2023 Faculty Awards Recipients and Years of Service Recognition

Dr. Natarajan Aravindan has been with the College of Medicine since 2006 and is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology and Adjunct Associate Professor with the Department of Pathology. He is actively involved with medical residents and graduate teaching, mentoring school, undergraduate, masters and graduate students as well as research training of fellows and faculty. His research includes cancer biology / radiation biology research, and he has and is serving as the PI for NIH and DoD funded studies. His research mentoring of students and fellows have resulted in numerous peer-reviewed publications, scientific presentations, and scholar-in-training awards.

Cindy McCloskey, Department of Pathology, College of Medicine

Cindy McCloskey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology and Assistant Dean for Graduate Medical Education for the OU College of Medicine. She is board certified in Clinical Pathology, Medical Microbiology, and Molecular Genetic Pathology and serves as the director of the clinical microbiology and virology laboratories for the OU Health hospitals and clinics. Dr. McCloskey is Chair of the College of American Pathologists Graduate Medical Education Committee and Chair of the ACGME Pathology Review Committee. Dr. McCloskey’s main scholarly interests include test and resource utilization in infectious diseases testing and educational research in pathology graduate medical education.

Jamie Miller, Clinical and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy

Dr. Jamie Miller has been a faculty member at the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy since 2008, and is currently a Professor in the Department of Pharmacy: Clinical and Administrative Sciences. In addition, she is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine. Dr. Miller’s clinical practice site is in the neonatal intensive care unit at The Children’s Hospital at OU Health. Dr. Miller serves as the Residency Program Director for the PGY1 Pharmacy program and has served as the Chair of the residency program oversight committee since 2016. In addition, Dr. Miller serves as a faculty advisor for one pharmacy student organization and has served as a course coordinator in four pharmacy courses in the last 14 years.

Dharambir Sanghera, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine

The global epidemic of obesity and diabetes has placed societies at dramatically elevated risks for cardiovascular diseases. Tackling these complex problems requires high-quality research, education of researchers and clinicians, and a collaborative international network. Dr. Dharambir Sanghera’s passion to understand these disorders at the molecular level and discovering novel therapeutics based on genetic, ethnic, and environmental differences has directed her academic career, which intertwines rigorous research, teaching, and service activities. Dr. Sanghera’s research and training goals are focused to create next-generation leaders in biomedicine for reducing health disparities and advancing positive health outcomes in children and adults in Oklahoma and beyond.

Amy Costner-Lark, Department of Population Health and Health Systems Science, College of Nursing

Dr. Amy Costner-Lark is the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, the Director for the Doctor of Nursing Practice Programs and Assistant Professor at The Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. With over 22 years of nursing experience, she maintains national certification as Family Nurse Practitioner. Throughout her 12 years of teaching, she has always maintained her clinical practice and values patient care. Her scholarship interests center around interprofessional education and communication in healthcare. She holds leadership positions in national, state and local organizations and has presented the outcomes of her work at numerous conferences. Amy is the founder and president of Costner Medical Missions, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization; and she has led six medical mission trips with medical and dental volunteers to Ecuador, Peru and the Galapagos Islands.

Vincent C. Dennis, Clinical and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy

Vincent C. Dennis is an Associate Professor and has maintained administrative responsibilities since 1999, including oversight for experiential, interprofessional, and pharmacy residency programs. His responsibilities include didactic and laboratory skills teaching, as well as precepting learners from the first professional year through post-graduate pharmacy residents. His interests include curriculum development and assessment for didactic, laboratory, experiential and interprofessional education. He was among the inaugural faculty members to organize and advance interprofessional education efforts on the HSC campus. Dr. Dennis currently serves as Chair of the Experiential Education Section for the American Academy of Colleges of Pharmacy, the flagship organization for U.S. pharmacy faculty members.

Kurt Zimmerman, PhD, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine

Dr. Kurt A. Zimmerman is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine. In 2014, he received his PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pathology from the University of Alabama Birmingham. He was appointed as a Merit Fellow in the Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology at the University of Alabama, where he completed his fellowship. Dr. Zimmerman’s research focuses on the role of immune cells, particularly macrophages, in cystic kidney disease (CKD). His focus on immune effector cells in the pathogenesis of CKD is novel and may shed light on cyst growth and progression to end-stage CKD. His publication record includes 21 journal articles, 37 abstracts at international and national meetings, and 21 invited lectures. Dr. Zimmerman is supported by eight currently active awards, including an NIH K01 award, and was recently awarded a five-year NIH R01. He also serves as a mentor to graduate students, fellows, trainees, and other researchers at OUHSC.

Elizabeth A. Wellberg, PhD, Department of Pathology, College of Medicine

Dr. Elizabeth A. Wellberg is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology, College of Medicine. She received her PhD in Toxicology from Texas A&M University in 2009 and completed a fellowship in Pathology at the University of Colorado Denver. Dr. Wellberg’s research focuses on the mechanisms through which obesity promotes breast cancer relapse and progression, and the metabolic effects of estrogen deprivation that occur with endocrine (anti-estrogen) therapy. Dr. Wellberg leads the cancer metabolomics program that connects the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center (HHDC) with the Stephenson Cancer Center (SCC), resulting in the creation of the Cancer and Metabolism Working Group. Her publication record includes more than 31 refereed manuscripts and 44 presentations. She holds six current awards, four of which are federally funded, and serves as the principal investigator on an NIH R01 award investigating growth factor signaling in obesity associated ER-positive breast cancer. Dr. Wellberg serves as a dedicated mentor to graduate and undergraduate students, fellows, other faculty, and participants in the Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (GPiBS) Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and the SCC Diversity in Cancer Research Program.

Andriy Yabluchanskiy, MD, PhD, Translational Geroscience Laboratory, Center for Geroscience and Health Brain Aging, Department of   Neurosurgery, College of Medicine

Dr. Andriy Yabluchanskiyis an Assistant Professor, Translational Geroscience Laboratory, Center for Geroscience and Health Brain Aging, in the Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine. He received his MD from the School of Fundamental Medicine, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University in 2006 and PhD in Surgery and Interventional Sciences, University College London in 2012. An expert in neuroscience, cardiovascular pathophysiology, and aging research, Dr. Yabluchanskiy has established an extremely successful research program that spans departments, colleges, and campuses at the University of Oklahoma, focusing on the role of microvascular mechanisms in the development of cognitive decline in aging and age-related diseases. As a part of this program, he established a Translational Geroscience Laboratory, in which he has developed and adopted methods to investigate cerebromicrovascular function, measure cerebral blood flow and characterize cognitive function and gait in human study participants. Dr. Yabluchanskiy has published over 100 original manuscripts and reviews related to the topic of aging and translational sciences. Current funding includes awards from the American Heart Association, the Cancer in Aging Research Group, the NIH/NIGMS Geroscience CoBRE, and an NIH/NIA R01 award to study the effect of vitamin B derivative supplementation on cerebrovascular health and cognition in community-dwelling older adults. Further, he actively teaches and mentors undergraduates, graduate students, fellows, and residents.

Chao Xu, PhD, Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health

Dr. Chao Xu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health and a member of the Stephenson Cancer Center Biostatistics and Research Design Shared Resource. He received his PhD in Biostatistics from Tulane University in 2018 and an MS in Systems Engineering from University of Shanghai for Science and Technology in 2011. Dr. Xu has a broad background in statistical genetics, biostatistics, bioinformatics, and genetic epidemiology, with specific training and expertise in genetic and genomic studies of complex diseases, such as osteoporosis and cancer. He is a highly sought-after collaborative biostatistician, and has contributed directly to the successful development of a number of research centers on the OUHSC campus, including the Stephenson Cancer Center, the Oklahoma Shared Clinical and Translational Resources, and numerous projects within the academic departments. In the past two years, he has published 36 peer-reviewed journal articles, contributed 21 oral and poster presentations, and mentored several students, residents, and junior faculty, yielding 13 oral and poster presentations at national and regional meetings. Dr. Xu is currently involved in 12 funded projects, including serving as Co-PI or co-Investigator on three NIH R01 awards.

Sixia Chen, PhD, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health

Sixia Chen, Associate Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the Hudson College of Public Health, OUHSC, has been a faculty member since 2015. In the 7 years since Dr. Chen joined OUHSC faculty, he provides exceptional mentorship to his students and mentees. Dr. Chen has chaired 16 graduate student committees in biostatistics and epidemiology, including 4 doctoral students and 12 master’s students. In the classroom, Dr. Chen’s most notable contributions are in advanced statistical theory and methods courses. These include Sampling Theory and Methods, a new course developed by Dr. Chen that has proven very popular with students in both epidemiology and biostatistics. Counting this course, he has served as the course instructor for 5 different biostatistics courses in 7 years. Furthermore, Dr. Chen applies his research experience and knowledge in the classroom and actively involves his students in his research, extending the scope and impact of his teaching and mentoring. As a result, he consistently provides opportunities for students to contribute to scholarly publications and presentations. Dr. Chen has published 25 papers with student mentees as coauthors. His students have also contributed to 42 scholarly presentations at national and international statistics conferences; 16 of those were first-authored and presented by the student. Dr. Chen is an asset to OUHSC and to our mission of teaching excellence.

Brian F. Lich, MD, DTM&H, FACP, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine

Dr. Brian Lich, MD, DTM&H, FACP, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Section of General Internal Medicine in the College of Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC).   Dr. Lich received his Doctor of Medicine degree in 2013 from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City.  Continuing at OUHSC, he completed his Residency in General Internal Medicine in 2016 subsequently serving as Chief Resident from 2016-2017.  Board certified in Internal Medicine, in 2017 Dr. Lich received a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.  Administratively, he serves as the Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the College of Medicine.  Throughout his career, he has won numerous awards and honors.  Since 2015, he has been a recipient of the Gold Humanism Honor Society Award; and since 2013, he has received the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society Award.  He has received the Outstanding Teacher Award for the College of Medicine at the OUHSC in academic years, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. In 2020, he received the Dewayne Andrews, MD Excellence in Teaching Award from the Academy of Teaching Scholars.

Currently, Dr. Lich is an attending physician at the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs Unity Clinic, General Internal Medicine Clinic, the General Internal Medicine Wards, and the Internal Medicine Resident Clinic.  In addition, he holds teaching assignments in Clinical Medicine I and II, and is the Course Director and lecturer for the Global Health and Social Justice Coalition.   He is Co-Investigator on a sponsored grant addressing age friendly clinics.  He has contributions to scientific and scholarly journals, and has had local, regional, national and international presentations on topics related to global health.  His Curriculum vitae reveals contributions to both department and college committees.   He is a mentor and advisor to numerous students, has presented at Grand Rounds on topics such as Physician Wellness, Global Health, and tropical diseases.  He attends continuing education in his areas of interest, and provides community service as a board member and volunteer physician.

Nelson Ivan Agudelo Higuita, MD, DTM&H, CTH, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine

Dr. Nelson Agudelo, MD, DTM&H, CTH, is an associate Professor of Medicine in the section of Infectious Diseases in the College of Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC).  Dr. Agudelo received his Doctor of Medicine degree in Honduras in 2004, then he was recruited to OUHSC as an internal medicine resident in 2007 and completed his training program in 2010.  Administratively he served as an Associate Program Director of the OUHSC Internal Medicine Residency Training Program from 2013-2017.  Since 2017, he has been the Site Director of the Global Travel Epidemiology Network representing OUHSC.  In 2019, he became the Infectious Disease Fellowship Program Director and since 2020 has served as the Medical Lead for Refugee ad travel Services for the OUHSC.  Throughout his career he has won numerous awards and honors.  In 2017 he received the Regent’s Award for Superior Teaching and the Internal Medicine Residency Program Award for an Outstanding Faculty Member.  In 2018 he won the University of Oklahoma Provost’s Early Career Teaching Award and in 2019 he won the second Internal Medicine Residency Program Award.  In 2019 he received the Dewayne Andrews, MD Excellence in Teaching Award from the Academy of Teaching Scholars and most recently was named an OUHSC Presidential Professor largely based on his outstanding success as a clinician educator.

Currently, Dr. Agudelo has departmental funding for two clinical projects and is a co-investigator on a National Cancer Institute’s federal grant exploring the role of nanoparticles in decoding COVID-19 severity.  He id co-investigator on several other grants including a National Institutes f Health federal award studying immunologic determinants of post-acute sequelae iof COVID type 2 infections.  His curriculum vitae demonstrates that he is either first author or a contributing author on 28 peer-reviewed publications.  He is also highly engaged in continuing education instruction as well as serving as a mentor and advisor.

Katherine O'Neal, PharmD, Associate Professor in Clinical and Administrative Science, College of Pharmacy

Dr. O’Neal has provided extensive leadership and service to the campus. She represents the OUHSC at the State level by serving on the State Regents Faculty Advisory Council.  She is also very involved in the OUHSC Faculty Senate and most notably, was elected Chair of the Faculty Senate from 2018-2021. Once her term as Chair ended, she was elected as the 2021-2023 Faculty Senate secretary. In addition, she is currently serving as the College of Pharmacy Senator (and previously served a three-year term). This dedication to sustained leadership for the Faculty Senate is exceptional and unparalleled. Dr. O’Neal had several accomplishments during her term as the Faculty Senate Chair, including starting the first senator retreat, which was well-attended and included focused discussions and networking.  In addition, Dr. O’Neal instituted the recognition of faculty accomplishments during senate meeting and successfully converted the live monthly senate meetings to the virtual zoom environment.  Dr. O’Neal also started campus faculty socials to increase interprofessional networking opportunities.  Her impact from her work as the Faculty Senate Chair was felt in the College of Pharmacy when she added a Faculty Senate meeting standing report to the College’s quarterly faculty meetings to ensure important and timely information was regularly communicated from the senate meetings to the College.

Marianna Wetherill, PhD, Associate Professor in Department of Health Promotions Sciences, Hudson College of Public Health and School of Community Medicine

In 2008, HSC Student Government Association created the concept of a Faculty Award derived totally from student nominations and selected by students. Students were asked to nominate a faculty member that they considered to be outstanding in the areas of teaching, mentoring, service or professional activities, and representing the same characteristics exhibited by Dr. Robert A. Magarian, HSC Professor Emeritus and active community leader.

Dr. Wetherill is described by the following statements:

• She is an inspiring professor, mentor, and friend because she works hard to ensure everyone’s voices are heard
• She is always full of fresh and new ideas, but remains a strong listener to those around her
• And lastly, she radiates positive energy, encourages students to step outside of their comfort zone, encouraging us to look beyond and stay curious