Research funding is as important as ever for advancing innovation and surgical training. The Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Surgery recently secured several major grants from the National Institutes of Health, providing critical resources for projects across a range of focus areas.
An R21 grant led by Mithun Sinha, PhD, associate professor of surgery, and funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, will investigate how biofilm-responsive oxylipins contribute to two common inflammatory conditions affecting dental implants.
"Despite the funding challenges of the last 18 months, our faculty persisted and kept submitting grants," said Karl Bilimoria, MD, chair of the Department of Surgery."That effort has paid off as we were able to secure five new R01, an R21 and a T32 grant."
Using AI to improve colorectal cancer prevention
Anthony Yang, MD, vice chair of quality, and his team have identified variations in colonoscopy quality among lower-volume colonoscopists, who perform screenings in rural and peri-urban communities. Yang’s newly funded R01, "Video-Based Bundle to Improve Screening Colonoscopy Quality in Lower-Volume Clinicians," will use an AI-augmented tool to assess recorded colonoscopies and provide clinicians with tailored procedural skills feedback.
"The work resulting from this grant has the potential to improve the quality of colonoscopy for the one-third of patients in the U.S. living in rural and peri-urban communities, leading to better colorectal cancer outcomes," Yang said.
Better data and better decisions
Over half of Medicare beneficiaries are now enrolled in Medicare Advantage, creating questions about if quality and patient safety measures based on traditional Medicare data provide a complete picture. With support from a new R01 from the National Institute on Aging, Bilimoria and Jeanette Chung, PhD, research professor of surgery, will examine whether integrating traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage data can strengthen national measures of inpatient quality and safety.
“With less than half of all Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in traditional Medicare, there is a concern that relying on traditional Medicare data for measuring hospital quality and inpatient safety may no longer adequately capture the experience of its beneficiaries,” Chung said.
The approach could also improve measurement of healthcare disparities because non-white Medicare beneficiaries and people eligible for Medicare and Medicaid have been reported to enroll in Medicare Advantage at higher rates.
“If we can somehow improve the experience of Medicare beneficiaries — even a little bit — by providing better information on inpatient quality and safety that they can consider in making healthcare decisions, we will gladly seize that opportunity,” Bilimoria said. “We can also improve the measures that all hospital rating systems like U.S. News use to assess quality.”
Also examining Medicare Advantage, surgery faculty member Adam Wilk, PhD, received a four-year R01 from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. His team will study differences in kidney transplant access between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage enrollees to identify barriers and opportunities to better support patients.
Building the future of the surgeon-scientist workforce
The department also secured a second T32 award to develop the next generation of surgeon-scientists. The Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Research Education for Surgical Trainees (GHREST) program will provide research training for surgery residents.
"Surgeon scientists are generally underrepresented in academic medicine, and federal funding for training programs has declined more recently, so this is a critical time to train the next generation of gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary surgeon scientists," said Rachel Patzer, PhD, MPH, CEO of Regenstrief Institute and professor of surgery. "GHREST will help trainees build their scientific portfolios, expand their mentoring networks and prepare to become future leaders in surgical research."
Trainees can pursue basic or translational science or health services and clinical research, drawing on expertise across Indiana University, SOQIC, Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute.
"Clinician scientists are at the cutting edge of healthcare," said Troy Markel, MD, vice chair of research. "Therefore, it makes sense that these same clinicians should also be at the forefront of the science that provides that care."
Working toward a bigger goal
The awards build on several years of investment in the department’s research enterprise, including relocating SOQIC from Northwestern University, recruiting surgeon-scientists and creating the Center for Surgical Sciences.
“Our goal is to eventually be top 20 in NIH funding,” Bilimoria said. “That will take a few more years, but we are well on our way.”
