SEPTEMBER 2026 NEWSLETTER
The newsletter of the Feinberg School of Medicine Research Office
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Research Day 2026 Recognizes Scientific Excellence and Collaboration |
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Feinberg students, staff, trainees and faculty celebrated scientific discoveries and collaboration and presented their research posters and abstracts at the 20th annual Lewis Landsberg Research Day on Thursday, Sept. 10. The keynote address was delivered by John Rogers, PhD, the Louis Simpson and Kimberly Querrey Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Neurological Surgery. |
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Surgeon-Scientist Honored with 2026 Tripartite Prize |
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Daniela Ladner, MD, MPH, the John Benjamin Murphy Professor of Surgery and vice chair of research and innovation in the Department of Surgery, has been named the winner of the 2026 Tripartite Legacy Faculty Prize in Translational Science and Education. |
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As Urban Tree Shade Shrinks, Mortality Rises |
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In a new study, Northwestern University scientists tracked death rates and fluctuations in tree canopy cover across an 11-year period in Chicago. They found that areas experiencing greater losses in tree canopy — land covered by trees’ leafy crowns — also experienced higher mortality rates, particularly in the city’s hottest neighborhoods. The findings, published in GeoHealth, suggest cities should prioritize protecting mature trees alongside planting new ones. Given the myriad health benefits associated with trees, tree maintenance has become even more crucial as human-caused climate change drives more extreme weather and intensifies heat risks in cities. |
The Feinberg Hub LaunchesA New Staff IntranetDriven by a commitment to improve the staff experience, teams access the medical school recently launched the Feinberg Hub, a staff-focused intranet that centralizes resources for people to do their best work. The Hub integrates information from across Feinberg — including administration, finance, information technology, research administration, communications, space and events, facilities and more — in one easy-to-navigate portal. At the same time, many of these internal-facing pages have moved to the Hub from our public-facing website. |
Faculty ProfileImproving Long-term Maternal and Child Health OutcomesAlexa Freedman, PhD, is an assistant professor of Preventive Medicine in the Division of Epidemiology and a member of the Potocsnak Longevity Institute. Her research integrates social context, placental biology and cardiovascular epidemiology to elucidate mechanisms linking prenatal exposures to maternal and offspring cardiovascular outcomes across the life course. |
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Staff ProfileLeading and Improving Operational EfficienciesJonathan Okstad, PhD, MBA, earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from North Dakota State University, a Master of Education from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, an MBA in Strategic Management from St. Catherine University, and a PhD in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies from Loyola University Chicago. He is a certified professional project manager. |
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Student ProfileStudying Mechanisms of Tumor SuppressionAllegra Minor is a PhD candidate in the Driskill Graduate Program in Life Sciences. In the laboratory of Lillian J. Eichner, PhD, assistant professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Minor’s work focuses on cellular senescence, a permanent form of cell cycle arrest, and utilizing it a strategy to control tumor growth. |
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Campus Events |
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Research in the NewsUS News & World Report — Heat Makes Emergency Rooms Busier. Study Shows Which Illness and Injuries Rise During Hot Spells with Abel N Kho, MD The Washington Post — Calcium Testing for Heart Health May Have Limited Value for Many, Study Finds with Nilay Shah, MD, MPH
Crain's Chicago Business — Northwestern Researchers Home in on Why Rare Autoimmune Disease Recurs, Even after Surgery with Ankit Bharat, MBBS
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NUCATS CornerApplications Open for Two Funding OpportunitiesTwo NUCATS funding opportunities are now accepting applications for 2027. The Eisenberg Pilot Awards and the Giddan Child Health Research Awards are open for proposals until October 31, 2026. Learn more about each award and submission requirements: |
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Breakthroughs PodcastWhy It’s Important to Analyze Research Data by SexIn this episode, Nicole Woitowich, PhD, executive director of NUCATS shares her recent research examining how well biomedical research is incorporating sex differences, and where science is still falling short. |
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Galter LibraryNew NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan RequirementsGalter librarians offer an implementation update for NIH data management and sharing plans, as well as information about updates to NIH career development (K) award programs. |
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Sponsored ResearchPhysical and Functional Improvement via Cancer Rehabilitation Triaging TrialAnn Marie Flores, PT, PhD, associate professor of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, with her MPI, Sofia Garcia, PhD, professor of Medical Social Sciences and director of the Cancer Survivorship Institute, received a $2.7 million dollar grant to study how to implement interventions that identify and triage cancer patients to ensure appropriate rehabilitation service delivery. |
High Impact ResearchTan C, Ren Z, Kurup S, Liu X, Ge ZD, Suzuki S, Jakka P, Tang C, Iruela-Arispe ML, Kume T. Lymphatic dysfunction and ZFP36 deficiency contribute to myxomatous valve degeneration in Marfan syndrome mice. The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Aug 2026; 136(15). Taplin ME, Gleave M, Shore ND, Lopez-Gitlitz A, Kretschmer A, Efstathiou E, Nguyen PL, Damião R, Kamoto T, Ross A, ... Given R, Grubb R, Reiter R, Szmulewitz R, Deem S, Savage S, Daskivich T, Tan W. Perioperative Apalutamide in High-Risk Localized Prostate Cancer. The New England Journal of Medicine. Aug 2026; 395(6):546-560. Yan Y, Patino DA, Zhao Y, Wu X, Budinger GRS, Bharat A. Myasthenia thymus reprograms class-switched B cells into BAFF-dependent survivors. Science Advances. Aug 2026; 12(33):eaec3842. van Veen S, Meeus E, Irala D, Sakers K, Liu Z, Savage J, Séjourné G, Bindu DS, Ausloos E, Grzesik HE, Dhondt H, Schoonvliet N, Van den Haute C, Van Asselberghs J, Montpeyó Garcia-Moreno M, Wierda K, Baekelandt V, Platzer K, Rostasy K, Yap KL, Eggermont J, Holt MG, Eroglu C, Vangheluwe P. ATP13A4 gates extracellular polyamine levels to control excitatory synaptogenesis. Nature Communications. Aug 2026; 17(1). |
Featured CoreCenter for Advanced MicroscopyThe Center for Advanced Microscopy (CAM) offers state-of-the art instrumentation and services for the study of biological processes at the whole animal, tissue, cellular, and subcellular levels. The center’s services include many different types of microscopy. In addition, we provide data analysis support with custom analysis protocols for imaging data. Services Offered
Learn more about the various types of microscopy available. |
NIH Notices
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