The Levy Letter

02/06/26

Letter from the Chair

As we settle into the groove of 2026, I’m struck by the steady drumbeat of positive news coming out of our department.

We’re in the midst of several exciting leadership changes. After a more than year-long search, we look forward to welcoming former DOM faculty member Jared Walsh, MD, back to our team as General Medicine chief. In today’s newsletter, you’ll read about Chunkit Fung, MD, taking on DOM’s Well-Being efforts, and Thomas Curran, MD, stepping up as acting chief of Cardiology as Spencer Rosero, MD, takes a long-awaited sabbatical.

Our Palliative Care Division is celebrating a remarkable “perfect” Joint Commission survey, and Cardiology is marking our 25th year performing life-saving heart transplants. And today, many of us are gathering to share the latest research in health equity, with a focus on building partnerships with the community, industry, and other researchers across disciplines and institutions.

Be well,
Ruth O'Regan, MD



		Top Stories

Photo of Thomas Curran and Spencer Rosero

Thomas Curran Named Acting Cardiology Chief

Thomas Curran, MD, will serve as acting chief of Cardiology, while Spencer Rosero, MD, pursues a year-long sabbatical to focus on his research in clinical cardiac electrophysiology.

Palliative Care Earns ‘Perfect’ Joint Commission Review

A Joint Commission surveyor called our Adult Palliative Care Program at Strong “the best palliative care program I’ve ever seen” and had no findings or areas of concern. Congrats, team!

Photo of Chunkit Fung and Allen Andandarajah

Fung to Lead DOM Well-Being as Anandarajah Departs

As Allen Anandarajah, MBBS, prepares for his new role as chief of Rheumatology at the Indiana School of Medicine, he is handing leadership of DOM’s well-being efforts to Chunkit Fung, MD, now associate chair for Engagement, Enrichment, and Well-Being.

A view into an OR where two surgeons are at work, with a sing on the glass that says "heart transplant in progress"

Heart Transplant Program Turns 25!

In the wee hours of February 7, 2001, the first heart transplant was performed at Strong. In the intervening 25 years, 392 patients have received the Gift of Life, and our program has grown tremendously.



		Bulletin Board

February DOM Town Hall: Join us on Monday, February 9, 12-1 p.m. in the Class of ’62 Auditorium or on Zoom for updates on the department’s vision, priorities, and future direction from DOM Chair Ruth O’Regan.

Geriatric Medicine Grand Rounds: Join us on Wednesday, February 11, 8 a.m. to learn how the VA implemented the Age Friendly Health Systems initiative nationwide, resulting in nearly 500 teams being recognized as “Age Friendly.”

Humanism in Medicine Award Nominations: Clinical chairs are invited to recommend faculty members for the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award by Monday, March 2. Award recipients will be identified by the Dean’s Office and noted at the SMD MD Graduation Ceremony on Saturday, May 16.

Satcher Community Health Improvement Awards Nominations: Faculty, staff, and community partners are encouraged to nominate colleagues for their significant contributions to community health through research, teaching, practice, and/or service programs by Wednesday, March 4, 12 p.m.

Help CTSI Map Faculty Research Collaborations: UR CTSI Co-Directors Martin Zand, MD, PhD, of Nephrology, and Karen Wilson, MD, MPH, of Pediatrics, urge all faculty members to complete a 10-minute survey on their research collaborations to help focus support for emerging investigators and networks.



		Off the Clock

Conrad Gleber with his daughters Kiera. And Kiera decked out in Bills gear with her older sister, Maeve.

Conrad Gleber, MD, MBA, of Hospital Medicine, welcomed his second daughter, Kiera, last October. In his spare time, he has been teaching Kiera and her older sister, Maeve, the virtues of Buffalo Bills fandom. Go Bills!



		Special Announcements

Daniel Lachant, DO, Kyle Norton, Bishal Gyawali, MD, Deborah Haight, and James White, MD, PhD, of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, authored “Supplemental Oxygen Decreases Cardiac Effort in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension” in Pulmonary Circulation.

Adnin Zaman, MD, of Endocrinology, led the study, “Perceived Weight Gain and Oral Contraceptive Pill Discontinuation Among Women with and Without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in a National Survey,” published in Fertility and Sterility.

Irfan Rahman, PhD, of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, led two studies published last week: “Single-Cell Transcriptomics Identifies Altered Neutrophil Dynamics and Accentuated T-cell Cytotoxicity in Tobacco-Flavored e-Cigarette-Exposed Mouse Lungs" in eLIfe; and “A Comparative Toxicological Evaluation of Nicotine and Its Analog 6-Methyl Nicotine in E-Cigarette Aerosol Utilizing a 3D in vitro Human Respiratory Model” in Toxicology.

Allison Magnuson, DO, of Hematology & Oncology, led the study “A Telehealth-Based Behavioral Intervention for Cancer-Related Cognitive Decline in Older Adults Undergoing Systemic Therapy for Breast Cancer: Development and Usability Testing” in JMIR Formative Research. Supriya Mohile, MD, MS, and Alissa Huston, MD, of Hematology & Oncology, were also authors of the study.



		Social Spotlight

Screenshot of a LinkedIn repost by Casulo Carla, Professor, Medicine and Oncology at University of Rochester Medical Center that says, " Truly honored to be recognized for highest clinical trials enrollment across the Wilmot Cancer Institute. Clinical research only works because of patients willing to participate, and teams committed to collaboration and diligence. Grateful to contribute alongside such dedicated colleagues, and patients for their trust."

The Levy Letter is always looking to learn about good things happening here!
Email us with your ideas.