2023 Year in Review

Take a look back at some of SCTR's top news stories from 2023.

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Image collage with 2023 SCTR news story images

News & Events

SCTR in the News

Rare Disease Symposium

Illustration of a ribbon and group of people pictured in colors associated with Rare Disease Day. Licensed from istockphoto.com

Bringing together researchers and patient advocates to inform policy and chart the way forward for patients with rare diseases.

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Renowned Researcher

Woman wearing a white coat and glasses stands outside with greenery behind her.

Carol Feghali-Bostwick, internationally recognized translational researcher, has been named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

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Men to Men

Men in discussion wiht other men.

Men of color, who are less likely to use preventive health services, would be more receptive to health messaging from other men of color, pilot study shows.

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Clinical Trialist Training

Illustration showing aspects of clinical trials. Image by elenabs. Licensed from istockphoto.com

The Clinical Trialist Training Program offers early-career clinicians the time and know-how to lead clinical trials.

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SCTR News Archive

2022 Year in Review

December 5, 2022
The current toolkit for COVID-19 in adults
As the virus has evolved and evidence has accumulated, the COVID-19 toolkit for adults has changed. Learn which tools current research shows are effective.

November 16, 2022
E-visits tested as way to help people to quit smoking
People in rural areas are more likely to smoke and less likely to quit. A Hollings psychologist is using e-visits to reach these smokers and help them to quit.

October 18, 2022
Building equity into MUSC’s DNA
Unique collaboration builds equity into the fabric of care and research at MUSC.

October 19, 2022
Changing the face of innovation
Initiative aims to increase the number of women entrepreneurs by offering coaching, mentoring and training to senior postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty.

October 4, 2022
Adapting existing clinical trial infrastructure to address opioid overdose seen in the ED

When you need to address public health emergencies quickly, it’s sometimes best not to reinvent the wheel.

 

September 16, 2022
How one physician sought to improve health care access for Charleston's homeless

MUSC Health homeless Telehealth clinic in downtown Charleston aims to expand coverage with new grant money

 

June 17, 2022
Integrated tool allows better tracking of clinical trial metrics
Integrated tool will allow clinical trial enrollment and cost effectiveness to be tracked across the health system.

May 25, 2022
Harnessing big data to achieve health equity in South Carolina
A new joint program at MUSC and Clemson University will offer training in how to harness big data to identify and address health inequities.

May 16, 2022
Vaccinia virus MacGyvers a makeshift tool to repair its DNA, exposing a vulnerability
The vaccinia virus uses the same tool to copy and repair DNA and blocking that tool dramatically reduces the virus’s ability to multiply, MUSC study finds.

April 26, 2022
Restoring trust in research by creating lasting relationships
Stroke research improves when survivors and caregivers feel comfortable telling their stories and researchers learn to listen.

April 7, 2022
EDS researchers, patients meet for thank-you gathering for donors
Researchers, doctors, patients and donors gathered to celebrate the progress in researching Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

April 6, 2022
Preventing chemotherapy from overstaying its welcome
With the help of High Innovation-High Reward seed funding, MUSC researchers have developed a way to remove toxic chemotherapeutic drugs from the blood after cancer treatment to prevent them from reaching the heart.

March 10, 2022
Could leaky blood vessels in the brain be a culprit in Alzheimer’s disease?
In Alzheimer’s disease, fewer cells line the brain's smallest vessels, making them leaky. Blocking a protein stopped the leakage and improved memory in mice.

March 3, 2022
Calming the cytokine storm: Harnessing the power of stem cells to improve survival in the 'sickest of the sick' COVID-19 patients
New device being tested at MUSC is designed to calm the cytokine storm in patients with COVID-19 and kidney failure.

February 1, 2022
Roadmap for rolling out COVID-19 risk mitigation initiatives at educational institutions
Researchers publish a roadmap for rolling out a COVID-19 exposure notification mobile app at a large public university in South Carolina.

DR. TANYA SARAIYA (LEFT) AND DR. SUDIE BACK (RIGHT) OF THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Virtually guided exposure therapy improves outcomes in patients with PTSD

December 14, 2021 | Wearable technology allows therapists to “accompany” PTSD patients virtually during exposure therapy and use real-time psychophysiology to improve outcomes.

Children running through MUSC's Urban Farm

Getting childhood obesity initiatives across the finish line

December 10, 2021 | The Boeing Center for Children’s Wellness school-based wellness intervention offers schools a menu of wellness initiatives they can tailor to their own need.

Dr. Gayenell Magwood

Chronic disease through the lens of COVID-19

December 3, 2021 | MUSC researcher will explore how chronic disease affected COVID-19 outcomes and how COVID-19 affected chronic disease management in underserved communities.

hands representing the clinical and translational research spectrum circling a light bulb lit by the map of SC

Statewide retreat explores health inequities and what science can do to reduce them

November 08, 2021 | At SCTR’s recent retreat, NIMHD director and South Carolina scientists discussed the way forward for health disparities research.

From Left to Right: Dr. Matthew Greseth, CGS assistant director of science communications initiatives; Dr. Paula Traktman, CGS dean; and SC-SWIFT interns Julia Lefler and Catherine Mills.

Internship prepares scientists in training to communicate with the public

September 30, 2021 | A science communications internship in the College of Graduate Studies at the Medical University of South Carolina helps scientists in training to share research with the general public.

From left to right: CAPTIVA investigators Drs. Jordan Elm, Tanya Turan, Marc Chimowitz and Renee Martin.

CAPTIVA trial will test ways to prevent a second stroke in patients with a narrowed brain artery

September 1, 2021 | MUSC neurologist will co-lead the CAPTIVA trial, which will enroll 1,683 participants with a narrowed brain artery across 115 U.S. sites.  

3D still showing myocardial ischemia. Licensed from http://www.scientificanimations.com, via the Creative Commons 4.0 license, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

Sphingolipid fingerprint predicts heart disease severity in African American lupus patients

August 16, 2021 | MUSC researchers discover a potential biomarker that predicts severity of heart disease in African American lupus patients.  

Nurse Katherine Anderson draws blood from Argentino Calvo during his appointment for the Novavax vaccine trial through MUSC.

A matter of trust: Reengaging communities of color in clinical trials

August 10, 2021 | Diversity in clinical trials makes medicine safe for everyone.

Dr. Besim Ogretmen and Alhaji Janneh from the Medical University of South Carolina. Photo Credit: Sarah Pack

A COVID-19 biomarker: low blood levels of sphingosine predict symptomatic infections

August 5, 2021 | Measuring circulating blood levels of a specific lipid, allows clinicians to predict whether COVID-19-positive patients will develop symptoms.

AI networks. Image from pexels.com. CC0 license.

Artificial Intelligence algorithm to detect suicide risk takes next steps toward clinic with funding from NIH

July 26,2021 | MUSC researcher is awarded NIH funding to refine artificial intelligence algorithm to identify those at risk of suicide.

Camille Schrier, Miss America 2020, works with a sample under the supervision of lead researcher Cortney Gensemer. Schrier, who has EDS, came to tour the lab and learn about the gene mutation discovery the Norris team has made. Photo credit: Sarah Pack

MUSC researchers announce gene mutation discovery associated with EDS

July 14, 2021 | MUSC researchers believe they have found a gene mutation associated with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Dr. Shikhar Mehrotra’s team analyzed more than 60,000 blood samples as part of their large-scale COVID-19 antibody study. Photo by Marquel Coaxum

SCTR-supported COVID-19 biorepository yields new insights into IgG antibody responses in patients with and without symptoms

June 10, 2021 | People who successfully fight off COVID-19 without showing symptoms have much higher levels of IgG antibodies against the virus’s spike protein.

COVID19 Research Retreat

COVID-19: State of the Science

May 19, 2021 | COVID-19 researchers from across S.C. talk treatments, variants, vaccines and more at SCTR-sponsored retreat.

A little girl has her first visit to the dentist. Copyrighted photo by Dave Buchwald. CC by SA 3.0 license

Brushing away oral health disparities in America's rural children

April 21, 2021 | Children living in rural America are less likely to receive preventive dental care than those living in cities.

Graphic representation of how RINS integrates information across disparate systems. Illustration by Danielle Hutchison

Inspired by data warehousing: A new platform integrates disparate information systems

April 15, 2021 | A new digital platform called Research Integrated Network of Systems (RINS) facilitates information sharing about clinical studies across disparate systems.

MUSC's Dr. Patrick Flume talking with a colleague

Q&A with leader of new COVID-19 vaccine trials

February 2, 2021 | Patrick Flume, M.D., who leads the new Novavax and Janssen vaccine trials, answers questions that potential participants might have.

Last piece of the puzzle

Innovative job-classification tool ensures MUSC has the workforce it needs to run efficient clinical trials

February 1, 2021 | An MUSC team received national recognition for the Matrix, a tool that helps to ensure successful recruitment and retention of clinical research professionals.

December 11, 2020
In the fight of his life, David Zaas found peace of mind by enrolling in a clinical trial
When diagnosed with leukemia, MUSC Health-Charleston CEO David Zaas benefited from a clinical trial. He wants all MUSC patients to have the same opportunity.

November 5, 2020
Mother and daughter recover from COVID-19 and make the experience count
Amy and Lucy Krasker donated to the COVID-19 biorepository because they knew their donations could provide exponential returns for research into the disease.

October 14, 2020
Deep neural networks show promise for predicting future self-harm based on clinical notes
MUSC researchers use deep learning models to identify patients at risk of intentional self-harm based on unstructured patient clinical notes alone. 

September 11, 2020
Novel educational program puts a human face on biomedical research
Biomedical science students in a translational science training program at the Medical University of South Carolina shadow clinicians to learn more about the patients whose diseases they study.

September 10, 2020
Telehealth rapidly scales up during the pandemic to provide care to patients in the safety of their homes
The Medical University of South Carolina rapidly adapted telehealth technologies to meet the needs of its patients during the pandemic, report researchers in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association

August 28, 2020
Crossing the digital divide: New technologies link treatments to the patients who need them the most
Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina and Hollings Cancer Center explore remote methods for conducting smoking cessation clinical trials

August 24, 2020
Hitting the nail on the head: overcoming therapeutic resistance in lung cancer
A protein highly expressed in lung cancer cells drives resistance to targeted therapies, report researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 

August 19, 2020
New database could help lead to personalized treatments for breast cancer patients
Database of 40 breast cancer cell lines will help speed the development of new gene-targeted therapies.

August 19, 2020
MUSC joins in race to find COVID-19 vaccine
As researchers from across the globe race to find a vaccine for the coronavirus, the Medical University of South Carolina has entered as a key player in that fight. 

August 4, 2020
MUSC joins national patient registry that will answer crucial questions about COVID-19

July 22, 2020
Program uses art to help health sciences students see through patients' and colleagues' eyes
MUSC, Gibbes Museum team up to improve health sciences students' observation & communication skills through art.

July 17, 2020
Making the most of a limited resource to help patients with severe COVID-19 across the state
MUSC Health critical care expert tapped by the state to help to formulate plan for distributing the anti-COVID-19 drug remdesivir.

July 8, 2020
Building surge ICU capacity during COVID-19
Medical University of South Carolina team is one of nine chosen by U.S. Army to build a prototype for increasing ICU surge capacity during COVID-19.

June 19, 2020
COVID-19 biorepository will enable researchers to study response to disease
Blood and saliva sample donations from COVID-19 patients will help researchers understand the body's immune response to the novel coronavirus.

June 18, 2020
Allies in the war against COVID-19
MUSC Health expands COVID-19 clinical trials to regional hospitals.

April 27, 2020
Universities band together to develop S.C.-grown antibody test
Scientists from the state's three research universities are working together to build a SARS-CoV-2 antibody test to ensure one is available to South Carolinians

April 24, 2020
MUSC Health provides plasma transfusion to COVID-19 patients, participates in national rapid access program
Four critically ill COVID-19 patients were infused with convalescent plasma by MUSC Health to try to improve symptoms.

April 24, 2020
Clinical research in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic
SCTR is fast-tracking COVID-19 trials and, in a time of social distancing, helping study teams run clinical trials remotely.

April 21, 2020
Hydroxychloroquine trial set to launch at MUSC Health
MUSC Health will be part of a large, national trial testing effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 patients.

April 20, 2020
Making an important pediatric diagnostic test easier to swallow
MUSC researcher will gather evidence to optimize an important pediatric swallow study.

April 15, 2020
Researchers hope to learn more about coronavirus epidemic by studying frontline health care workers
Researchers are looking to health care workers to help better understand the body's response to exposure of the novel coronavirus.

April 7, 2020
MUSC Health begins home monitoring of COVID-19 patients

MUSC Health has added an option to check in on people recovering from COVID-19 at home. 

March 2, 2020
Despite best intentions, researchers don't always share findings with study participants.
Study participants want to know trial results, and researchers want to tell them but lack lay communication skills.

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March 13, 2024 | SCTR's weekly newsletter

Recurring Events

Lunch & Learns

SCTR's monthly Lunch & Learns address topical research issues over the lunch hour for research faculty and staff.

SCTR Scientific Retreat

Scientific Retreat topics address health conditions of importance to SC, and are attended by investigators and community members from across the state.

Translational Research Day

SCTR's Translational Research Day provides a forum for trainees, scholars, and investigators to display translational-based research to the MUSC community via judged poster presentations.

Mentorship Symposium

The yearly symposium provides a forum for trainees and scholars to present their research and participate in career development activities.