SOAR in DOM Forum promotes greater exchange in growing DOM research community

April 29, 2025
David Mogollon, Communications Manager, Department of Medicine

With more than 50 registrants, the inaugural Sharing Opportunities & Achievements in Research forum provided an opportunity to share ideas, network, and recognize outstanding and up-and-coming investigators in the Department of Medicine.

[Attendees at the Share Opportunities & Achievements in Research, or SOAR, in the Department of Medicine forum gather for a group photo between the Biomedical Research Building and Keating BioResearch Building – also the home of the BIO5 Institute.]

Attendees at the Share Opportunities & Achievements in Research, or SOAR, in the Department of Medicine forum gather for a group photo between the Biomedical Research Building and Keating BioResearch Building – also the home of the BIO5 Institute.

Mitch Masilun, UAHS BioCommunications

Kudos to attendees, participants and winners in the first Sharing Opportunities & Achievements in Research in the Department of Medicine, or SOAR in the DOM, forum hosted Thursday evening, April 24, at the University of Arizona BIO5 Institute.

More than 50 people registered for the inaugural event, organized and led by the DOM’s Vice Chair for Research Janet Funk, MD, a professor and researcher in the Division of Endocrinology. Multiple research posters were on display from 4-6 p.m. See a mini-photo gallery below and a link to more photos from the forum.

[SAVAHCS associate chief of staff for research and Division of Cardiology associate professor Sandesh Dev, MD, compares notes with Pulmonary Hypertension program director Franz Rischard, DO, at the SOAR in the DOM research forum in the BIO5 Institute.]

SAVAHCS associate chief of staff for research and Division of Cardiology associate professor Sandesh Dev, MD, compares notes with Pulmonary Hypertension program director Franz Rischard, DO, at the SOAR in the DOM research forum in the BIO5 Institute.

Mitch Masilun, UAHS BioCommunications

Among faculty attending were Franz Rischard, DO, director of the Adult Pulmonary Hypertension Program in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, who was still — at the time — the College of Medicine – Tucson’s interim associate dean for Clinical and Translational Research, and Sandesh Dev, MD, an associate professor in the Division of Cardiology and the associate chief of staff for research at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System. Others included Jennifer Carew, PhD, and Steffan Nawrocki, PhD (Division of Hematology & Oncology); Joshua Farr, PhD (Division of Rheumatology); Anna Morenz, MD, MPH (Division of General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine); Jennifer Stern, PhD (Endocrinology); and Luke Szweda, PhD (Cardiology). Pamela Szweda, MS, a researcher at the Sarver Heart Center, also attended.

“In terms of posters submitted, the Endocrinology and Cardiology divisions were the best represented, particularly due to presentations by research trainees in Drs. Steven Goldman and Jen Stern’s labs,” Dr. Funk said. “Other research trainees and/or faculty from Infectious Diseases, Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology also presented posters.”

She added that research staff, “an invaluable resource propelling DOM research forward,” were well represented and shared their research interests and expertise as well.

Posters, networking and ‘Idea Wall’

[Jennifer Stern, PhD, with students who work in her Endocrinology lab — Isabella Byington, Kassandra Bruner and Thadeus Carolyn — get a photo taken of them in front of one of their research posters at the SOAR in DOM forum. ]

Jennifer Stern, PhD, with students who work in her Endocrinology lab — Isabella Byington, Kassandra Bruner and Thadeus Carolyn — get a photo taken of them in front of one of their research posters at the SOAR in DOM forum.

Mitch Masilun, UAHS BioCommunications

A welcome by Dr. Funk launched the event, followed by a lightning-round talk session to help build research networks. Each participant introduced themselves and described their research interests and techniques applied in that research. All attendees gave positive feedback on the session.

Next was a lively poster/networking session that included food (“Talking with Tacos!”) and contributions to an “Idea Wall,” with input solicited from attendees on how best to build a DOM research community and plan future SOAR research events, Dr. Funk said. 

Among ideas submitted were:

  • More collaboration and support!
  • A quarterly social event for everyone in research to engage
  • Women in science events!
  • Workshops for new PIs, students and staff on how to get research up and going
  • More events to foster a community and career development for research trainees in DOM, since most are in separate programs
  • Lists of labs and equipment that PIs may be willing to share
  • Research area specific journal clubs and/or DOM student-trainee specific journal clubs
  • Workshops for undergrads on how to make a poster and for grad students on dissertation writing
  • Workshops on industry/government career paths

Awards and prizes

The SOAR research forum ended with an awards ceremony and a raffle, where attendees won U of A swag and plants for their homes or offices.

Among awards and awardees were: 

  • Excellence in Research Mentorship Award | Presented to Cardiology’s Stephen Goldman, MD (accepted on his behalf by Daniel Benson, a research tech in Dr. Goldman’s lab), in recognition of outstanding  contributions to mentoring the next generation of biomedical scientists 
  • [Janet Funk, MD, the DOM vice chair for research, with Eli Lefkowitz, who won one of the Excellence in Research Awards at the SOAR in the DOM forum April 24 at the BIO5 Institute.]

    Janet Funk, MD, the DOM vice chair for research, with Eli Lefkowitz, who won one of the Excellence in Research Awards at the SOAR in the DOM forum April 24 at the BIO5 Institute.

    Mitch Masilun, UAHS BioCommunications

    Excellence in Research Award | Presented to Eli Lefkowitz, a COM-T senior in physiology and medical sciences, in recognition of outstanding undergraduate research accomplishments

  • Excellence in Research Award | Presented to Uloma Elvis-Offiah, a PhD candidate in the Cancer Biology and Physiological Sciences graduate interdisciplinary programs, in recognition of outstanding graduate research accomplishments
  • Excellence in Research Award | Presented to Joshua Sethi, MD, MS, an Internal Medicine Residency – Tucson resident, in recognition of outstanding  resident research accomplishments
  • Junior Faculty Excellence in Research Award | Presented to Anna Morenz, MD, MPH, an assistant professor in the GGP division and U of A Cancer Center researcher looking to improve disparities in cancer screening, in recognition of outstanding research accomplishments

Future forums

The next SOAR in DOM research forum will take place this fall along with raffle prizes and more awards.

“We hope even more DOM researchers will be able to attend,” Dr. Funk said. “We all face new challenges in the research environment. Hopefully, as we build a stronger community, we can support one another, thus creating a larger pool of talented researchers willing to engage and share their expertise with others within the department.”

Photos courtesy of Mitch Masilun, photographer, BioCommunications, U of A Health Sciences.

For more photos from the SOAR in DOM Forum, see this link.

MINI-PHOTO GALLERY
Click images to enlarge and for captions:

[Ivan Menendez Montes, PhD, a researcher in the lab of Cardiology chief and Sarver Heart Center director Hesham Sadek, MD, PhD, pins up his poster for display in the SOAR in the DOM Forum, April 24, at the BIO5 Institute.]
[DOM vice chair of research Janet Funk, MD, a Division of Endocrinology researcher whose work focuses on bioactivity of turmeric-derived curcuminoids and related metabolites in breast cancer, welcomes participants in the inaugural SOAR in DOM research forum.]
[Sandesh Dev, MD, a Division of Cardiology associate professor and associate chief of staff for research at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, frames the breadth of his research for attendees of the SOAR in the DOM Forum.]
[Anna Morenz, MD, whose research in the Division of General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine centers on improving cancer screening practices to reduce disparities, talks to other attendees at the SOAR in the DOM research forum. She won a Junior Faculty Excellence in Research Award at the forum.]
[The Division of Hematology & Oncology’s Jennifer Carew, PhD, next to research colleague Steffan Nawrocki, PhD, discusses their research portfolio at the U of A Cancer Center, which includes identifying novel selective therapeutic targets for patients with hematological malignancies and developing new strategies to overcome drug resistance.]
[Division of Endocrinology’s Jennifer Stern, PhD, talks to two people interested in expanding their experience in biomedical research at the University of Arizona at the SOAR in the DOM Forum.]
[Uloma Elvis-Offiah, a cancer biology and physiological sciences PhD candidate, talks with the Pulmonary division’s Franz Rischard, DO, about her research on gastrointestinal genetic mutations and neuroendocrine tumors, particularly gastrinomas. She won the forum’s Excellence in Research Award.]
[Cardiology researchers Luke Szweda, PhD, and Patricia Szweda, MS, look at a poster at the SOAR in the DOM research forum.]
[Cardiology’s Shibani Mukerjee, PhD (left), laughs with colleagues as they come up with thoughts to add to post-its for the SOAR in DOM research forum’s “Idea Wall.”]
[Rheumatology’s Joshua Farr, PhD, speaks with Thadeus Carolyn, a student who works with Endocrinology’s Jennifer Stern, PhD, about a research poster on, “The role of glucagon receptor signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma.”]
[Jesse Riemenschneider, an undergraduate student researcher with Steven Goldman, MD, talks to a SOAR in the DOM forum attendee on his poster, “Development of an electromagnetic induction wireless charging for raspberry pi pico-based atrial fibrillation device in swine.”]
[Joshua Sethi, MD, MS, who won an Excellence in Research Award at the SOAR in the DOM forum, with Janet Funk, MD, DOM vice chair for research.]