Evan Dellon, MD, MPH.

Evan S. Dellon, MD, MPH, AGAF, a professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, was awarded the听William Beaumont Prize in Gastroenterology by the American Gastroenterological Association.

The William Beaumont Prize is given to a gastroenterologist who demonstrates commitment to advancing patient care through clinical and translational research. Dr. Dellon is consistently recognized as a worldwide research expert on eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). He also serves as an adjunct professor of epidemiology, and the director of both the CGIBD Biostatistics and Clinical Research Core and the Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing at 黑料网.

published in听The Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers from the University of North Carolina (黑料网) Department of Medicine and Kidney Center revealed that hydralazine鈥攁 drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure鈥攁lters the structure of myeloperoxidase (MPO), a key immune-related protein. These changes may trigger the autoimmune response seen in ANCA vasculitis.

More specifically, the study found that the addition of a carbonyl group to MPO allows hydralazine to bind and form听hydrazone adducts. These structural changes in MPO appear to set off an immune reaction.

鈥淣ow we have an idea of what鈥檚 happening at the molecular and cellular level that could actually trigger this autoimmune response and lead to disease,鈥� Meghan Free, PhD, an associate professor of medicine in the 黑料网 Division of Nephrology and Hypertension said.

Hydralazine has long been associated with drug-induced ANCA vasculitis, but the exact mechanism behind that link wasn鈥檛 well understood, until now.

, published in the same issue, details how the study sheds light on the mechanisms by which hydralazine induces vasculitis. It serves as an example for understanding haptenation and drug-induced allergic or autoimmune diseases. Given the increasing number of allergic and autoimmune responses associated with drugs, the editorial also suggests the work of Gang Xi, PhD, an associate professor in the 黑料网 Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, may provide a rational basis for tests which may predict whether a drug will lead to allergic and autoimmune responses prior to its prescription.

Study Details

Five clinicians reviewed medical records to identify patients with hydralazine-associated vasculitis based on predetermined criteria. Ten patients with hydralazine-related disease were included in the study and compared with patients who had ANCA vasculitis but had听not听taken hydralazine.

Notably, most of the patients on hydralazine tested positive for both proteinase 3 (PR3)- and MPO-ANCA antibodies.

鈥淧atients with idiopathic vasculitis typically make antibodies to either MPO or PR3, not both,鈥� Dr. Free said. 鈥淪o clinically, if a patient tests positive for both antibodies, it鈥檚 a signal the disease could be drug-induced.鈥�

Still, one big question remains:听Why do only some patients on hydralazine develop this autoimmune reaction, while others do not?

Since drug-induced autoimmunity can act like a 鈥渘atural experiment,鈥� uncovering its mechanisms may also shed light on how other autoimmune diseases, especially those with no known cause, develop.

The study is titled, 鈥�鈥� and was published by Gang Xi, Elizabeth McInnis, Olivier Lardinois, Peiqi Hu, John Poulton, Meghan Fre, Dhruti Chen, Evan Zeitler, Eveline Wu, Nicole Orzechowski, Vimal Derebail, J. Charles Jennette and Ronald Falk.

Kevin A. Friede, MD, FACC, FSCAI, an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology, was recognized and chosen by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) Board to be included in their annual 30 in Their 30s list.

厂颁础滨鈥檚 30 in Their 30s highlights interventional cardiologists who embody the future of interventional cardiology and contribute to the field through their mentorship of younger cardiologists. This selection is very prestigious and is reviewed by a membership & credentialing committee.

Dr. Friede also serves as the Associate Program Director for Research for the Cardiovascular Diseases Fellowship and as the Associate Program Director for Interventional Cardiology Fellowship at 黑料网.

Meet Neeta Saxena, PA-C, MPH, a care provider in Sanford, NC with a plethora of interesting hobbies and professional engagements!

What is your role in the Department and what patients do you serve?听听

My name is Neeta Saxena, PA-C, MPH. I work for the Department of Medicine in Nephrology. I currently provide comprehensive care in managing end-stage renal disease (ESRD) to patients at a large dialysis unit in Sanford and soon will be seeing chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients at the 黑料网 Nephrology Clinic in Sanford with a focus on preventative management and education.听

听Where are you from?听听

I was born and raised in Zambia and always dreamed of moving to America for a better education and future. I moved initially to August GA where I completed my degree in Medical Technology. I then went to PA school at NOVA in Fort Lauderdale and lived in Florida for 13 years before moving to NC.听听

Did you always envision yourself as an APP?听听

听No while I was working at Medical College of Georgia as a Medical Technologist in the Hematology lab, I realized I wanted more direct patient interaction and heard about the PA profession and knew that would be a great fit for me with my strong foundation in healthcare.听听

What is the most rewarding part of your work?听听

Knowing that I make a positive impact on the lives of many complicated dialysis patients by helping them feel heard, seen and cared for, and knowing my clinical decisions affect patient鈥檚 quality of life. I also build strong relationships with these patients as I see them frequently, many of whom become like family. Celebrating when a patient gets a kidney transplant but also understanding patients with social and economic challenges helps me to be a more compassionate provider.听听听

How has your role evolved over time since you鈥檝e been here?听听

I initially started as a per diem role then transitioned to a full-time employee managing very complicated patients. I will soon be starting to see patients in clinics which offers an opportunity to work on CKD management and preventive care. I also play an active role in advocating for APPs and continue to collaborate with the APP center.听

What is one thing that you wish people knew about your job?听听

Dialysis patients endure years of treatment and helping them cope physically and emotionally is also a huge part of my job. The job is emotionally demanding as you see patients in their hardest days and sometimes go through end-of-life care. You develop a special bond with these patients, and it is very difficult when they die.听

Personally, or professionally, what are you most proud of?听听

Coming to this country on my own as a first generation Indian, having the opportunity to earn my PA degree, with master鈥檚 in public health, overcoming the various challenges involved in becoming a US Citizen, and now being able to give back to the community. Most recently, I was asked by the PA Board, NCCPA, to participate in the Nephrology Standard Setting meeting in Atlanta for the CAQ Nephrology Exam which has also been one of the highlights of my career.听听

If you didn鈥檛 have a career in medicine, what would you be doing?听听

Traveling the world!

听What hobbies do you enjoy outside of work? 听

I like to connect to nature with walks, hikes, enjoy weightlifting classes, spending time with family, traveling and most recently I

tried a dragon boat race and hope to represent the 黑料网 Nephrology Team later this year. 听

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?听

Pastries.

What is the best advice you鈥檝e ever received?听

Learn to enjoy each moment in each day as tomorrow is not guaranteed.听听

What do you hope to accomplish in the next year?听

In the next year, I hope to continue growing and learning as I expand my role in nephrology working with clinic patients, providing preventive care medicine and build on my expertise in managing chronic kidney disease. I am also eager to work with APP center supporting my colleagues and the profession.听听

What鈥檚 the last song you listened to?听

听Bollywood songs.

听听

听

听

The clickable links below navigate directly to outside media articles which featured Department of Medicine faculty and staff throughout the month of April.

Drs. Andrew Moon, Hanna Sanoff, Donna Evon听 and听A. Sidney Barritt IV 听improving the quality of life for people with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Ashwin Somasundaram, MD, and Hanna Sanoff, MD, MPH,听targeted therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer.

Seth A. Berkowitz, MD, MPH,听Healthy Opportunities program reduced Medicaid costs.

David Wohl, MD,听听know about Bird Flu.

David Weber, MD, MPH,听the rare Hantavirus.

Kelli Allen, PhD, 听on non-pharmaceutical remedies for osteoarthritis pain management.

Eben Lichtman MD,听coordinated and presented at LLS Myeloma Rounds Durham, giving a talk on 鈥楿pdates in Multiple Myeloma Clinical Research.鈥�

Joshua Zeidner, MD,听published the first听randomized trial for TP53-mutated AML

Janice Hwang, MD, MHS听as a disease to destigmatize treatment to ELLE magazine.

Matthew Milowsky, MD, FASCO听听is effective against muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Amanda Nelson,听MD, MSCR, RhMSUS,听in osteoarthritis care.

Shehzad Sheikh, MD, PhD,听听AI鈥檚 use in Crohn鈥檚 disease care.

Blaine Brower, RN, MSN, FNP-BC,听and co-authors听听in the Frontiers in Oncology: Genitourinary Oncology Journal titled 鈥淢anaging potential adverse events during treatment with enfortumab vedotin + pembrolizumab in patients with advanced urothelial cancer.鈥�

Michael Dougherty, MD, MSCR,听screening rural patients for colorectal cancer.

We are honored to recognize the following as award recipients:

Division of Cardiology

• Anderson Bradbury
• Brian Jensen
• Cody Deen
• Emily Baker
• George Stouffer
• John Vavalle
• Joseph Rossi
• Joseph Sivak
• Kevin Friede
• Kirkwood Adams
• Matthew Baker
• Megan Andrews
• Patricia Chang
• Paula Miller
• Ross Simpson
• Adam Moskowitz

Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism

• Deepa Kirk
• Janet Rubin
• John Buse
• Klara Klein
• Tahereh Ghorbani

Division of Geriatric Medicine

• Ben Blomberg
• Brianna Harder
• Claire Larson
• David Lynch
• Kimberly Mournighan
• Maureen Dale
• Meredith Gilliam
• Tiffany Long

Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology

• Andrew Moon
• Anne Peery
• Danielle Maier
• Edward Barnes
• Hans Herfarth
• Melissa Spacek
• Millie Long
• Neil Shah
• Nicholas Shaheen
• Shifali Arora
• Vikki Metheny

Division of Hematology

• Alice Ma
• Anne Beaven
• Brandi Reeves
• Cassiopeia Frank
• Hendrik van Deventer
• James Coghill
• Joshua Zeidner
• Martha Strayhorn
• Nigel Key
• Raj Kasthuri
• Samuel Rubinstein
• Sascha Tuchman
• Sean Gallagher
• Stephan Moll

Division of Infectious Diseases

• Eric Langhans

Division of General Medicine & Clinical Epidemiology

• Amy Shaheen
• Amy Weil
• Ana Bermudez
• Christopher Klipstein
• Cristin Colford
• Darren DeWalt
• De-Vaughn Williams
• Hannah Coletti
• Karen Kimel-Scott
• Katherine Allen
• Laura Loehr
• Lee Berkowitz
• Louise King
• Marco Aleman
• Paul Chelminski
• Rosanne Tiller
• Russell Coletti
• Shana Ratner
• Tamara Godfrey
• Thomas Keyserling

Division of Nephrology & Hypertension

• Cynthia Denu-Ciocca
• Gerald Hladik
• Karin True
• Monica Reynolds
• Raven Voora
• Ronald Falk
• Shannon Murphy

Division of Oncology

• Blaine Brower
• Carrie Lee
• Clarissa Urban
• Elizabeth Dees
• Emily Ray
• Ethan Basch
• Frances Collichio
• Hanna Sanoff
• Matthew Milowsky
• Siddharth Sheth
• Stergios Moschos
• Teresa Sadiq
• Young Whang
• Tatjana Grgic, pharmacy resident

Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine

• Hubert Ford
• Kunal Patel
• Leonard Lobo
• Mary Daniels
• Michael Drummond

Division of Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology

• Aubrey Wilson
• Beth Jonas
• Mildred Kwan
• Nicole Orzechowski
• Onyinye Iweala
• Rumey Ishizawar
• Scott Commins
• Sofija Volertas

听

Years of hard work and dreams were folded into envelopes, decorative boxes and other means of message delivery. On March 21st, medical students discovered where their career journey would take them for residency.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill鈥檚 Internal Medicine Residency Program paired 31 categorical residents, ten preliminary residents, and 6 Medicine/Pediatrics residents.

This curriculum teaches internists how to provide compassionate, team-based care while incorporating the ideals of life-long learning and teaching into clinical decisions. The program also has a 100 percent ABIM pass rate, which is calculated by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) utilizing annual reports from each Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited internal medicine residency program.

Learn about the newest additions to our programs here:

Categorical Residents

Bina Amin, MD
University of North Carolina

Schuyler Bain, MD, MTS
University of North Carolina

Kane Banner, MD, MHS
The Medical University of South Carolina

Ean Bills, MD
Marshall University

Felicia Branch, MD
East Carolina University

Sean Chambers, MD
University of Rochester

Stephan Constante, MD, MPH
University of North Carolina

Shivani Desai, MD
University of North Carolina

Manisha Dubey, MD
University of Colorado

Anna Geduldig, MD
Oregon Health and Science University

Lee Hogge, MD
Eastern Virginia Medical School

Hannah Jackson, MD
Texas Tech University

Ariel Jimenez, MD
Georgetown University

Catherine Karbasiafshar, MD
Eastern Virginia Medical School

Grace Kramer, MD
University of Oklahoma

Alan Michael Le Grice, MD
Texas A&M University

Jason Lee, MD
University of North Carolina

Jarred Lobo, MD
University of North Carolina

Yainira Mendez Borrero, MD
Ponce University

Nicole Ocasio-Martinez, MD
Ponce University

Lauren Peltier, MD
University of Toledo

Tripti Rathi, MD
Case Western Reserve University

Jessica Saganowich, MD
Texas A&M University

Kaitlyn Santineau, MD
Texas Tech University

Jonathan Smith, MD, MPH
University of North Carolina

Kathleen Smith, MD
University of Kentucky

Eric Stoutenburg, MD, PhD
University of Vermont

John Sweeney, MD
University of Illinois

Rubie Villela, MD
Western Michigan University

Kate Watkins, MD
University of North Carolina

Evan Woods, MD
Drexel University

Preliminary Residents

Aana Amin, MD
University of California, Davis
Ophthalmology

Neha Arora, MD, MBA
Texas A&M University
Dermatology

Kate Beekman, MD
University of South Florida
Dermatology

Teresa Benvenuti, MD
Duke University
Radiology

Ishani Kapoor, MD
Drexel University
Ophthalmology

Sarah McAlpine, MD
University of North Carolina
Dermatology

Shwetha Mudalegundi, MD
Johns Hopkins University
Ophthalmology

Elisha Myers, MD, MSc
Charles Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University
Dermatology

Erik Rosas Rosas, MD
Medical College of Georgia
Ophthalmology

Alisa Suen-Wallach, MD, PhD
University of North Carolina
Dermatology

Med-Peds Residents

Abigail Schulz, MD
University of Illinois College of Medicine听 听

Cailey O鈥檔eill, MD
Medical College of Wisconsin

Prianca Nagda, MD
University of Florida College of Medicine

Renae Lyons, MD
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Melanie Hardee, MD
University of North Carolina

Emily Cleveland, MD
University of South Alabama College of Medicine

Frank holds a Certificate in Quality, Patient Safety, and Outcomes Research from Johns Hopkins University鈥檚 Bloomberg School of Public Health and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Quality and Patient Safety at the same institution.听

鈥�The providers here are not only highly skilled professionals, but they are also human,鈥� Frank said. 鈥淚n the last several years, I have focused my graduate work in healthcare quality and patient safety, which operates on the foundation of the goodness, but also the fallibility, of humans.鈥�

鈥淚 believe one of the best ways I can give back to both our patients and our clinical workforce is by strengthening the systems in which they work.鈥疢y hope is to enhance our ability to pursue innovative quality projects by advancing access to actionable data that contribute meaningful improvements to patient care.鈥�

Frank鈥檚 research focuses on clinician trust and AI integration in clinical practice, reflecting her commitment to advancing patient-centered care through innovative solutions. Her dedication to improving healthcare quality is further demonstrated by her completion of the Institute for Healthcare Quality Improvement (IHQI) Fellowship at 黑料网 in 2024. Additionally, she is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, underscoring her expertise in implementing evidence-based strategies to enhance patient outcomes.

Please join us in congratulating Cassiopeia Frank, MMSc, PA-C, CPPS, on this well-deserved appointment.

Dr. Ron Falk invites Andrea Coviello, MD, FACE, MMCi, MSc an expert in endocrinology and metabolism, to discuss the latest developments in weight loss drugs. Their conversation explores how these medications work, their impact on metabolism and appetite regulation, and their role in the broader landscape of obesity treatment and patient care

Premier鈥檚 annual ranking highlights the top U.S. cardiovascular hospitals using public data and a balanced scorecard approach.

According to The Business Journals operations at these top performing hospitals led to 25% fewer acute myocardial infarction deaths and 66% fewer coronary artery bypass grafting deaths. As well as 30% fewer percutaneous coronary interventions and 19% fewer coronary artery bypass grafting patients with complication.

Read more on how these cardiology providers are

Meet Tammy Long, MSN, APRN, AGNP, an APP in Cardiology and aspiring baker!

What is your role in the Department and what patients do you serve?

I am a nurse practitioner in the Division of Cardiology. I see heart failure patients in an outpatient clinic. I also work as a research coordinator for heart failure research, enrolling patients into Phase I, III, and III studies.

Where are you from?

I am from Richmond, VA

Did you always envision yourself as an APP?

No, I worked as a CVICU nurse for 15 years before deciding to go back to school for my Masters in Nursing. I felt like I wanted more. It was hard seeing patients/families at their worst and then not knowing what happened when they left our ICU doors. I wanted a deeper relationship with my patients.

What is the most rewarding part of your work?

I love developing a close relationship with my clinic patients, they are like family. I also have a strong passion for helping heart failure patients through clinical research. Because of this, I am able to provide the best care for my patients. Hearing the value that research brings to my patients is extremely rewarding 鈥� whether it鈥檚 the close follow up or the opportunity for their condition to improve when traditional therapies have failed.

How has your role evolved over time since you鈥檝e been here?

I started this role 7 years ago and I knew very little about clinical research, I still learn something new every single day. I have wanted to change the negative impression surrounding research, and really highlight the wonderful opportunity it presents for patients.

What is one thing that you wish people knew about your job?

How clinically focused heart failure research is, I had no idea until I started this role. I am able to bridge so many gaps in care for these patients 鈥� with the close medical follow up, medication assistance, insurance assistance, and sometimes just being a listening ear for them.

Personally, or professionally, what are you most proud of?

My incredible family and my career. It鈥檚 not always easy to balance, but I would never change it. Plus, I love a challenge!

If you didn鈥檛 have a career in medicine, what would you be doing?

I would be a chef, no doubt.

What hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?

Watching my kids play sports, going to the movies, reading, hiking, and cooking.

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Pasta 鈥� any kind!

What is the best advice you鈥檝e ever received?

There鈥檚 always someone in a better position than you, but there鈥檚 also always someone in a worse position than you.

What do you hope to accomplish in the next year?

Making homemade sourdough.

What鈥檚 the last song you listened to?

Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift

Joshua Zeidner, MD

Joshua Zeidner, MD, an Associate Professor of Medicine and Chief of Leukemia Research, published a paper in the journal Blood. Titled 鈥�Magrolimab plus azacitidine vs physician鈥檚 choice for untreated TP53-mutated acute myeloid leukemia: the ENHANCE-2 study,鈥� he听looked at a global randomized phase 3 study in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

This study examined patients with TP53-mutated AML who have an extremely poor prognosis without any known effective therapies. Historically, average overall survival is approximately 5-6 months in patients with newly diagnosed TP53-mutated AML. Magrolimab is an investigational monoclonal antibody targeting CD47 which promotes phagocytosis (or the eating and destruction) of cancer cells. In an early phase 1b study, the combination of azacitidine and magrolimab was demonstrated to be safe with very promising clinical activity in patients with newly diagnosed TP53-mutated AML with complete remission rates of 32% and average overall survival of 10 months (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37703506/).

These promising results led to the development of a global phase 3 clinical trial comparing two treatment options for newly diagnosed TP53-mutated AML. One group received azacitidine with the investigational drug magrolimab, while the other received a treatment chosen by their physician鈥攅ither azacitidine with venetoclax or intensive chemotherapy (7+3).

In the planned comparison between azacitidine with magrolimab and azacitidine with venetoclax, 205 patients were randomly assigned to one of the two groups. However, an interim analysis led to the study being halted due to futility. Patients receiving azacitidine with magrolimab had an average overall survival of 4.4 months, compared to 6.6 months for those receiving azacitidine with venetoclax.

This is the first published randomized trial for TP53-mutated AML, a patient group with a high need for new treatments. The results confirm the limited effectiveness of standard therapies for this population and provide a benchmark for future research.