Faculty

Research Summary

RESEARCH INTERESTS: Gut Microbiome, Colon and Rectal Cancer, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and Diverticulitis

My goal is to improve patients' outcomes following colorectal surgery by modifying and reconstituting the composition of the intestinal microbiome. 

Bio

I care for all patients as if they were family, regardless of race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.

Research Summary

Improving outcomes for patients with complex gastrointestinal cancers.

Clinical Summary

Benign and malignant diseases of the liver; Bile ducts, pancreas, stomach and small intestines - including primary and metastatic diseases; Metastatic colon and rectal cancer; Neuroendocrine tumors; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST); Stomach cancer; Small bowel cancer; Gallstones and other diseases of the gallbladder; Minimally invasive surgery

Research Summary

Clinical Outcomes after Ventricular Assist Device Implantation Ventricular Recovery Endothelial Function in Patients with Ventricular Assist Devices Newer Generation Ventricular Assist Devices

Clinical Summary

Heart transplantation; Ventricular assist devices; High-risk heart failure surgery; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR); Cardiovascular surgery

Bio

Dr. Raja Kandaswamy is the Vice-Chair of the Transplantation Division, Sutherland-Butterfield Professor in Immunology & Transplantation, Director of the Kidney & Pancreas Transplant Programs, and Director of the Abdominal Transplant Fellowship Program in the Department of Surgery at the University of Minnesota, where he has been faculty for the last 20 years. He serves on both national and international bodies, including being President of IPITA, Senior Staff for Pancreas Transplantation at SRTR and serving on various committees of the ASTS.

After receiving his medical degree from the University of Madras, he completed his residency in General Surgery at Howard University Hospital and his Fellowship in Transplant Surgery at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Kandaswamy has published over 100 articles, has over 300 accepted abstracts at national and international transplant meetings and has been an invited speaker at conferences nationally and internationally.

He is an Associate Editor for Clinical Transplantation. He is a reviewer for several journals, including American Journal of Kidney Diseases, American Journal of Transplantation, and Transplantation. His surgical expertise is in the area of multiorgan abdominal transplants including kidney, liver, pancreas, and islet transplantation. He has spearheaded the effort to develop and implement laparoscopic donor nephrectomy at the University of Minnesota. He performed the world’s first laparoscopic hemi-pancreatectomy in combination with nephrectomy as a donor procedure.

Raja Kandaswamy, MD, in the News:

• M Health Fairview marks milestone of 10,000 kidney transplants
• 10,000 kidney transplants: a landmark milestone for our world-class organ transplant center

Research Summary

His area of research interests are in kidney, pancreas and islet transplants of which he has
led several major studies in, especially those involving steroid avoidance/withdrawal.

Clinical Summary

Kidney Transplant, Liver Transplant, Pancreas Transplant, Living Donor Transplant

Research Summary

Bioenergetics of Myocardial Revascularization Regenerative Therapies for Myocardial Ischemia

Clinical Summary

Heart Valve Disease; Coronary Artery Disease; Heart Failure; Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy; Lung Transplantation for End-Stage Lung Disease

Bio

Dr. Nichole (Nikki) Klatt is a Professor and the Director of the Division of Surgical Outcomes and Precision Medicine Research in the Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota. Prior to this she was an associate professor, vice chair of research, and the Adrienne Arsht Endowed Chair in Pediatric clinical research in the Department of Pediatrics, Miller School of Medicine, and Sylvester Cancer Center of University of Miami from 2018-2020. Dr. Klatt was also an associate professor in the Department of Pharmaceutics at the University of Washington from 2012- 2018. Dr. Klatt received her PhD from Emory University in Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis in 2009, and was also a visiting PhD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania from 2006-2008. Dr. Klatt performed her postdoctoral research in the Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology at the National Institutes of Health from 2009-2012. The goal of Dr. Klatt's research laboratory is to understand mechanisms of microbiome, mucosal dysfunction and drug metabolism to improve human health.

Research Summary

The goal of Dr. Klatt's research laboratory is to understand mechanisms of the microbiome, mucosal dysfunction and drug metabolism to improve human health.

Bio

As a surgical oncologist, I aspire to provide my patients with compassionate, cutting-edge cancer treatment and to care for them as if they were family members.

Research Summary

My main research interests are in gene therapy and oncolytic virotherapy. As a surgeon-scientist, I aim to translate these novel therapeutics to the clinic to bridge the gap between the lab bench and the patient's bedside. In addition, I also have an interest in surgical oncology outcomes research.

Clinical Summary

Gastrointestinal cancers, cytoreductive surgery & HIPEC, sarcoma, melanoma

Research Summary

Clinical outcomes research- Surgical healthcare disparities

Clinical Summary

- Neonatal and pediatric general and thoracic surgery
- Pediatric colorectal surgery
- Minimally invasive surgery
- Pediatric surgical oncology
- Pediatric gynecology

Congenital gastrointestinal and abdominal disorders, Congenital lung lesions, Management of solid tumors in infants and children, Pediatric trauma, Vascular access, Pediatric endocrine surgery, Chest wall deformities

Bio

Daniel Leslie, MD, is a Professor and Chief of the Division of GI/Bariatric Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Minnesota, the system-wide Director of the Comprehensive Weight Management Program for University of Minnesota Health/Fairview, and the Medical Director for CentraCare Weight Management. He completed his medical degree at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, followed by a residency and fellowship in General Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the University of Minnesota. He has been on staff at the University of Minnesota since 2007. He is a member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and has board certification in surgery (ABS) and obesity medicine (ABOM).Academically, Dr. Leslie has co-authored five book chapters and has authored or co-authored over fifty peer-reviewed publications. He has presented dozens of abstracts locally, nationally, and internationally. He has an active interest in diabetes and cardiovascular risk reduction after bariatric procedures, as well as novel interventions to treat bariatric patients.

Clinical Summary

Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery; Minimally invasive general surgery; Laparoscopic gastric bypass and robot-assisted duodenal switch; Laparoscopic hernia repair; Pediatric obesity surgery; Laparoscopic adrenal and spleen surgery

Clinic Phone Number : (612-336-2727)

Bio

Dr. Lew is an Acute Care Surgeon at the University of Minnesota. His research interests rest in surgical outcomes. His aim is to provide compassionate and excellent evidence-based patient care.

Research Summary

Surgical Outcomes Research

Teaching Summary

Instructor - Adult Trauma Life Support

Clinical Summary

Surgical Critical Care, Trauma, Emergency General Surgery

Bio

Dr. Lin is an assistant professor in the Division of Computational Health Science and possesses extensive experience in medical image analysis. He has developed advanced techniques for medical image analysis, including segmentation, diagnosis, prognosis, and biomarker identification.

Research Summary

Dr. Lin's main research focus is on artificial intelligence in medical image analysis, encompassing segmentation, diagnosis, prognosis, and biomarker identification. Additionally, he is interested in multimodal biomedical studies that utilize text, images, clinical variables, and gene data for various tasks. He aims to develop advanced models that prioritize fairness, robustness, and explainability to enhance patient outcomes.

Creative Activity Summary

• Associate editor: Medical Physics (2024-present)

Awards and Recognition

• Postgraduate Scholarship, City University of Hong Kong
• Chan Sui Hung Best Student Award, City University of Hong Kong
• National Scholarship, China Ministry of Education

Service Summary

• Research Fellow, Department of Radiation and Oncology, Emory University, 2020-2021
• Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Population Health Science, Weill Cornell Medicine, 2021-2024

Bio

Dr. Lusczek is an associate professor in the Department of Surgery with over 50 peer reviewed publications in physics and biomedical research. Her background in physics and mathematics drives her data science approach to translational research.

Research Summary

Dr. Lusczek’s primary interest is in precision medicine. Her expertise is in metabolomics and biomarker identification in the context of severe injury and critical illness.

Research Summary

Familial cancer Rectal cancer treatment Anal intraepithelial neoplasia / anal cancer Fecal incontinence Benign colorectal disease Colorectal cancer

Clinical Summary

Retired from clinical practice.

Bio

Dr. Marmor has extensive experience working with large complex health care datasets and has collaborated with clinicians and senior industry leaders to provide actionable solutions that maximize health care efficiency.His research aims to improve health outcomes and quality of care for patients. Through rigorous quantitative research, his work informs evidence-based health care policy and management decisions for individual and group providers as well as health care systems. Dr. Marmor's approach is rooted in identifying trends in health care delivery and elucidating organizational mechanisms that lower costs and improve outcomes.

Research Summary

Outcomes research, surgical oncology services and policy, otolaryngology services and policy, intersection between health care management and outcomes, health care financing and costs.

Bio

Dr. Arthur J. Matas is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. Dr. Matas earned his medical degree in 1972 at the University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg, Canada. He did his surgical residency and transplantation fellowship at the University of Minnesota Hospitals, where he was actively involved in clinical and laboratory research.Dr. Matas has authored or coauthored numerous articles and book chapters and his research has been presented at numerous national and international meetings. Dr. Matas is a long-standing member of many surgical and transplant-related societies including the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (of which he is Past President), the American Society of Transplantation, The Transplantation Society, the American Society of Nephrology, the American Surgical Association, and the American College of Surgeons.

Research Summary

My entire professional career has been in academic medicine, with a major focus on the identifying risk factors for poor long-term kidney transplant recipient outcomes; studies to improve short- and long-term recipient outcomes; and study of long-term living kidney donor outcomes.

Clinical Summary

Kidney Transplant, Living Donor Transplant

Bio

Genevieve Melton-Meaux serves as Professor of Surgery, Senior Associate Dean of Health Informatics and Data Science, Director for the Center for Learning Health System Sciences, and Core Faculty in the Institute for Health Informatics at the University of Minnesota. She serves as the Chief Health Informatics and AI Officer for M Health Fairview leading informatics including Clinical Decision Support (CDS) and Health IT optimization and Fairview's AI program. As a colorectal surgeon, she has interests in colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, minimally invasive techniques, individualized treatment plans for complex patients, and bringing innovative care models and solutions to improve patient care.

Her research interests include surgical informatics, improving note usage in EHRs, evaluating technology solutions in practice, clinical colorectal surgery, advancing learning health system capabilities and the generation of real world evidence, and clinical natural language processing (NLP). At the University of Minnesota, she serves on the Executive Leadership Team of the University's Data Science Initiative, Associate Director for the Clinical NLP Research Group, and Program Director for the Clinical Informatics Fellowship. National leadership includes serving as Immediate Past-President of the American College of Medical Informatics and President of the American Medical Informatics Association. 

Research Summary

Learning Health System Sciences, Clinical Informatics, Digital Transformation, Surgery including Colon and Rectal Surgery, and Health IT Implementation and Optimization.

Clinical Summary

Colorectal disorders; Colorectal cancer; Anorectal diseases; Diverticular disease; Inflammatory bowel disease; Laparoscopic surgery; Colonoscopy

Bio

Dr. Miyairi received his Doctor of Medicine license in 2008 and his Doctor in Philosophy license in 2017, both in Japan. His fellowship was at Children’s National Medical Center with the Department of Cardiovascular surgery in Washington D.C. Following his fellowship he was a Clinical Instructor at Stanford University School of Medicine with the Department of Cardiothoracic surgery, Division of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery in California.

He has been working in the field of congenital cardiac surgery, from neonate to ACHD. His focus is also on transplant Immunology, and surgical Therapy of Heart Failure.

His clinical interests are Heart transplant, Mechanical Circulatory Support, TOF/PA/MAPCAs and early primary repair of neonatal heart defect

Research Summary

Transplant Immunology, VAD Therapy

Clinical Summary

Heart transplant, Mechanical Circulatory Support, TOF/PA/MAPCAs and early primary repair of neonatal heart defect

Bio

My clinical interest lies in the management of end-stage heart and lung failure. As one of the adult cardiac surgeons here at the University of Minnesota, I perform general cardiac surgery operations, including coronary artery bypass grafting, root and ascending aortic repair, and valve repair and replacement. A significant portion of my practice is dedicated to the surgical management of patients with advanced heart and lung failure. This includes heart transplantation, lung transplantation, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, and temporary mechanical circulatory support, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Research Summary

My research program is dedicated to the improvement of the quality and safety of surgical care as it pertains to patients with end-stage heart and lung disease. The main goals that guide my work are to decrease practice variation and engage patients in the promotion of high quality surgical care for patients with heart and lung disease.

Clinical Summary

Surgical revascularization (coronary artery bypass grafting), valvular heart disease, heart and lung transplantation, ventricular assist devices (LVAD), mechanical circulatory support and extracorporeal circulation (ECMO), aortic root repair and aortic reconstruction, and chronic pulmonary embolism (CTEPH).

Bio

Dr. Osborn is interested role of the autonomic nervous system in long-term control of cardiovascular function and the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic diseases. The primary focus of his laboratory the role of renal nerves in the pathogenesis and maintenance of hypertension. This is motivated by clinical trials of targeted sympathetic ablation in humans using medical devices. Dr. Osborn’s laboratory is investigating the mechanisms of organ specific sympathetic nerve activity in the maintenance of neurogenic hypertension as a translational platform for development of novel antihypertensive therapies in the very near future. Dr. Osborn is Director Minnesota Center for Autonomic Neuromodulation which is leading a 7-center global study of the effects of vagal nerve modulation on physiological systems in human subjects.

Dr. Osborn’s research efforts are concentrated on therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. He has made important contributions to our understanding the role of the sympathetic nervous system in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Dr. Osborn is also an internationally recognized expert in the development of autonomic neuromodulation therapies.

Research Summary

Research in my laboratory is directed towards gaining an integrative understanding of the role of the central nervous system in the long-term regulation of arterial pressure and the pathogenesis of hypertension. At the present time we are investigating how circulating hormones, such as angiotensin II and aldosterone, are monitored by specialized sites within the brain called circumventricular organs. We are investigating how these regions influence ongoing sympathetic nerve discharge and ultimately the regulation of arterial pressure. Our long-term goal is to understand, in a quantitative way, the role of such hormonal-sympathetic interactions in normal physiology and the pathophysiology of hypertension. Specifically, we are studying how such interactions are influenced by alterations in dietary salt in hopes of understanding the neurogenic basis of salt-dependent hypertension. A variety of experimental approaches are employed to address these issues including state-of-the-art long-term monitoring of cardiovascular hemodynamics and application of cellular/molecular neurobiological techniques. We have also initiated a collaborative project with the Department of Mathematics to begin developing new mathematical models of how the nervous system regulates cardiovascular function over long periods of time.

Research Summary

Dr. Peer has done extensive research on mechanical support of the single ventricle circulation both in an animal model and computer simulations. Dr. Peer is also interested in designing and developing pediatric cardiovascular medical devices. In collaboration with the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Washington, D.C., he is currently working on developing a pediatric chest compression device for use during extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR)

Clinical Summary

Dr. Peer's practice includes the entire spectrum of congenital heart surgeries from neonates to adult congenital heart disease. Dr. Peer’s clinical interests are early primary repair of congenital heart defects and surgical therapy for pediatric heart failure

Bio

Dr. Pruett began his clinical career at the University of Virginia rising from Assistant Professor of Surgery (1987) to Professor of Surgery and Division Chief of Transplantation Surgery by 1996. He was appointed the Strickler Family Professor of Transplantation in 1997. He was the Program Director of the transplantation training program at University of Virginia. As an intensivist, he was co-director of the surgical ICU and established and was Program Director of the Critical Care Training program. In 2009, he moved to the University of Minnesota as Professor of Surgery and Internal Medicine.

Dr. Pruett is Past-President of American Society of Transplant Surgeons (2016-2017) and previously served as Treasurer of American Society of Transplant Surgeons’ Council (2012-2015). He has served on and chaired various committees within the ASTS and AST and has spoken broadly on legal and system issues that impact to organ transplantation within global healthcare systems. Dr. Pruett was President of United Network for Organ Sharing (2008-2009); Chair of the Membership and Professional Standards Committee (2007- 2008) and has represented UNOS in multiple international initiatives.

Research Summary

Dr. Pruett’s research interests have included organ transplantation in patients with chronic viral diseases, the ethics and practice of live kidney donation and allocation, transmissible diseases through organs and infections after organ transplantation. He also has education and infection interests as they pertain to the care of the critically ill.

Clinical Summary

Kidney Transplant, Liver Transplant, Living Donor Transplant

Bio

Dr. Ramachandran, a transplant immunologist, is the Director of the Transplantation Tolerance Laboratory (TTL) at the Schulze Diabetes Institute (SDI) in the Department of Surgery. His research focuses on the development of a clinically translatable tolerance induction regimen for cell and solid organ transplantation. The major objectives of the Transplant Tolerance laboratory are 1. Develop a novel personalized (nanoparticle or recipient cell-based) transplant tolerance regimen; 2. Define the molecular mechanisms of tolerance; 3. Design innovative immune monitoring strategies; and 4. Translate the research findings to a xenotransplant setting to overcome donor organ shortage.

Research Summary

The overall focus of Dr. Ramachandran’s research is to determine the immunological mechanisms that contribute to the rejection of transplanted allografts and identify key cellular immune pathways that regulate these antigen-specific immune responses. In a non-human primate model, the TTL has demonstrated that infusions of apoptotic donor leukocytes under induction immunosuppression with antagonistic anti-CD40 antibodies, rapamycin, etanercept and tocilizumab induces long-term islet allograft survival. Tolerance in this model is mediated in part by Tr1cells with indirect specificity for mismatched donor MHC class I peptides. Research in the TTL at the SDI, which Dr. Ramachandran directs, is focused on tracking the fate and specific features of defined immune cell populations through TCR and BCR sequencing, donor MHC peptide-specific MHC class II tetramer staining, epigenetic (ATACseq) and transcriptomic (RNAseq) profiling at the single-cell level in transplant recipients. A related methodology TTL is pursuing involves spatial profiling and whole-genome transcriptome analysis of the graft and the graft infiltrating cells using unique RNA probes specific for islets as well as for CD4+, CD8+ and CD20+ immune cells to define the interactions between the graft and graft infiltrating cells in the induction and maintenance of tolerance.

Bio

Facing severe illness is a frightening proposition for all people. My goal is to work with you to make that illness understandable and approachable. I enjoy getting to know you so that we can, together, develop a plan to help you find your best possible outcome.

Research Summary

• Increasing access to and improving outcomes after organ transplant
• Pancreatic organ/islet preservation
• Improving outcomes in chronic pancreatitis
• Medical student and resident education

Clinical Summary

Kidney Transplant, Liver Transplant, Pancreas Transplant, Living Donor Transplant, TPIAT

Bio

Dr. Ranallo is an informatician with experience applying, critically evaluating, and developing technologies for the computable representation of clinical data and theoretical models. She performs research on gaps in standards at the interface of biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences, and has developed a robust information model for standard assessment instruments. Her primary expertise is in technologies for the optimal capture, representation, transformation, and exchange of clinical data. She has performed basic research in both the biomedical and social sciences. Dr. Ranallo is co-editor of an informatics textbook in Mental Health Informatics.

Research Summary

Dr. Ranallo performs research on gaps in standards at the interface of biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences, and has developed a robust information model for standard assessment instruments. Her primary expertise is in technologies for the optimal capture, representation, transformation, and exchange of clinical data. She has performed basic research in both the biomedical and social sciences.

Teaching Summary

Dr. Ranallo is building a interoperability and terminology lab within the Center for Learning Health System Sciences. One major goal of this lab is to develop and disseminate curriculum on semantic interoperability aimed at a variety of audiences, including students, clinicians, researchers, and IT professionals.

Bio

I feel that being able to take care of fellow human beings is a privilege. I aim to provide my patients with the best care that I can deliver to them. And to do this, I strive to excel in my field with continued learning and research and with attention to the needs and wants of patients and their families.

Research Summary

Tobacco Cessation, Lung Cancer screening and Surgical Management of Early Stage Lung Cancer

Clinical Summary

Lung cancer, mesothelioma, benign lung conditions, esophageal cancer, benign esophageal conditions such as reflux, hiatal hernia and achalasia.

Bio

Matthew L. Reznicek is Associate Professor of Medical Humanities at the University of Minnesota Medical School, where he uses eighteenth- and nineteenth-century British and Irish literature to explore the impact of social, historical, and cultural factors in the experience of medicine and health. He has published widely on the intersection of health and citizenship in the long-nineteenth century, including on writers like Maria Edgeworth, Sydney Owenson, Walter Scott, Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Charles Dickens in journals like Irish University Review, Nineteenth-Century Literature, and Éire-Ireland. His first monograph, The European Metropolis: Paris and Nineteenth-Century Irish Women Novelists, was published with Clemson University Press/Liverpool University Press in 2017. He is co-editing The Irish Bildungsroman, 1800-Present for Syracuse University Press and The Corpse in Irish Literature for Liverpool University Press. He currently serves as President of the American Conference for Irish Studies.

Research Summary

Matthew L. Reznicek utilizes Medical Humanities and History of Medicine to better understand eighteenth- and nineteenth-century British and Irish Literature. He is currently completing a monograph on the politics of health in the Romantic genre of the National Tale, including works by Jane Austen, Walter Scott, Maria Edgeworth, Sydney Owenson (Lady Morgan), and Germaine deStaël. Previously, he has published on biopolitics and death in the National Tale; urban infrastructure and public health in nineteenth-century novels; the corpse and abjection in Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Maria Edgeworth; and on teaching healthcare inequities through Austen's Mansfield Park.

Teaching Summary

I teach at the intersection of literature and Medical Humanities or History of Medicine. Arguing that eighteenth- and nineteenth-century literature best reveals the impact of the Social Determinants of Health, my teaching explores ideas of health, illness, disability, and the intersection with gender and class in the works of authors like Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Walter Scott, Elizabeth Gaskell, Maria Edgeworth, and others.

Bio

Dr. Rickard is an acute care surgeon at University of Minnesota with a clinical focus on trauma,
surgical critical care, and emergency general surgery. She has over 80 research publications,
with research interests in global health and surgical infections. Her global health work focuses
on health system strengthening and surgical capacity development. She has been working in
Rwanda with the Rwanda Human Resources for Health Program since 2012.

Research Summary

Health systems strengthening in low resource settings; Surgical capacity development; Surgical education in low resource settings; Emergency general surgery; Trauma and critical care; Surgical infections

Clinical Summary

Emergency General Surgery; Trauma and Critical Care

Bio

Dr. Rizvi’s career is a blend of both international and US education and experience. While working in both academic and industry settings, she has lead several rigorous scientific research employing mixed methods. Her primary focus is human-computer interaction, usability evaluations and workflow analysis, qualitative research, health equity, and implementation science-related work.

Professional Memberships/Affiliations

• Member since 2011-American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)
• Active member Diversity, Equity and Inclusion task force (2020-to-date)
• Active member, Women in AMIA subcommittee (2020-to-date)
• Active member, Physicians in AMIA
• Invited reviewer, Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved

Research Summary

Her main interest is to explore, incorporate, and address the factors that could facilitate successful integration of technologies in health care delivery, both for clinicians and patients. She also has a special interest in strengthening Diversity, Equity and Inclusion-related policies and practices, both in the USA and globally.

Research Interests
- Human computer interaction.
- Usability and workflow evaluations of healthcare related technology centered around user-centered principles (e.g., clinicians, patients).
- Patient- centered healthcare delivery.
- Equitable health care delivery to the marginalized populations.
- Artificial intelligence techniques and their integration in transforming healthcare.

Research Projects
An Informatics Framework for Discovery and Ascertainment of Drug-Supplement Interactions. The primary overarching goal is to use informatics approaches to enhance clinical research on DSIs and translation of research findings to clinical practice via clinical decision support systems.(National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)

Evaluation of visualization methods by “highlighting” important information from clinical texts, improving user interface design for clinical texts, and conducts a prospective clinical trial with a tool in the EHR to highlight new, non-redundant information in clinical documents as well as enhances our understanding on usability of synthesizing information with clinical notes (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)

Industry level projects
-Evidence Synthesis/Subject Matter Expert around Covid-19
-Diversity, equity and inclusion in health care
-Usability and workflow analysis of Artificial intelligence base heath deliver and care coordination tools

Clinical Summary

Chronic medical conditions

Bio

Evan Roberts is a demographic historian with a focus on changes in health and mortality from the nineteenth century to the present in Australasia and North America. His current research focuses on early-life experiences and later life socio-economic and health outcomes. He has extensive experience in creating longitudinal data, linking early-twentieth century records to modern epidemiological surveys and vital records.

Roberts received his BA(Hons) (History and Economics) and BSc (Mathematics and Statistics) degrees from Victoria University of Wellington, before completing an MA and PhD in History at the University of Minnesota. Roberts worked in health and social policy evaluation at the New Zealand Ministry of Health and the Health Services Research Centre, and taught at Victoria University of Wellington from 2007-11.

His research interests are in the demographic, social, and economic history of Australasia and North America in the 19th and 20th centuries. His current research projects are about (1) health and living standards in New Zealand and the United States from the early nineteenth century to the present, and (2) married women's work and the family economy in the United States between the Civil War and World War II.

His research explores how the impact of early life influences on later life outcomes has changed over time. This focus on changes in the life course brings a conceptual unity to studies of weight and mortality in New Zealand soldiers, migration and later-life health in Iowa women, children in early-twentieth century Saint Paul, and married couples in Chicago, to name just a few of the data sources he has worked with. His work is characterized by a search for early-life data that can be linked to later life sources. The practical challenges of this work have taken me into work on record linkage and efficient ways to crowd-source or computer recognize old hand writing.

Roberts has published widely in demographic and economic history journals including Demography, Explorations in Economic History, Journal of Economic History, History of the Family, and Historical Methods.

Research Summary

My research interests are in the demographic, social, and economic history of Australasia and North America in the 19th and 20th centuries, with a focus on examining how the impact of early life influences on later life outcomes has changed over time. My current research projects are about (1) health and living standards in New Zealand and the United States from the early nineteenth century to the present, and (2) married women's work and the family economy in the United States between the Civil War and World War II. This focus on changes in the life course brings a conceptual unity to studies of weight and mortality in New Zealand soldiers, migration and later-life health in Iowa women, children in early-twentieth century Saint Paul, and married couples in Chicago, to name just a few of the data sources I have worked with. My work is characterized by a search for early-life data that can be linked to later life sources. The practical challenges of this work have taken me into work on record linkage and efficient ways to crowd-source or computer recognize old handwriting. I lead the Measuring the ANZACs project (http://www.measuringtheanzacs.org/) to crowd-source the transcription of all New Zealand's World War I personnel files.

Research Summary

Rectal Cancer; Familial Colorectal Cancers; Clinical Research in a Managed Care Environment

Clinical Summary

Colorectal cancer; Inflammatory bowel disease; Incontinence; Anorectal diseases; Colonoscopy; Laparoscopy

Research Summary

Biologic Delivery Systems for Interleukin-IL2 for Unresectable Hepatic Metastases

Clinical Summary

Neonatal surgery; Pediatric general surgery; Minimally invasive surgery; Laparoscopy in children; Surgical robotics

Clinical Summary

Hirschsprung's Disease and other GI Disorders; Pediatric Abdominal and Thoracic Tumors; Congenital Abdominal and Thoracic Anomalies in Children; Minimally Invasive Abdominal and Thoracic Surgery in Infants and Children; Chest Wall Deformitie

Bio

I am a historian of early science and medicine with a research specialty in ideas about the inner workings of nature that were developed in medieval and early modern Europe. In A Philosophical Path for Paracelsian Medicine and several articles I explore elements of a biological philosophy developed by the followers of the German iconoclastic physician and lay preacher, Theophrastus Paracelsus. I am particularly interested in the manifold connections between medicine, science, pharmacy, and religion in early thought. Recently I have undertaken research in the history of biological rhythms studies (chronobiology) and am promoting this area of research among my colleagues and developing an on-line research database of related materials (if interested, please send e-mail).I received the B.S., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in the History of Science at the University of Wisconsin.

Specialties

Early Modern European Science and Medicine, History of Paracelsianism, History of Biological Rhythm Studies

Research Summary

BOOKS & MONOGRAPHS IN PRINT

An Introduction to the History of Chronobiology, vol. 1: Biological Rhythms Emerge as a Subject of Scientific Research. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2022.

An Introduction to the History of Chronobiology, vol. 2: Biological Rhythms in Animals and Humans.  Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2022.

An Introduction to the History of Chronobiology, vol. 3: Metaphors, Models, and Mechanisms.  Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2022.

Northern Light and Northern Times: Swedish Leadership in the Foundation of Biological Rhythms Research.  Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, vol.103, part 2.  Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 2013.  

A Philosophical Path for Paracelsian Medicine.  The Ideas, Intellectual Context, and Influence of Petrus Severinus (1540/2-1602), Acta historica scientiarum naturalium et medicinalium 46.  Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, University of Copenhagen, 2004. 

William Harvey and the Mechanics of the Heart, in the series Oxford Portraits in Science, ed. Owen Gingerich (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003).  This series is aimed at the young adult reader (secondary market; pedagogical).  Translated into Japanese 2009 (ISBN 978-4-272-44050-4).

Tycho Brahe.  Instruments of the Renewed Astronomy.  English trans. (Raeder et al. 1946) revised and commented by Alena Hadravova, Petr Hadrava and Jole R. Shackelford.  Clavis Monumentorum Litterarum (Regnum Bohemiae) 2, Facsimilia - Translationes 1.  Prague: Koniasch Latin Press, 1996.

ARTICLES IN RECENT PEER REVIEWED JOURNALS AND TOPICAL COLLECTIONS

“Mechanical Arts and Biological Development on the Sixteenth-Century World Stage: The Paracelsian Mechanical Philosophy of Petrus Severinus,” in Christoph Lüthy and Elena Nicoli, eds., Atoms, Corpuscles and Minima in the Renaissance.  Medieval and Early Modern Philosophy and Science 36 (Leiden: Brill, 2023), pp. 146-75.

“Chemical Paradigm vs. Biological Paradigm in the Biological Clock Controversy,” Ambix 67.4(2020): 366-388.  DOI: 10.1080/00026980.2020.1826821 

“Transplantation and Corpuscular Identity in Paracelsian Vital Philosophy,” in Peter Distelzweig, Benny Goldberg, and Evan Ragland, eds., Early Modern Medicine and Natural Philosophy (New York: Springer, 2016), pp. 229-253.

“Johann Hayne and Paracelsian Praxis: Chemical Physiology as a Link between Semeiotics and Therapeutics,” in Bridging Traditions: Alchemy, Chemistry, and Paracelsian Practices in the Early Modern Era, ed.  Karen Hunger Parshall, Michael T.  Walton, and Bruce T.  Moran (Kirksville, MO: Truman State University Press, 2015), pp. 19-58.
 

Bio

My goal is to provide world-class cardiac surgical care with a compassionate patient-focused team, excellent operative facilities, and clinically pertinent research efforts.

Research Summary

Ex-Vivo Organ Perfusion ECMO and Mechanical Circulatory Support Cardiothoracic Surgical Outcomes Research

Clinical Summary

Mechanical Circulatory Support; Heart Failure and Ventricular Assist Devices; Heart and Lung Transplantation; Aortic Root Repair and Aortic Reconstructions; Adult Congenital Cardiac Surgery; Transcatheter Endovascular Surgery; Transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Bio

The most meaningful part of my career has been the rewarding experience of helping patients and trainees through upholding the University of Minnesota's long history of excellence in medical devices and heart care.My wealth of experience ensures excellent judgment in all matters related to the heart, lungs or aorta. "I love what I do."

Research Summary

Current research focuses on improving heart and lung transplant outcomes, cardiac resuscitation, studying new medical devices (currently working on a clinical trial testing a new LVAD device (left ventricular modeling), which supports a failing heart; testing new heart valves, pediatric heart devices. and new approaches to managing organ rejection (new immunosuppressant techniques and non-invasive detection of cardiac allograft rejection). She and her team are also studying approaches to treating pump thrombosis.

Clinical Summary

Aortic Procedures; Adult Cardiac Arrest Devices; Maze Procedure; Valve Repair/Replacement; Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting procedures (CABG); Heart Transplantation; Lung Transplantation; Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery; Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy

Bio

My expertise is in T cell and B cell Immunity, Immunological Tolerance and Nonhuman Primates Immunology. My work primarily focuses on understanding the development of the xeno/allo immune response. My main goal is to understand the role of regulatory T and B cells in islet xenoimmunity and to identify the mechanisms critical to the induction of donor-specific regulation of xenoimmunity by Tr1 cells in concert with regulatory cells of myeloid and lymphoid origin. Our recent work, published in Nature Communication, described a novel tolerance protocol using a nonhuman primate animal model for optimal clinical translatability. We have considerably extended field knowledge by demonstrating lasting tolerance to islet allografts in monkeys undergoing immunosuppression and determined that the reduction in donor-specific T and B cell clones along with strong, unremitting regulation contributed to this tolerance. Based on the early and late immunological profiles obtained from this ongoing work, our approach is highly promising as a guide for designing improved human tolerance protocols and ultimately curing type 1 diabetes. We are firmly convinced that to better understand the immune tolerance mechanisms, it is essential that all immune system components are analyzed simultaneously and inter-relationships between these are taken into account. This has recently been made possible by improved system level immune monitoring techniques with the development of novel high-dimensional methods operating at single-cell resolution, such as Mass cytometry (CyTOF: Cytometry by Time-Of-Flight, epiTOF), Imaging Mass Cytometry (IMC) and scRNA-seq. A recent new direction of my work is the analysis of donor reactive lymphocytes turnover using a novel TCR tracking approach to understand the interplay of tolerance and cellular islet xenograft rejection. Using these cutting edge technologies, I am studying the immune phenotype of induction, maintenance and loss of tolerance.

Research Summary

Immunobiology of Tolerance