Archived News

[Rajat Madan, MD, PhD, in his white coat from the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine]

From ‘army brat’ to ID chief, Rajat Madan, MD, PhD, takes on superbugs at U of A

Dec. 19, 2025

Rajat Madan, MD, PhD, brings a precision-medicine approach to his new role as chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, focused on novel host-targeted therapies using advanced immunology, genetics and cross-disciplinary research.

[Ronadip Banerjee, MD, PhD, in his lab at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore]

Ronadip Banerjee, MD, PhD, named Endocrinology chief

Dec. 15, 2025

Coming from Johns Hopkins, physician-scientist Ronadip Banerjee, MD, PhD, brings his own vision on specialty endocrinology care, integrative training, diabetes research, and collaborative growth.

[Jennifer S. Carew, PhD, the college's director of investigator-initiated clinical trials and U of A Cancer Center’s director of translational medicine, will lead the reinstated division, approved by the College of Medicine – Tucson in late November 2025.]

DOM Translational Medicine division’s renewal to catalyze bench-to-bedside research

Dec. 12, 2025

The College of Medicine – Tucson OK’d reinstatement of the Department of Medicine’s Division of Translational Medicine, with Jennifer Carew, PhD, as chief. Her goals include more cross-campus research partnerships for better patient care solutions.

[From left, Department of Medicine clinical associate directors Monique Murillo and Monica Rodriguez, Megan Rumble, Lauren Melcher, RN, Natalie Provencia-Dean, Sylvia Lopez, RN, Xochilt Ortega, Ken Bottrill, and Gina Dominguez – sporting their photobooth headwear Dec. 3 at the 2025 DOM Year-End Faculty & Staff Luncheon.]

DOM Year-End Luncheon offers opportunity to gather and celebrate 2025

Dec. 8, 2025

New features such as an igloo-themed holiday photo booth and a raffle drawing made the Dec. 3 event even more fun and spectacular.

[Stephen A. Klotz, MD, has spent decades studying kissing bugs to make sure the public has the facts about these insects, which sparked concern earlier this fall with a recharacterization of Chagas disease, caused by kissing bugs, by some scientists — including a U of A Infectious Diseases Fellowship graduate — as endemic to the U.S.]

U of A physician-scientist sets the record straight on kissing bugs

Dec. 8, 2025

A spate of bad press involving the insects resulted in scary headlines, but years of research by Stephen A. Klotz, MD, past Infectious Diseases division chief at the College of Medicine – Tucson, show they pose little risk.

[Endocrinology’s Jennifer Stern, PhD (left, in her lab with graduate researcher Catherine Xia), and Translational Medicine’s Steffan Nawrocki, PhD (right, at the 2024 Translational Medicine Symposium), both won Spark grants this fall from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. The grants target projects that promote collaboration between researchers and show promise of attracting further funding.]

2025 SPARK grants spur research efforts across departments

Dec. 4, 2025

Nearly $215,000 in seed money will promote research in brain cancer, calorie restriction and healthy aging, vision problems in Parkinson’s patients, strength training for healthy blood pressure during pregnancy and immune defenses against a brain parasite.

[Two photos of Staff Appreciation Event honorees hosted by the Department of Medicine, including an inset shot of Dermatology department’s Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski, MD (chair), Angelica Bonfiglio and Julio Valencia. The larger photo includes Department of Medicine chair Jim Liao, MD, DOM administrator Phet Chen, Tonya Carney, Ali Kellerman, Julio Valencia and DOM associate administrator Cynthia Campas.]

Staff appreciation brunch honors DOM staffers headed to other U of A posts

Nov. 27, 2025

Ali Kellerman, headed to College of Agriculture and Life Sciences division, and Julio Valencia and Angelica Bonfiglio, to the College of Medicine – Tucson’s new Department of Dermatology, got certificates. Bersabe Lopez left for Dermatology, too.

[People begin to gather in the HSIB Forum for the 2025 U of A Comprehensive Cancer Center's 2025 Scientific Retreat, Nov. 14, 2025.]

AI, translational solutions big part of 2025 U of A Cancer Center Scientific Retreat

Nov. 26, 2025

The University of Arizona Cancer Center’s annual showcase of research lived well up to its promise this year, with multiple participants from six divisions of the Department of Medicine — and new U of A chief AI and data science officer David Ebert, PhD.

[Juanita L. Merchant, MD, PhD, chief of the Division of Gastrenterology & Hepatology and associate director for basic sciences at the U of A Comprehensive Cancer Center, likely will wait until 2027 for her induction ceremony.]

Dr. Juanita Merchant elected fellow of American Association for Cancer Research

Nov. 24, 2025

The GI Division chief at the College of Medicine – Tucson may postpone her induction because of a conflict over the date due to her role as Association of American Physicians’ current president.

[A collage of images from the 2025 American College of Physicians – Arizona Chapter Scientific Meeting held Nov. 14-15 in Mesa, Arizona, including Educator of the Year winner Amy Sussman, MD (top left); Laureate award winner Bijin Thajudeen, MD (below her) a group shot (top center); 2025 and 2026 meeting chairs Krystal Renszel, DO, and Bujji Ainapurapu (top right); and another group shot with Madhav Chopra, MD, a lecture presenter (below center).]

DOM students, residents, faculty shine at 2025 ACP-AZ Chapter Scientific Meeting

Nov. 19, 2025

Held Nov. 14-15 in Mesa, Arizona, Department of Medicine participants at the American College of Physicians – Arizona Chapter annual meeting took home Educator, Resident, Student and Laureate of the Year honors as well as several poster awards. Other DOM faculty presented lectures at the 12-CME event.