RESURG

CURRENT PROJECTS

• COVID-19 Among Obese Patients
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Shushmita Ahmed, MD
  Research Assistants: Kevin Ly (Lead)
  The main goal of this study is to determine the effect body mass index (BMI) has on mortality and other critical-care outcomes in patients with COVID-19.

• Pre-operative Prophylactic Antibiotics in Appendicitis                    
  Research Classification: Prospective
  Principal Investigator: Erin Brown, MD
  Research Assistants: Alexis Chirco (Lead)                                                                     
  This is a prospective, multi-site study that seeks to evaluate the effects of administering pre-operative prophylactic antibiotics to pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy. The aim of this study is to determine whether the administration of these antibiotics decreases rates of surgical site infection.                  

• Improving Access to Primary Care for Trauma Patients (TAC)
  Research Classification: Prospective Human Subjects
  Principal Investigator: Joseph Galante, MD & Siobhan Luce (co-PI)
  Research Assistants: Kar Shrikantham (Lead)
  The study aims to improve access to primary care services amongst trauma patients via inpatient counseling with or without referral to a free UC Davis student-run clinic to manage a chronic condition. The project is currently screening and enrolling patients for the study.

• AAST Vascular Trauma Registry: Prospective Observational Vascular Injury Trial (PROOVIT):
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Joseph Galante, MD
  Research Assistants: Kar Shrikantham (Lead)
  PROOVIT aims to capture key elements of vascular trauma presentation, diagnosis, management, and outcomes from leading trauma institutions in the US. The objective is to establish an aggregate database of information for vascular trauma outcomes by subcategorizing the data into anatomic patterns of vascular trauma. 

• Contemporary Natural History of Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion:
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Nasim Hedayati, MD
  Research Assistants: Bryan Kuo
  Currently, there is no data to identify which patients will progress to complete occlusion without the development of neurologic symptoms. This project aims to provide a contemporary natural history of patients with Internal Carotid Artery (ICA) stenosis that progressed to ICA occlusion, focusing on risk factors predictive of neurologic events. We hypothesize that progression from ICA stenosis to complete occlusion is associated with risk factors that have far gone largely undetected.

• Patient Engagement and Outcomes for Vascular Conditions
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Research Classification: Misty Humphries, MD
  Research Assistants: Ashley Truong (Lead), Christina Brown, Zilan Zheng, Alexis Chirco, Ryan Nguyen, Amanda Aquilio, Naomi Cinque, Anjani Patibandla
  The aim of this study is to determine how patient activation affects outcomes for patients with vascular disease. The project is currently screening and enrolling patients for the study.

• Adherence to best practice guidelines for palliative care in Trauma and Acute Care Surgery ICU patients
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Research Classification: Misty Humphries, MD
  Research Assistants: Rafael Ricon (Lead), Samveda Rukmangadhan         This study seeks to characterize palliative care delivery in admitted Trauma and Acute Care Surgery patients in adherence to palliative care guidelines produced by the American College of Surgeons. This will help guide future provider- and workflow-based strategies to better meet patients’ palliative care needs and routine surgical care such as advance care planning, identification of a health care proxy, communication around prognosis and goals of care, and decision-making around the end of life.

• Assessing Role of Imaging Sharing Prior to Vascular Surgery E-Consults
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Misty Humphries, MD
  Research Assistants: Bryan Kuo
  Specialty e-consults have shown to be very useful cross multiple specialties with high reported satisfaction rates from providers, patients, improved timeliness, and decrease in overall health care utilization and face-to-face visitations. Additionally, with COVID-19 there has been a substantial increase in the use of both telehealth and a push for more providers to use E-consults to answer questions without requiring in-person appointments. E-consults for vascular surgery often require wound pictures (most commonly in cases of peripheral arterial disease and venous disease) as well as occasionally radiology imaging to be readily available in order for a clinical question to be answered. This study aims to evaluate E-consult metrics, such as re-imaging needed, delay in receiving relevant wound images, timeliness of response, need for in-person appointment, and distance traveled, from the last two years (January 2019 - January 2021). We hypothesize that requiring imaging sharing for new vascular surgery E-consults would result in decreased time-to-diagnosis, decreased time to intervention, reduced cost (Medicare savings), and improved patient perspective of care.

• Understanding Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
  Research Classification: Retrospective 
  Principal Investigator: Misty Humphries, MD
  Research Assistants: Matthew Kim (Lead)
  The aim of this study is to identify factors associated with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and develop treatment algorithms for patients with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

• SCOPE-CLI: Shifting Care and Outcomes for Patients with Endangered limbs – Critical Limb Ischemia
  Research Classification: Prospective, Observational
  Principal Investigator: Misty Humphries, MD
  Research Assistants: Avni Suri, Andrea Sommer, Naomi Cinque
  The SCOPE-CLI study is prospective, observational study whose primary objective is to systemically quantify patients’ CLI-specific health status and clinical outcomes through the use of surveys. More specifically, the study aims to generate new evidence on clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of patients with CLI (critical limb ischemia) across various practices.
  

• Opiate Reduction with Erector Spinae Blocks in Patients Undergoing First Rib Resection for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Misty Humphries, MD
  Research Assistants: Amanda Aquilio (Lead)
  This study aims to reduce opiate usage in the inpatient setting of post-operative patients from first rib resection for thoracic outlet syndrome. Given the current climate of opiate addiction, this retrospective study will evaluate the possibility of reducing opiate usage in a postoperative patient population that historically have required high frequency intravenous and oral opiate pain control by adjunctive erector spinae blocks in the perioperative period.
  

• Understanding Telehealth Needs in Rural Communities
  Research Classification: Prospective
  Principal Investigator: Misty Humphries, MD
  Research Assistants: Ryan Nguyen (Lead)
  This study aims to create a telemedicine learning collaborative for evaluation of patients with lower extremity ulcers in rural areas and develop a feasible assessment protocol for providers in rural areas for evaluating patients with lower extremity ulcers.

• Implementation of Telemedicine for patient with wounds and ulcers (K23)
  Research Classification: Quality Improvement
  Principal Investigator: Misty Humphries, MD
  Research Assistants: Naomi Cinque (Lead), Christina Brown, Zilan Zheng (DS)
  The K23 study is a quality improvement project assessing if telemedicine can improve the specialty care offered for new patients with wounds and ulcers due to peripheral artery disease (PAD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) at rural health clinics (RHC). The study aims to implement telemedicine consultations at RHCs, evaluate and improve the time to specialist evaluation/treatment ratio, and determine if telemedicine patients with lower levels of activation need more resources to get additional care.

• Colorectal Surgery Outcomes Database
  Research Classification: Quality Improvement
  Principal Investigator: Deborah Keller, MD
  Research Assistants: Amanda Aquilio (Lead)
  This study aims to review the patient demographic, procedural, postoperative, and oncologic variables for quality improvement efforts in colorectal surgery. An ongoing audit of surgeon-specific outcomes will facilitate quality improvement to reduce hospital length of stay, readmissions, reoperations, morbidity, and mortality on a broad scale. We aim to create an all-inclusive QI database with standardized monthly audits and to use the audits to identify the surgeon, patient, system, process, and procedural factors related to surgical and outcomes.

• Irrigated Radio Frequency Ablation to Terminate Non-Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation (Terminal AF Study)
  Research Classification: Prospective Clinical Trial
  Principal Investigator: Bob Kiaii, MD
  Research Assistants:  Ryan Nguyen, Andrea Sommer
  The aim of the study is to expand the use of the Cardioblate Surgical Ablation devices to treat non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Surgical ablation is a regularly used, non-experimental heart surgery technique that creates lines of scars on the atria, but the use of this specific device for this specific type of atrial fibrillation is experimental.

• Percutaneous MitraClip™ Device or Surgical Mitral Valve Repair in Patients with Primary Mitral Regurgitation who are Candidates for Surgery (REPAIR MR)
  Research Classification: Prospective
  Principal Investigator: Bob Kiaii, MD
  Research Assistants: Ryan Nguyen (Lead), Andrea Sommer
  This study aims to compare the clinical outcome of MitraClip™ device versus surgical repair in patients with severe primary mitral regulation who are at moderate surgical risk and whose mitral valves has been determined to be suitable for correction by mitral valve repair surgery by the cardiac surgeon on the local site heart team.

• How Does Obesity Affect Outcomes After Bariatric Surgery
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Victoria Lyo, MD
  Research Assistants: Alexis Chirco (Lead)
  This study aims to compare the clinical outcomes of obese and non-obese patients with intestinal disease as well as the associated medical costs of treatment. This study also looks at the prevalence of developing new intestinal disease following bariatric surgery.

• Improving Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Rates in an Open Health Care System (AAA)
  Research Classification: Quality Improvement 
  Principal Investigator(s): Matthew Mell, MD
  Research Assistants:  Avni Suri (Lead), Ashley Truong, Zilan Zheng, Bryan Kuo, Naomi Cinque
  The aim is to increase the rate of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening through electronic medical record (EMR) as a quality improvement program for patients at UC Davis Medical Center, which is an open health care system. This will aid in lowering AAA-related mortality.

• BEST-Registry
  Research Classification: Prospective Observational Study
  Principal Investigator: Matthew Mell, MD
  Research Assistants: Avni Suri, Naomi Cinque, Ashley Truong
  The primary objective of the BEST-Registry is to enroll patients excluded from the BEST-CLI Trial and thereby assess real-world therapeutic strategies, clinical outcomes, and costs associated with critical limb ischemia. Since the BEST Registry is designed to capture real world care, there will be no randomization or required / recommended treatment.

• PCPLC Core Data Project
  Research Classification: Prospective
  Principal Investigator: Payam Saadai, MD
  Research Assistants: Kevin Ly (Lead)
  The aim of this study is to collect information about the patient population of those with pediatric colorectal disease and maintain a database. The database will be used by PCPLC to characterize the patient population and to describe treatment practices and functional outcomes. 

• Firearm Safety Study
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Edgardo Salcedo, MD
  Research Assistants:  Anjani Patibandla (Lead), Ryan Nguyen
  Despite the readiness of patients to discuss gun safety with medical staff, there is little education provided on how to approach these discussions and many providers do not discuss gun safety with their patients. This study will provide education on how to have a gun safety conversation with surgery residents, emergency medicine residents, and trauma nurse practitioners. Then, it will conduct a retrospective chart review of patients presenting after gunshot wounds for up to 2 years before and after the education and evaluate how many received gun safety education.

PAST PROJECTS

• Sutures vs. Staples: An analysis of Wound Closure Methods for Knee Amputations
  Research Classification: Retrospective 
  Principal Investigator: Mimmie Kwong, MD & Matthew Mell, MD (co-PI)
  Research Assistants: Avni Suri (Lead); Leo Andrada (Lead)
  This research study compares the post-operative outcomes and closure techniques of both below-the-knee and above-the-knee amputations.  Data is currently being collected through EMR.

• Time of Arterial Testing Affects Outcomes for Patients with Lower Extremity Wounds
  Research Classification:  Retrospective
  Principal Investigator:Misty Humphries, MD 
  Research Assistants: Angela Aguirre (Lead), Kritika Sharma
  The study aims to establish a benchmark for time to evaluation and time to treatment for patients with lower extremity wounds. The study is currently collecting benchmark data through EMR.

• Database of Surgical and Oncologic Outcomes for Liver and Pancreas Surgical Oncology Patients
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Sepideh Gholami, MD
  Research Assistants: Alexis Chirco (Lead)
  The study aims to track surgical and oncologic outcomes for liver and pancreas cases for the UC Davis surgical oncology department.

• Magnesium Infusion for Pain Management in Critically Ill Trauma Patients
  Research Classification: Prospective, Clinical Trial
  Principal Investigator:Christine Cocanour, MD
  Research Assistants: Kevin Ly
  The study aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of continuous, intravenous administration of magnesium sulfate as compared to placebo in decreasing pain in critically injured patients.

• Outcomes of Surgery in COVID-19 Infection: An International Cohort Study
  Research Classification: Prospective
  Principal Investigator: Rachael Callcut, MD
  Research Assistants: Avni Suri (Lead)
  The study aims to analyze the surgical outcomes for patients who are diagnosed with COVID-19 perioperatively, with a primary predictor being 30-day mortality.

• Characterization of the Melanoma-Specific Immune Response
  Research Classification: Prospective, Clinical Trial
  Principal Investigator: Amanda Kirane, MD
  Research Assistants: Kevin Ly (Lead), Matthew Kim
  The studies aim is to test the effects of a melanoma treatment, neoadjuvant Talimogene laherparepvec (or T-VEC) on high-risk melanoma patients who obtained poor outcomes with standard-of-care treatments.

• DVTMOD
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Misty Humphries, MD & Cara Pozolo, MD (co-PI)
  Research Assistants: Gabby Echt (Lead), Kritika Sharma
  The DVT study aims to retrospectively review all the deep vein thrombosis studies performed by the UCDMC Vascular Lab over a six month period. Venous duplex tests are used to rule out deep vein thrombosis. This study hopes to decrease the number of unnecessary tests and provide education about optimal diagnosis techniques for DVTs, consequently reducing medical waste. The DVT study aims to review the number of unnecessary tests that are performed, determine the main risk factors for a positive DVT study, and estimate the risk of DVT based on the Well’s criteria. The study also aims to create an EMR risk calculator to help providers estimate the risk of DVT prior to ordering a DVT study.

• The Role of GAS6/AXL Expression in Malignant Melanoma and GI Cancers
  Research Classification: Prospective Observational Study
  Principal Investigator: Amanda Kirane, MD & Sepideh Gholami, MD (co-PI)
  Research Assistants: Kritika Sharma (Lead)
  The goal of this study is to assess the expression of a protein, Ax1, as a clinical correlate of prognosis and response to therapy in malignant melanoma. We also aim to evaluate another protein, Gas6, as a serum marker of disease stage and response to therapy in multiple organ tumors, including gastrointestinal tumors. This study aims to assess the expression of these two proteins, Gas6 and Ax1, as serum biomarkers that reliably predict response to immunologic therapies in patients with melanoma. We hope to use the results of this study as a basis for future therapeutics and as a potential biomarker of response to immunotherapies.

• Blunt Aortic Injury: A Review of Techniques and Outcomes
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Steven Maximus, MD
  Research Assistants: Kritika Sharma (Lead)
  Blunt aortic injury is the second leading cause of death in all blunt traumas. There are different options to treat this injury, including a common open surgery and a more recently used minimally invasive technique called Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair, also known as TEVAR. This specialized technique allows surgeons to perform the entire operation through two small incisions in the groin, instead of having to open up the chest as is necessary in other operations. This study aims to evaluate how the TEVAR operation is performed at UC Irvine Medical Center and their outcomes. It also aims to evaluate all repairs within the UC Health System while also assessing the long-term outcomes of patients who have had this procedure done at multiple institutes.

• The Immediate Availability of Hyaluronidase
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Lee Pu, MD
  Research Assistants: Taylor Silva, Matthew Kim
  The purpose is to determine the immediate availability of hyaluronidase for patients undergoing hyaluronic acid (HA) filler injections to the face. This study will be the first of its kind to elucidate the immediate availability of hyaluronidase at practices that inject HA fillers as well as EDs. This may reveal a significant safety issue regarding HA filler use in the United States, particularly if neither practices nor their neighboring EDs stock hyaluronidase. In addition, our work will determine the underlying reasons for not stocking hyaluronidase such that appropriate recommendations can be made at a policy, practice, and community level to improve patient safety.

• Analysis of Telemed Survey During COVID-19
  Research Classification: Quality Improvement
  Principal Investigator: Lee Pu, MD
  Research Assistants: Matthew Kim
  The study aims to determine the quality and completeness of telemedicine visits performed during COVID-19 from a surgeon perspective and determine the quality and completeness of telemedicine visits performed during COVID-19 from a patient perspective. We suspect that patients and providers will face some challenges as they increase utilization of telemedicine in a crisis situation.

• Incidental Findings Found on Abdominal Imaging Done on General Surgery Patients
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Michael Campbell, MD & Ashly Ruf (sub-I)
  Research Assistants: Rafael Ricon, Amanda Aquilio
  This study aims to identify the incidence of incidental findings found on abdominal CT scans done on patients admitted to acute care general surgery service. We then determine if and how many of these patients with incidentals receive outpatient workup. IFs that are not followed up on can lead to legal liability, delays in a diagnosis, and overall a poor patient outcome. Thus, we are evaluating how many of these patients receive follow up on their incidental findings. 

• Investigating the role of Timing in Post-Operative Ankle/Toe Brachial Index
  Research Classification: Retrospective 
  Principal Investigator: Mimmie Kwong, MD
  Research Assistants: Christina Brown (Lead)
  The study aims to determine if there is an appropriate time to conduct an Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) exam after a patient has experienced a vascular intervention for infrainguinal arterial occlusive disease. This determination will aid in establishing guidelines for when an ABI exam should be conducted after surgery.

• Prevalence and Associations of Methamphetamine Use in Patients Admitted to Surgical Services
  Research Classification: Retrospective
  Principal Investigator: Kathleen Romanowski, MD
  Research Assistants: Elias Jbeily (Lead), Taylor Silva, Ryan Nguyen, Samveda Ruk
  This study aims to retrospectively determine the prevalence and associations - mechanism of injury, cardiovascular parameters, and cost of care - of amphetamine use in patients admitted to the Trauma and Burn services from 2015-2019.

Please download the RESURG PI Resource Request Form HERE and return the completed application to hs-resurg@ucdavis.edu.

The positions listed below are all UNPAID internships that will require weekly commutes to the UC Davis Medical Center. All of RESURG’s internship positions have a time commitment of 8 hours per week for 3 consecutive quarters. If accepted into the program, a mandatory 2-hour class will be required as part of the 8-hour requirement in the first quarter of the program. **COVID-19 EDIT: The program is currently REMOTE until further notice.

All of the positions listed below have the same duties, such as RESURG program support, Department of Surgery research support, and designated research and project leadership (if applicable). All positions provide the intern with the following experiences and opportunities: 1) education and experience in clinical research and 2) personal and professional development through mentorship. The difference in the positions is which research studies the Research Assistant will be placed on. For example, a Vascular Research Assistant will only be working on Vascular Division research projects. A General Research Assistant can be placed on any divisions study and is dependent on need of the Department of Surgery. Meanwhile, a Data Specialist will work extensively with REDCap to assist Research Assistants and Department of Surgery faculty.

• Research Assistant (RA)
• Trauma Research Assistant (TRA)
• Vascular Research Assistant (VRA)
• Cardiothoracic Research Assistant (CTRA)
• Pediatric Research Assistant (PRA)
• Data Specialist (DS)

• Research Assistant
• The RESURG Research Assistant (RA) will perform the following duties/tasks/responsibilities: RESURG program support, Department of Surgery research support, designated research and project leadership (if applicable), education, mentorship, clinical observation, and general compliance. This position provides the RA with the following experiences and opportunities: 1) education and experience in clinical research and 2) personal and professional development through mentorship."
• Data Specialist 
• The RESURG Data Specialist (DS) position works extensively with REDCap to provide assistance to Research Assistants and Department of Surgery faculty. This position provides the DS with the following experiences and opportunities: 1) experience in clinical research with a focus through Information Technology and 2) personal and professional development through mentorship.
• Trauma Research Assistant 
• UCDMC has many clinical studies being conducted under the Trauma Service. An RA in this position would be trained in proper documentation of IRB documents, and assist in screening and data entry for many of the studies.
• **This position is ideal for someone interested in exploring the wide scope of clinical research studies, since Trauma Surgery is one of the fields which involves operations throughout the entire body.**
• Vascular Research Assistant
• UCDMC has many clinical studies being conducted under the Vascular Service. An RA in this position would be trained in proper documentation of IRB documents, and assist in screening and data entry for many of the studies. This position is an unpaid internship created to provide the RA with the following experiences and opportunities: 1) education and experience in clinical research and 2) personal and professional development through mentorship.  
• **This position is ideal for someone interested in exploring the wide scope of clinical research studies**
• Cardiothoracic Research Assistant
  • UCDMC has many clinical studies being conducted under the Cardiothoracic Division in Surgery. An RA in this position will be trained in proper documentation of IRB documents and will assist in screening and data entry for many of the studies. This position is an unpaid internship created to provide the CTRA with the following experiences and opportunities: 1) education and experience in clinical research and 2) personal and professional development through mentorship.
  • **This position is ideal for someone interested in exploring the Vascular System in the Thoracic region of the human body since Cardiothoracic surgery involves operations in the heart region.**
• Pediatric Research Assistant
  • UCDMC has many clinical studies being conducted under the Pediatric Division of Surgery. An RA in this position will be trained in proper documentation of IRB documents and will assist in screening and data entry for many of the studies. This position is an unpaid internship created to provide the PRA with the following experiences and opportunities: 1) education and experience in clinical research and 2) personal and professional development through mentorship.
  • **This position is ideal for someone interested in exploring the differences that come with operating on pediatric patients.**

Current
Avni Suri - RESURG Supervising Officer
Andrea Sommer - RESURG Regulatory and Compliance Officer
Christina Brown - RESURG Education & Training Officer
Matthew Kim - Senior Data Specialist 
Alexis Chirco - Research Assistant
Kevin Ly - Research Assistant 
Ashley Truong - Data Specialist
Amanda Aquilio - Research Assistant
Rafael Ricon - Research Assistant
Naomi Cinque - Vascular Research Assistant
Ryan Nguyen – Cardiothoracic Research Assistant 
Bryan Kuo - Data Specialist
Anjani Patibandla - Research Assistant
Samveda Ruk - Research Assistant
Srikar Shrikantham - Trauma Research Assistant
Zilan Zheng - Data Specialist
Brian Luong - Research Assistant
Elisa Gonzalez - Pediatric Research Assistant
Harshita Naidu - Pediatric Research Assistant
Jose Hernandez - Cardiothoracic Research Assistant
Neha Gondra - Vascular Research Assistant
Shyama Chaganti - Research Assistant

Past 
Leo Andrada - Research Assistant - Admin 
Leon Gilligan-Steinberg - Research Assistant - Admin 
Kevin Dinh - Research Assistant - Admin 
Amber Solt - Research Assistant
Gabrielle Echt - Research Assistant 
Anastasiya Ivanko - Admin 
Angela Aguirre – Admin
Kritika Sharma – Research Assistant
Taylor Silva – Research Assistant
Anya Guzman - Trauma Research Assistant
Elias Jbeily - Research Assistant

RESURG Fall 2021 Recruitment

Fall 2021 applications are now open. If you have any questions regarding the application or recruitment, please email hs-resurg@ucdavis.edu.  

Click HERE to apply.

Our vision is to promote, develop, and train students to become competent research professionals, while mentoring them in their professional and educational goals.

RESURG:
Email: hs-resurg@ucdavis.edu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ucdavisresurg/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ucdavisresurg/

Introduction
We would like to introduce RESURG’s first ever philanthropy event: Fostering the Future. This is a two-day program that aims to provide underserved high school students in Sacramento County the opportunity to explore careers in the field of healthcare and learn valuable professional and life skills that will aid in fostering a successful future in healthcare careers. During this event, students will attend a number of workshops that promote professional development, building professional connections, and enhancing education about careers in healthcare, medicine, and clinical research. It is our goal and purpose to support students in successfully pursuing their goals and aspirations, and to ultimately, foster their future.

Event Details

The two-day event took place on June 19^th & 20^th 2021 from 9am to 4pm over Zoom.  We hope to offer this event again next year.

To see what classes were offered during our 2021 event, check out our course introductions HERE.

How to Apply

Applications are currently closed.

Contact Us
Email: resurg.davis@gmail.com