teaching Summary

Education; Evidence-Based Medicine; Guideline Methodology

Clinical Summary

General Gastroenterology; Cystic Fibrosis GI Clinic; Cancer Syndromes

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: DHM Admin Team
Email: dhmadmin@umn.edu
Phone Number: 612-624-0579
Fax Number: 612-624-3189

Summary
Dr. Sundberg is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. He is a graduate of the Stanford University School of Medicine, and completed residency training in internal medicine and pediatrics at the Harvard Brigham and Women's Hospital/Boston Children's Hospital program. He completed additional training through the Brigham and Women's Hiatt Global Health Equity Residency, and received a Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard School of Public Health. He works clinically in the Twin Cities and in Rosebud, South Dakota. His interests include global health, rural health system strengthening, health care disparities, and medical education.

Research Summary

Medical education; rural health system strengthening; health-care facility to community-linked interventions; socioeconomic and ethnic health disparities.

Teaching Summary

Global health; rural health; public health and epidemiology; health disparities-rooted interventions

Clinical Summary

Population health; evidence-based medicine; low-cost medical interventions; pediatric to adult transitions of care; resident and medical student education.

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: DHM Admin Team
Email: dhmadmin@umn.edu
Phone Number: 612-624-0579
Fax Number: 612-624-3189

Summary
Dr. Vishnu Laalitha Surapaneni is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine with a Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is a practicing hospitalist at the MHealth Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis.

Dr. Surapaneni's areas of interest are impacts of climate change on health equity, sustainable healthcare delivery, and the role of physician advocacy in developing science-based policy. She is a member of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change United States Brief workgroup through the University's Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility and an associate at the Institute on the Environment.

Dr. Surapaneni has co-authored white papers on health harms of fossil fuel infrastructure, provided testimony to the Minnesota legislature on numerous occasions, and served on the Minnesota state Department of Transportation’s Sustainable Transportation Advisory Council in a governor-appointed role.

As a science communicator, she regularly speaks with media outlets about public health impacts of climate change and has been interviewed by City Pages, MPR, Associated Press, and the Guardian. Her work has been cited in print and online outlets including the Star Tribune, MN Daily and Common Dreams. She also regularly contributes opinion pieces and is Public Voices fellow with The OpEd Project in partnership with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.

Research Summary

Areas of Interest

• Impacts of climate change on health equity
• Sustainable healthcare delivery
• Physician advocacy in developing science-based policy

Teaching Summary

Training climate justice aware clinicians; Teaching skill sets of physician legislative advocacy to medical students