Translational Medicine Symposium gets all-star reviews in 2026

Translational Medicine Symposium attendees reveled in a robust program Jan. 22 that included an inaugural Translational Concept Award with a grand prize of $11,000, its traditional poster contest, a range of speakers and triple hosts this year with the Department of Medicine’s Jennifer Carew, PhD, Franz Rischard, DO, and Hossein Ardehali, MD, PhD.

Research rigor, real-world impact

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Dr. Rischard, associate dean of clinical research at the College of Medicine – Tucson and pulmonary hypertension program director in the DOM’s Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, noted the Arizona Biomedical Research Centre-sponsored event — now in its fourth year — featured an excellent slate of presentations that highlighted both scientific rigor and real-world impact.

“Overall, the meeting struck an effective balance between inspiration and instruction, leaving attendees energized and with a clearer sense of how to move their own work along the translational spectrum,” he said.

Dr. Ardehali, Division of Cardiology professor, Sarver Heart Center associate director and the college’s associate dean for translational research and training, translational research director and MD/PhD program director, handled most of the emceeing duties, including sharing the microphone during Q&A sessions.

“The symposium brought together scientists, clinicians and innovators united by a shared goal — turning scientific insight into meaningful impact for patients and communities,” said Dr. Carew, the DOM’s chief of the newly reinstated Division of Translational Medicine, the college’s director of investigator-initiated clinical trials, and a Clinical & Translational Oncology Program member at the U of A Cancer Center.  

“It wasn’t just about sharing what we already know — it was about creating new connections and ideas that will help shape the future of medicine.” 

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Sensational speakers

She and Dr. Rischard said the keynote speakers, pharmaceutical industry executive Saptarsi “Sap” Haldar, MD, and PACCS division adult allergy program director Tara Carr, MD, set a high bar for other presenters. Dr. Carr, who’s also a principal investigator on several key studies with the Asthma & Airway Disease Research Center, spoke about “Translating Research to Asthma Care: Asthma Pathogenesis, Heterogeneity and Phenotypes.” She offered a clear and compelling framework for how mechanistic insight can be advanced thoughtfully toward clinical relevance.

Dr. Haldar, a UCSF visiting professor and investigator at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, former head of cardiometabolic research at Amgen and now senior vice president and research biology chief at Genentech, which is part of the Roche Group, spoke twice. His morning talk focused on his career trajectory, demystifying success in a way that reminded many that even the most accomplished investigators are, reassuringly and refreshingly, human. His later theme was, “Targeting Cell State Transitions in  Heart Failure.” With ample interest in the topic, his Q&A session afterward was almost as long as his talk since he often related answers to research presented by others earlier with multiple angles on practical advice offered.

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Other speakers included Tech Launch Arizona patent attorney Mitch Graffeo, who spoke on “Translational Pathways & Commercialization,” and David Ebert, PhD, the U of A’s chief AI and data science officer in the Office of Research & Partnership, who spoke on “Responsible AI: Enabling Precision Healthcare & Transforming Translational Medicine,” since AI and Health is in the ORP strategic plan to focus on research that shapes the future.

Dr. Carr said she also enjoyed the three MSTP (Medical Scientist Training Program) Lightning Talk speakers, Kate Johnson, Manlin Shao and Kayleigh Berthaume Fox.

“The symposium was really engaging because it offered a blend of speakers,” she said. “New and established scientists shared translational experimental data with the crowd. Leaders across the university shared their visions for the growth of medicine and science and opportunities here — such as for patenting science and the future of AI in medicine.”

Competitive presenters

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Contest winners included Venkatesh “Venki” Ariyamuthu, MD, a DOM Division of Nephrology professor and kidney and pancreas transplant medical director at Banner – University Medicine Tucson, who took home the $11,000 Translational Concept Award. The topic he presented on was “Flow Cytometry-Guided Immune Monitoring to Optimize Daratumumab Therapy in Antibody-Mediated Rejection.” Dr. Ariyamuthu also co-authored a poster presented by colleagues, including nephrology fellow Muzammeel Hada, MBBS.

Winners of the poster awards and their research poster themes included:

• First Place ($1,650 prize) | Vishal Kaleeswaran, a second-year PhD candidate, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, “Development of DYR533, a highly selective and orally bioavailable inhibitor of DYRK1A toward the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease and/or Down Syndrome”  
• Second Place ($1,375 prize) | Dominique Farrera, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in pharmacology and toxicology, College of Pharmacy, “Disposition of the Exogenous Biomarker Ezetimibe-Glucuronide Effectively Identifies MASH”  
• Third Place ($1,100 prize) | Aidan McMahon, a fourth-year PhD candidate studying medicinal chemistry, U of A College of Science, “DYR895: An Orally Bioavailable, Brain-Penetrant Small Molecule Kinase Inhibitor for Glioblastoma Multiforme and Colorectal Cancer”
• Fourth Place ($825 prize) | William Knight, a third-year PhD candidate in Phoenix’s Clinical Translational Medicine Program, U of A Health Sciences, “Development of Novel Superoxide Dismutase Mimics for Brain Targeting” and
• Fifth Place ($550 prize) | Catherine Vasquez, a fifth-year PhD candidate working in the College of Medicine – Tucson lab of the Division of Cardiology’s and Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine’s Jil Tardiff, MD, PhD, on research in cardiovascular medicine, “Targeting Tropomyosin Flexibility via Small Molecule Intervention in a Dilated Cardiomyopathy Model.”

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Other DOM attendees (and their divisions) at the symposium included: George Fantry, MD (Gastroenterology, retired); Rajat Madan, MD, PhD (Infectious Diseases, division chief); Steffan Nawrocki, PhD (Translational Medicine); Jennifer Stern, PhD (Endocrinology); Luke Szweda, PhD (Cardiology); Patricia Szweda, MS (Cardiology); Bekir Tanriover, MD, MPH, MBA (Nephrology, division chief); as well as several students and graduate students working in labs of faculty members.

In closing, Dr. Carew said, “Translational medicine is fundamentally about movement — moving discovery into action and ensuring scientific advances lead to real improvements in patient care. This symposium reflected the University of Arizona’s commitment to building the partnerships, infrastructure and culture needed to accelerate that process. We are grateful to the Arizona Biomedical Research Centre for their financial support and for their continued commitment to advancing translational research.”

For video from the symposium see these links: Morning Session and Afternoon Session.

Other event photos can be found here (use your U of A WebAuth to sign in and view).

ALSO SEE:
“DOM Translational Medicine division’s renewal to catalyze bench-to-bedside research” | Posted Dec. 12, 2025
“AI, translational solutions big part of 2025 U of A Cancer Center Scientific Retreat” | Posted Nov. 26, 2025
“Translational Medicine Symposium refocuses research on practical remedies” | Posted March 22, 2024

(Photos courtesy of David Mogollon, Department of Medicine.)

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