Clinical and Translational Sciences Faculty
Track Leader-William D. Wessinger, Ph.D.

Sameh R. Abul-Ezz, M.D., Ph.D. (Nephrology) Web profile
My current research interests include early kidney transplant function and the development of urinary biomarkers for early detection of acute kidney failure and acute rejection. Abulezzsamehr@uams.edu

Cornelia Beck, Ph.D. (Geriatrics) Web profile
Our research focuses on delaying functional decline and dealing with behavioral symptoms in persons with Alzheimer's disease.  Our interventions involve capitalizing on the person's remaining strengths and individualizing behavioral and psychosocial approaches. BeckCornelia@uams.edu

Warren Bickel, Ph.D. (Psychiatry) Web profile
Neurobehavioral mechanisms of addiction and therapeutic processes underlying recovery from addiction.

Sarah Blossom, Ph.D. (Pediatrics) Web profile
Blossom is an immunologist working in the area of immunotoxicology and reproductive immunology. Her research uses a mouse model to study the neuroimmune modulation caused by maternal and early life exposure to toxicants such as trichloroethylene and cigarette smoke. Understanding the immunologic basis and environmental triggers involved in the etiology of neurologic disorders could be crucial for the development of effective screening, therapeutic, and preventive strategies for human disorders. Dr. Blossom also conducts research within the Section of Birth Defects Research by studying the role of the maternal immune response and congenital heart defects in humans.
BlossomSarah@uams.edu

Puran Bora, Ph.D. (Opthalmology) Web profile
Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), an eye disease which can cause loss of central vision in the population over the age of 50. Our laboratory is studying the Molecular and Biochemical mechanisms of AMD and uvietis in order to find a cure and/or prevention of the diseases.
pbora@uams.edu

Alan Budney, Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences) Web profile
ajbudney@uams.edu

Elizabeth Ann Coleman, Ph.D., R.N. (Nursing Sciences) Web profile
Symptom management and supportive care, familial risk of cancer
colemanann@uams.edu

Mario Cleves, Ph.D. (Pediatrics) Web profile
Current research interests focus on discerning the genetic and environmental causes of major structural congenital malformations, particularly neural tube and congenital heart defects, and the assessment of qualify of pediatric health services and interventions to modify health care provider behavior.
ClevesMarioA@uams.edu

Sharon Coon, Ph.D., R.N. (Nursing Sciences) Web profile
Cancer symptom management, exercise for patients with cancer, identifying and improving patients' experiences during the cancer experience.
coonsharonk@uams.edu

Marsha Eigenbrodt, M.D., M.P.H. (Cardiology) Web profile
As a pathologist and epidemiologist, I have broad interests in chronic diseases with a particular interest in the methodological issues facing observational and clinical studies. Specific interests include indicators of arteriosclerosis severity and vascular aging, gene-environmental interactions, orthostatic hypotension, stroke, the relationship between alcohol and cardiovascular disease, and novel vascular risk factors in renal disease.
eigenbrodtmarshal@uams.edu

W. Brooks Gentry, M.D. (Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology) Web profile
Our goal is to develop antibody-based medications for stimulant abuse, which alter the pharmacokinetic properties of these drugs. These studies are part of a multidisciplinary, clinician scientist approach to the rational development of therapeutic strategies, and provide the background information necessary for translational research of the efficacy of antibody-based medications for the treatment of human drug abuse.
gentrywilliamb@uams.edu

Martin Hauer-Jensen, M.D., Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences) Web profile
Radiation biology; gastrointestinal pathophysiology; endothelial biology
Hauerjensenmartin@uams.edu

Howard Hendrickson, Ph.D. (Pharmaceutical Sciences) Web profile
hendricksonhowardp@uams.edu

Jack Hinson, Ph.D. (Pharmacology and Toxicology) Web profile
jahinson@uams.edu

Charlotte Hobbs, M.D., Ph.D. (Pediatrics, Epidemiology) Web profile
Our team's research interests include genetic epidemiology, congenital heart defects, genomics, oxidative stress, folate-related pathways, diabetes, obesity, and prematurity.
HobbsCharlotte@uams.edu

Laura James, M.D. (Interdisciplinary Toxicology) Web profile
Dr. Laura James is Principal Investigator for the Pediatric Pharmacology Research Unit at Arkansas Children's Hospital.  Her research emphasis in the basic sciences is in understanding mechanisms of repair for hepatotoxins (acetaminophen, chloroform) in the mouse model.  She is also interested in the detection of biomarkers of acetaminophen toxicity (acetaminophen protein adducts) in clinical samples and their correlation with clinical endpoints.
JamesLauraP@uams.edu

Louanne Lawson, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, DF-IAFN (Nursing Science) Web profile
Child abuse prevention
lawsonlouanne@uams.edu

Kim E. Light, Ph.D. (Pharmaceutical Sciences) Web profile
My research program is aimed at developing neuronal systems and the alterations to development that result subsequent to exposures to alcohol and other drugs. Our current approach involves immunofluorescence labeling of specific cellular structures, at various developmental times, followed by confocal microscopy analysis of structural neuronal features characteristic of normal developmental as well as specific drug-induced alterations.
LightKimE@uams.edu

Curtis Lowery M.D. (Obstetrics and Gynecology) Web profile
Dr. Lowery leads the Fetal Instrumentation Group (FIG), a collaborative effort between UAMS and UALR to develop newer more accurate methods of maternal-fetal assessment. Through an active research program the FIG has designed and developed several novel instruments and conducted clinical studies on the fetus. His efforts to develop a completely non-invasive maternal-fetal physiograph resulted in NIH funding to construct the first fetal MEG system called SARA (SQUID Array for Reproductive Assessment). Dr. Lowery has created three model telemedicine programs. The Antenatal & Neonatal Guidelines, Education and Learning System (ANGELS) is a high-risk pregnancy consultation service delivering never-before-available care in rural Arkansas. The Center for Distance Health offers rural Arkansas access to all medical specialties through telemedicine. Arkansas Telehealth Oversight and Management (ATOM) is a statewide consortium of healthcare providers aimed at improving service delivery in rural Arkansas through telemedicine. Finally, Dr. Lowery is the PI of a major NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) to the UAMS campus.
LoweryCurtisL@uams.edu

Stewart MacLeod, Ph.D. (Pediatrics) Web profile
Molecular and cell biology
MacLeodStewartL@uams.edu

Lee Ann MacMillan-Crow, Ph.D. (Pharmacology and Toxicology) Web profile
Our laboratory has been investigating the role that increased mitochondrial oxidant production has on the early events leading to renal dysfunction following renal preservation and warm ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in vivo. Previous studies have suggested that inactivation of the major antioxidant within the mitochondria, manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), plays a pivotal role in inducing renal injury during I/R injury. Using both cell and rodent models we are also assessing the therapeutic potential of known and novel antioxidants to alter I/R and transplantation induced renal dysfunction.
macmillancrowleea@uams.edu

Stavros Manolagas, M.D., Ph.D. (Internal Medicine) Web profile
Basic research into the interplay among hormones, cytokines, the hematopoietic/immune system and bone.
ManolagasStavros@uams.edu

Bradley C. Martin, Pharm.D., Ph.D. (Pharmacy Practice) Web profile
The Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy program investigates the impact pharmaceutical products, policies, and services has on patient and system level outcomes.
bmartin@uams.edu

Glen P. Mays, Ph.D. (Health Systems Research)
Health and economic impact of health insurance designs and public health policies, quality and cost-effectiveness of public health services, econometric methods for the evaluation of health care systems. 
GPMays@uams.edu

Robert E. McGehee, Ph.D. (Pathology, Physiology & Biophysics, Bioinformatics) Web profile
Molecular biology; adipocyte development; regulation of adipogenesis by retinoblastoma proteins
rem@uams.edu

Jean McSweeney, Ph.D. (Nursing Science) Web profile
Women and cardiovascular disease, focusing on early warning and acute symptoms of myocardial infarction
mcsweenyjeanc@uams.edu

Donald Mock, M.D., Ph.D. (Clinical Nutrition, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) Web profile
AREAS OF CURRENT RESEARCH INTEREST 1. Nutrition of Biotin- Incidence of biotin deficiency in pregnancy and potential role of biotin deficiency in human teratogenesis; biotin metabolism, particularly degradation and regulation of degradation of biotin; mechanism and regulation of cellular uptake including inborn errors of biotin transport; role of biotin in biotinylation of histones and their potential role on DNA replication or transcription. 2. Non-radioactive measurement of red cell mass and red cell survival. 3. Biotinylation of low molecular peptides hormones such as erythropoietin and subsequent quantitation in order to study pharmacokinetics of endogenously secreted erythropoietin and potentially other hormones
mockdonaldm@uams.edu

Jeffery Moran, Ph.D. (Pharmacology and Toxicology)
My research efforts focus on developing new metabolomic approaches which can help us better understand adverse drug reactions and provide new therapeutic strategies.  Currently, we are studying phase I and II metabolism of warfarin and applying this information to clinical applications by trying to understand the relationship between warfarin metabolism and anticoagulant therapy outcomes. 
Jeff.Moran@arkansas.gov

Mayumi Nakagawa, M.D., Ph.D. (Pathology) Web profile
T cell immunity to human papillomavirus as it relates to the development of therapeutic vaccines and immunotherapy.
mnakagawa@UAMS.EDU

Alison Oliveto, Ph.D. (Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences) Web profile
Research interests include the phase I and II clinical trials focused primarily on the development of new medications and combinations of medication and behavioral interventions for the treatment of opioid and/or psychostimulant dependence and withdrawal.
olivetoalison@uams.edu

S. Michael Owens, Ph.D. (Pharmacology, Interdisciplinary Toxicology) Web profile
owenssamuelm@uams.edu

Carmen T. Paniagua, Ed.D., RN, MSN, APN, ACNP-BC (Nursing Science) Web profile
Research interest in the translation of genetics/genomics into clinical practice and cancer genetics. Current research is on the identification of genes for the susceptibility of alcohol/nicotine dependence in the Hispanic population. PaniaguaCarmen@uams.edu

Anna Radominska-Pandya, Ph.D. (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) Web profile
Structure-function relationship studies of human UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs); Transcriptional regulation of UGTs via environmental pollutants; Role of UGTs in breast cancer and in cancer prevention; and Detoxification of drugs and endogenous compounds
RadominskaAnna@uams.edu

Nancy J. Rusch, Ph.D. (Pharmacology, Interdisciplinary Toxicology) Web profile
NRusch@uams.edu

Robert Safirstein, M.D. (Physiology and Biophysics, Bioinformatics) Web profile
My research interests are Acute Kidney Injury, cell signaling and cell cycle control.
SafirsteinRobertL@uams.edu

Gal Shafirstein, Ph.D. (Otolaryngology) Web profile
Developing surgical medical devices and modalities for treatment of cancer and benign lesions
Mathematical modeling of thermal ablation
ShafirsteinGal@uams.edu

Catherine Stanger, Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences) Web profile
Dr. Stanger's interests include adolescent substance abuse, parenting interventions, and substance abusing families.  Her most recent NIDA-funded projects include developing and testing a behavioral family intervention for adolescent marijuana abuse and developing and testing a parenting intervention for substance abusing parents. 
cstanger@uams.edu

Katherine E. Stewart, Ph.D., M.P.H. (Health Behavior and Health Education, COPH)
Behavioral science approaches to reducing sexual health risk; improving outcomes in HIV-positive patients and persons with other chronic illnesses, and addressing racial health disparities in sexual and reproductive health.
kestewart@uams.edu

Sundararaman Swaminathan,M.D. (Nephrology) Web profile
My research laboratory's focus is on understanding mechanisms of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis with a special emphasis on the role of iron, T-helper pathways and macrophages. Additional areas that we are currently evaluating include the role of circulating mesenchymal cells in vascular calcification and calciphylaxis. My clinical research interest involves understanding pathogenic mechanisms of polyoma nephropathy in renal transplant.
SSwaminathan@uams.edu

Galen Wenger Ph.D. (Pharmacology & Toxicology) Web profile
My research interests are in the measurement of cognitive function in laboratory animals, the effects of drugs of abuse on cognitive function, and the effect of cognitive enhancers in a mouse model of Down syndrome.
grwenger@uams.edu

William D. Wessinger, Ph.D. (Pharmacology, Interdisciplinary Toxicology) Web profile
My research interests are in the behavioral pharmacology of drug abuse and the mechanisms of drug dependence and addiction. We are currently conducting research to test antibody-based medications designed to stop or prevent methamphetamine self-administration and/or relapse to methamphetamine use.
wdwessinger@uams.edu

Delia West, Ph.D. (Health Behavior & Health Education)
Obesity treatment and prevention, particularly treatment outcome studies which often target populations with obesity-related comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes.  Research conducted in community-based settings or population-based recruitment. WestDelia@uams.edu

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