2024 News Highlights

The 22nd Annual William C. Wood Research Symposium took place on Thursday, April 18, 2024, 7:00AM – 12:00PM, in the Emory University Hospital Auditorium. It showcased basic and clinical science research of the Emory Department of Surgery's students, residents, and clinical and post-doctoral fellows.

The keynote address, "The Problems are the Opportunities,” was delivered by Yolonda Colson, MD, PhD. Dr. Colson is a past president of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, chief for the Division of Thoracic Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, and professor of surgery in the field of thoracic surgery at Harvard Medical School. She is a member of the prestigious National Academy of Medicine and has served as an officer and exam chair for the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS), being integral to the creation and execution of the first virtual ABTS Certifying Exam. Dr. Colson has a specific clinical interest in improving the identification and treatment of lung cancer, extending the probability of cures through novel technologies and broadening understanding of the unique differences of lung cancer in women. She has over 160 peer-reviewed publications highlighting her previous work in transplantation, interest in women’s lung cancer, and recent investigations in sentinel lymph nodes in lung cancer and polymer-mediated drug delivery.  

Following the keynote lecture, Luke Brewster, MD, PhD, current chair of the Department’s Research Advisory Committee (RAC), introduced the William C. Wood Symposium and highlighted the contributions of Dr. Wood to the department. Two oral presentation sessions and basic and clinical science quickshot sessions were well attended and highlighted the excellent research being conducted in the Department of Surgery. Department Chair John Sweeney, MD, delivered the final remarks and winners for competitions were announced. Awards were given for best oral presentations and quickshots in both clinical science and basic science categories, and all presenters were recognized with a group photo and lunch in the Whitehead Room. 

Awards

• Best Clinical Oral Presentation: Savannah Smith, MD, general surgery resident, “How does Sleeve Gastrectomy Impact Patient Eating-related Behavior, Distress, and Symptoms? Using the BODY-Q Patient-reported Outcome Measures (PROMs).”

  • First Runner-up: Goeto Dantes, MD, general surgery resident, “Clinical predictors of Spontaneous Intestinal Perforation vs Necrotizing Enterocolitis in extremely and very low birth weight neonates.”

• Best Basic/Translational Oral Presentation: Chloe Yang, research specialist, “RIPK3 disrupts gut epithelial homeostasis during sepsis.”

  • First Runner-up: Katie Owsiany, MD, PhD, vascular surgery resident, "Creation of iPSC-derived lymphatic endothelial cells for use in regenerative therapy for lymphedema."

• Best Clinical Quick Shot: Stephanie Tom, MD, general surgery resident “CPeripheral Intravascular Lithotripsy to Facilitate Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement – Defining optimal Lesions.”

  • First runner-up: Cynthia Ramazani, medical student, “Undocumented Immigrants with ESRD Experience a Significant Disadvantage in Standard Care Surrounding Hemodialysis.”

• Best Basic/Translational Quick Shot: Kelsey Bennion, PhD student, “Making Their Own Off Switch: Fgl2 Produced by Tumor-specific CD8+ T cells Tempers the CD8+ T Cell Response.”

  • First runner-up: Julia Bazzano, PhD student, “Ganglioside Metabolism Functionally Regulates the Spectrum of CD8+ T Cell Alloreactivity.”